End Of An Era In Senate
Dwight Eisenhower was days away from becoming the first president to hold a televised news conference and the average price of a new house was $22,000 — about the price of a new pickup truck today — when Strom Thurmond first strode into the Senate 48 years ago.
Jesse Helms of North Carolina blocked so much legislation in his 30 years in the Senate, he gained the nickname of "Senator No." Fred Thompson of Tennessee brought some conservative Hollywood glitz — having worked with stars such as Harrison Ford during his acting career. Phil Gramm of Texas brought a folksy wit tempered with sharp economic knowledge and unflinching conservatism.
All bid goodbye to the Senate this week after not seeking re-election. Departing with them are Sens. Tim Hutchinson, R-Ark., Max Cleland, D-Ga., and Jean Carnahan, D-Mo., all of whom lost to challengers in elections this month that threw control of the Senate to the Republicans.
Independent Dean Barkley of Minnesota left after the briefest tenure. He was sworn in Nov. 12 to fill out the term of Democratic Sen. Paul Wellstone, who was killed in a plane crash last month.
Carnahan was appointed to her seat to replace her late husband — Missouri Gov. Mel Carnahan — who died just before winning the Senate seat in 2000 when his name remained on the ballot after his death.
"I leave realizing that to have served in the United States Senate for even a short while is an honor afforded very few," she said. "I still believe, as did my husband, that public service is a good and noble work, worthy of our lives."
Sen. Bob Smith, R-N.H., lost his seat in a GOP Senate primary, Sen. Robert Torricelli, D-N.J., dropped his re-election bid just weeks before the election after seeing his approval ratings plummet. Sen. Frank Murkowski, R-Alaska, left to become governor of his state.
One by one, senators entered the chamber this week to laud their departing colleagues, who saw the world change around them in the past two years:
Most of these senators left with words of thanks rather than the bitterness of lost elections or the sadness of the major life change that departure from the Senate can bring.
"Too often, as people leave the Senate, they talk about things they're unhappy about," Gramm said Tuesday. "I want people to know I am not discouraged, I am not disillusioned, I am not disappointed, I am proud and I am honored. I am proud to have had an opportunity to serve the greatest country in the history of the world."
Gramm fought for his conservatism until the end. He waged a losing battle to modify a $100 billion terrorism insurance package Tuesday that he called a bailout for the insurance industry.
Cleland, who lost his legs and an arm in Vietnam, used a variation on Gen. Douglas McArthur's famous farewell that "old soldiers never die, they just fade away" in his final Senate speech.
"This old soldier is not going to fade away, but I will take my battles to another front," Cleland said to Senate applause.
The 81-year-old Helms also is a hero to many for his ardent opposition to communism during his years on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He also battled with the United Nations over U.S. dues and was in the vanguard of conservative social issues such as school busing, pornography in art, flag-burning and homosexuality in the Boy Scouts.
But even through all those battles, Helms always was "a true Christian gentleman in the Southern style, courtly and gracious," said Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., on Wednesday.
Thurmond, R-S.C., plans on retiring to his home state as the oldest — he turns 100 in two weeks — and longest serving senator in history. He evolved from a Democratic segregationist to a Dixiecrat presidential candidate in 1948 and then to a Republican who supported racial integration.
He now has to be helped around the Capitol in a wheelchair. But on Tuesday night, on the arms of two aides and with one halting step slowly followed by another, he walked all the way across the chamber to shake Cleland's hand one final time.