Published: August 14, 2008 01:53 am      

Primer for president

‘90-year-old youngster’ Sen. Byrd offers ‘unique observations’

GRANVILLE — U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd stayed an hour past the scheduled end of a book-signing here for his new book, making sure that more than 220 people standing in line Wednesday got either his autograph or a bookplate that he had signed before the event.

Exchanging pleasantries and posing for numerous photographs with every person, Byrd displayed the stamina of a person half his age.

“I felt this 90-year-old youngster had some unique observations which might help the next president better understand the daunting job ahead of him when he assumes office on Jan. 20, 2009,” Byrd said, reading from prepared remarks.

The book-signing at the Barnes & Noble Booksellers in the University Town Centre was for “Letter to a New President: Commonsense Lessons for Our Next Leader,” (Thomas Dunne Books, St. Martin’s Press, 2008, $23.95).

The 173-page book, written with Steve Kettmann, is a primer for the next president who, Byrd believes, must rely on his faith, be honest and humble, and reject the politics of anxiety and fear.

Those who waited for up to two hours to shake his hand and get their photo taken with him seemed aware of his frailty.

Byrd sat in a wheelchair, flanked by several aides and bookstore workers. A contingent of Capitol Hill police, assigned to Byrd because of his role as Senate president pro tempore emeritus, and several State Police troopers also circulated in the crowd.

For the first half-hour of the event, which started at 6 p.m. and lasted until 8 p.m., Byrd signed copies of the book, his hands visibly shaking.

Dabbing tears from her eyes, Connie Katsakis of Westover, a retired school secretary, said she arrived at the large bookstore at 9:40 a.m. to get a signed copy for her son, Nick Katsakis, 31.

“My son has always admired Sen. Byrd,” she said. “He’s coming home later this month for leave, and I really wanted to get this signed copy for him.”

A foreign service officer with the State Department, Nick Katsakis is currently serving in Moscow.

His mother said she was moved by Byrd’s attempt to sign her copy, saying his shaky hands reminded her of her husband’s weakness when he was dying of cancer two years ago.

“I stood up there looking at him and I thought, ‘Why, bless your soul,’” she said.

“He’s a politician, but look at all he’s done for West Virginia.”

For Steve Ahrens, 56, of Fairmont, Byrd sang a few lines of “Amazing Grace.”

Ahrens got Byrd to sign a 1978 vinyl LP record of the senator’s album, “Mountain Fiddler.”

Penney Kolb of Morgantown presented Byrd with an alpaca scarf.

“You made this for me?” said Byrd, touched by the handmade present.

“Yes, I did, as soon as I read three days ago that you were coming,” replied Kolb, a retired computer programmer.

John Cathreno and his wife Alison brought their two daughters.

Cathreno, 44, of Westover, is a correctional officer at the West Virginia Industrial Home for Youth near Salem.

“Look at NASA and the FBI Center and all the other things he has bought in for the economy,” Cathreno said.

Kevin Junkins, 23, a native of Mt. Storm in Grant County and a second-year medical student at West Virginia University, praised Byrd for making education a priority.

He and his fiancee, Lauren Hutzell, 23, a native of Fort Ashby and a senior in exercise physiology, brought their own copy of Byrd’s 2005 autobiography “Robert C. Byrd: Child of the Appalachian Coalfields” to get it signed.

Junkins won a Robert C. Byrd federal college scholarship to attend WVU, he said.

“And I go to school every day in the Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Complex.”

E-mail Bill Byrd at bbyrd@timeswv.com.