Democrats from five counties gathered Saturday in the Blue Ribbon Building at the West Virginia State Fairgrounds Saturday to hear United States Senator Robert C. Byrd speak.

Byrd, who has served longer in the Senate than any other West Virginian, said he wanted Democrats to be the party of builders. Quoting poetry, as he often does, Byrd said, one can ﾓeasily wreck in a day or two what it took builders years to do.ﾔ

The senator asked Democrats to ﾓwork togetherﾔ and to ﾓvote for the men and women who stand up for the flag and country.ﾔ

ﾓWe need people to stand up to bullying,ﾔ he said. ﾓI believe in serving the people, Republican and Democrat.ﾔ

Byrd took his personal copy of the Constitution from his pocket and told the cheering crowd, ﾓI intend to stand for it and I intend to fight for it. Our people need champions in government. I am a champion for West Virginia.

The senior senator said the Constitution is the greatest document of its kind ever written.

Byrd went off script momentarily when he spied Bartow resident Emma Beard in the crowd. He recalled knowing Beard in Raleigh County when her husband, Moro, was a butcher, and Byrd was a meatcutter in a plant there.

Beard said later she was his ﾓoldest friendﾔ in attendance that day.

West Virginiaﾒs First Lady Gayle Manchin, State Treasurer John Perdue and State Auditor Glen Gainer also rallied the crowdﾒs cheers with speeches.