The most powerful ex-Klansman in the country, who seems determined to move the entire federal government to West Virginia before he departs this earth, led the Senate in saying the pledge today. Unfortunately, according to reports, Senator Byrd forgot the words...

He said, "I pledge OF allegiance...," and then forget to add "United States of America". At that point he simply put his head down and said, "No, no, no" but the rest of Congress went on.

Stage fright? Then again, as a former recruiter for the KKK, I doubt it.

Back in the campaign against Dukakis Bush the Elder made a stink about the pledge but it turned he had to learn it first for the purpose of the tactic. It turns out the elite private schools Bush attended didn't use the pledge at all. Depsite this he managed not to grow up into Stalinist agent plotting the overthrow of the US government.