Senator Robert Byrd, the longest serving-member of Congress, died this morning at the age of 92. Widely known as a master of Senate rules and procedure, and nicknamed the ‘King of Pork’ (a title he relished), Byrd had served in Congress since 1953 and in the Senate since 1959. To put this in perspective:

When Byrd entered Congress in 1953, a postage stamp cost 3 cents and American kids were clamoring for a new toy called Mr. Potato Head. Dwight Eisenhower was president, Winston Churchill was Britain’s prime minister and Josef Stalin was still the Soviet Union’s leader.

Like a lot of politicians, Byrd probably overstayed his welcome a bit. In his later years, he was very frail. Even so, you have to give the guy credit. He loved the Senate and devoted his life to public service. Politics aside, we should all extend our thoughts and prayers to his family.