In a debate on the Senate floor yesterday over judges and filibusters, the "dean" (read: "old fogey") of the Senate, Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia lectured majority leader Sen. Bill Frist on his legacy.

His position drew a pointed caution from Senator Robert C. Byrd, Democrat of West Virginia, a former majority leader and a master of Senate rules. Mr. Byrd joined the current leaders on the floor and urged Dr. Frist to retreat from threats to force a vote as early as next week on prohibiting filibusters against judicial nominees.

"Who wishes, Mr. Leader, to have that kind of legacy to confront him," asked Mr. Byrd, "that he helped to kill freedom of speech in the United States Senate?"

Let us recall that Byrd changed the filibuster rules four times when he was majority leader in the '70s and '80s. Did Byrd "kill freedom of speech" back then? Hardly.

But let's look at the legacy that Bill Frist can hope to look back on by following in Byrd's footsteps.

The Robert C. Byrd Highway
The Robert C. Byrd Locks and Dam
The Robert C. Byrd Institute
The Robert C. Byrd Life Long Learning Center
The Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship Program
The Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope
The Robert C. Byrd Institute for Advanced Flexible Manufacturing
The Robert C. Byrd Federal Courthouse
The Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center
The Robert C. Byrd Academic and Technology Center
The Robert C. Byrd United Technical Center
The Robert C. Byrd Federal Building
The Robert C. Byrd Drive
The Robert C. Byrd Hilltop Office Complex
The Robert C. Byrd Library
The Robert C. Byrd Learning Resource Center
The Robert C. Byrd Rural Health Center.

So, it looks like Tennessee has a lot of Frist to look forward to.