Thurmond celebrates 99th birthday

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 (UPI) -- Sen. Strom Thurmond, R-S.C., turned 99-years-old Wednesday and celebrated in typical fashion: by complimenting the younger women around him.

The longest serving member of the Senate -- famous for his insistence on sharing candy, hugs and kisses with women members and staff -- was honored in a break from voting by the Senate, including short speeches thanking him for his service to the nation by both Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., and Republican Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss.

In his remarks after the speeches, instead of reflecting on his seven decades of public service, experience landing as a paratrooper in Normandy in his 40's, or how he set the record for longest Senate filibuster in a vain attempt regarding civil rights legislation, Thurmond stuck to his favorite subject: pretty girls.

"Thank you all very much," he said in a rare floor speech. "I want to thank all of you. I appreciate every one of you -- especially you ladies. You are good looking. God bless you."

Thurmond earlier had declared, "I love all you men, but you ladies even more."

First elected to the South Carolina House as a Democrat in 1932, Thurmond was elected governor in 1946, ran for president in 1948 as a "Dixiecrat" and won 39 electoral votes. He was elected to the U.S. Senate as a write-in candidate in 1954. By 1996, he had become the oldest person to serve in Congress at the age of 93.

Thurmond's term expires in 2002 and he has indicated he will not run for re-election.