For well over half a century, one of the

For well over half a century, one of the things which has made Virginia politics interesting has been the question, asked in almost any given election, ‘What’s Harry Byrd going to do this time around?”

This year is no exception. The world is waiting for the “word from Byrd” in the race for governor between Repubican Wyatt Durrette and Democrat Gerald Baliles as well as, perhaps, an arcane chirp signaling a choice in the other statewide races.

During the four decades in which Sen. Harry F. Byrd Sr. presided over the political affairs of the commonwealth, the question was asked with something approaching a Presbyterian fatalism. That was because what Harry Byrd did was very likely to be what most of the rest of the state would do on Election Day.

Since the elder Byrd’s passing in 1966, the same question has been asked in each major election season of his son and successor, Sen. Harry F. Byrd Jr. The piquancy of the query has been preserved mainly because Byrd Jr. left the Democratic Party to become an independent in 1970.

To be sure, the younger Byrd’s responses have not packed the definite wallop of those of his father. They have, however, had their influence, and waiting for the “word” has always contributed an added spark of interest to the Old Dominion’s electoral process. This is so even though “Little Harry” retired from the Senate in 1983.

That spark, however, was not usually generated by any particular mystery about who would get the Byrd nod. His choices were generally well known. What provided the interest were the exquisite nuances which surrounded the way in which they were communicated to the faithful. Who was first to be informed? Who was not informed first who expected to be? What determined the timing, which the Byrds considered all important? What trade-offs had been made to placate any disappointed Byrd lieutenants?

Questions by reporters before the word was passed were brushed aside with rosy-cheeked