Non-Functional Senators

The world is afire with stories about non-functional senators today, so I might as well add my own.

When I was a baby newspaper reporter, I went to cover a hearing presided over by the venerable Stephen M. Young (D-OH). Young was first elected to the Senate in 1958 at the age of 70. When I saw him he was in the middle of his second term; I reckon he was about 76. Young began the hearing by barking:

--Where's the chairman? The chairman isn't here. Madame clerk, I want the record to show the chairman isn't here to begin the hearing.

--Uh, Senator, you are the chairman.

Young served another four years after that.