The Balance of Power

[BigBadBrian]

Originally posted by Sgt Schultz
I'm waiting for the inevitable kook theory that this "stroke" was actually the result of an evil plot of the Wascally Wepubwicans

Yeah, like FORD's theories about Reagan's and other's dimentia brought about by the BCE with a syringe. Too funny. :D

[sadaist]

Originally posted by FORD



BTW, I forget which state, but there's actually a Republican senator somewhere who's also questionable for duty.

Senator Craig Thomas, a Republican from Idaho, is being treated for leukemia.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/12/14/news/senate.php

[FORD]

Originally posted by sadaist
Senator Craig Thomas, a Republican from Idaho, is being treated for leukemia.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/12/14/news/senate.php

Yeah, that's the guy.....

I haven't heard any updates on Thomas since November, which is why I forgot who it was. Hopefully that means all is going well with his treatment.

Arlen Specter managed to serve in the Senate through chemotherapy to the point where he resembled a 200 year old alien more than himself. Yet it turned out to be some of his best work, because it gave him a personal voice in the battle against idiots in his own party over the stem cell research issue. Maybe Thomas will have a similar revelation?

And maybe Tim Johnson will eat a little less South Dakota beef. Though he probably should leave the soybeans alone, according to the latest "research"

[Sgt Schultz]

It has started..............

Transcript of The View’s Behar on the Senator's Stroke: 'Did Someone Do This to Him?'

On Thursday’s edition of The View, the ladies, along with guest co-host Dari Alexander of Fox News, discussed Democratic Senator Tim Johnson’s emergency brain surgery and the potential political fallout. Alexander explained to the audience that if Johnson had to resign from the Senate, the Republican governor of South Dakota would pick an interim senator to fulfill the remainder of Johnson’s term, thereby creating the potential for an even split in the Senate between Democrats and Republicans. Joy Behar chimed in and put forth another tin foil hat worthy conspiracy theory:

Joy Behar: "Is there such a thing as a man-made stroke? In other words, did someone do this to him?"

Transcript

[FORD]

Is there such a thing as a man made stroke?

Ask Ariel Sharon. I doubt he'll be able to answer, but you can ask him.

That doesn't neccessarily mean Johnson was targeted, of course.

Unless there's some resource that the corporations really really needed to steal from the Indians and the BCE needed some fucking stooge like Thune in place in order to pull that off. In that case I wouldn't put it past them. I haven't kept up with South Dakota politics, so I don't know if anything like that is pending at the moment.

[blueturk]

The Dems should retain control according to past protocol....

Senate Has History of Lengthy Health-Related Absences

Published: December 14, 2006

South Dakota Sen. Tim Johnson underwent surgery Thursday after being diagnosed with bleeding on the brain, and even under the best of circumstances faces a period of recuperation that could cause him to miss work time after the 110th Congress convenes Jan. 4.

But the Senate has a long history of holding the seats of members forced to be away for months or even years.

The following list, dating back to 1942, was provided by Senate Historian Richard A. Baker; it names the senators along with the durations and causes of their absences.

• Styles Bridges, New Hampshire Republican: January-June 1942; fractured a hip in a fall on Dec. 31, 1941.

• Carter Glass, Virginia Democrat: June 1942 until his death on May 28, 1946; absent because of old-age infirmities, even as he held the posts of Senate president pro tempore (1941-45) and chairman of the Appropriations Committee. Despite his declining condition, Glass was re-elected by Virginia voters in November 1942.

• Robert F. Wagner, New York Democrat: January 1947 until his resignation on June 28, 1949; had a heart ailment that prevented him from attending any sessions in the 80th or 81st Congresses.

• Arthur H. Vandenberg, Michigan Republican: October 1949 until his death on April 18, 1951; after a major surgery to remove a tumor on his lung in October 1949, he returned to the Senate briefly in January and February 1950, then was absent for most of 1950. He had a second surgery that April and another brief return to the Senate in May of that year.

• Clair Engle, California Democrat: Various periods from 1963 until his death on July 30, 1964; underwent repeated operations for brain cancer, which left him partially paralyzed. In June 1964, he was carried into the Senate chamber to cast a key vote on the Civil Rights Act; unable to speak, he signaled in the affirmative.

• Karl E. Mundt, South Dakota Republican: November 1969 to January 1973; suffered a stroke that prevented him from returning to the Senate, but he declined to resign and served until the expiration of his term.

• Joseph R. Biden Jr., Delaware Democrat: Feb. 12-Sept. 7, 1988, after undergoing surgery for a brain aneurysm.

• Al Gore, Tennessee Democrat: April 3-May 1, 1989; on opening day of the major baseball season in Baltimore, the senator’s son — four-year-old Albert Gore III — was struck by an automobile and seriously injured as he and his father were leaving the stadium. The elder Gore spent much of his absence at Johns Hopkins Hospital caring for his son until his release en route to a full recovery.

• David Pryor, Arkansas Democrat: April 15-Sept. 10, 1991, after suffering a heart attack in Washington, D.C.

http://www.nytimes.com/cq/2006/12/14/cq_2041.html

[FORD]

Originally posted by blueturk


• Al Gore, Tennessee Democrat: April 3-May 1, 1989; on opening day of the major baseball season in Baltimore, the senator’s son — four-year-old Albert Gore III — was struck by an automobile and seriously injured as he and his father were leaving the stadium. The elder Gore spent much of his absence at Johns Hopkins Hospital caring for his son until his release en route to a full recovery.

Wow, less than a month for circumstances that anyone would find reasonable. I'm surprised they even counted that one. They might as well add on the 2 or 3 votes that Hillary missed a couple years ago when Bill was going through heart surgery.

[DrMaddVibe]

Sen. Johnson 'recovering' after surgery
By MARY CLARE JALONICK and TOM RAUM, Associated Press Writers 24 minutes ago
Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson (news, bio, voting record) remained in critical condition but was described as recovering and holding his wife's hand Thursday after emergency overnight surgery to repair bleeding inside his brain.

His sudden illness had raised questions over whether the Democrats would hold their newly won slim control of the Senate.

The South Dakota lawmaker, 59, was on "an uncomplicated postoperative course," the U.S. Capitol physician said after visiting him Thursday afternoon. Johnson suffered a hemorrhage in his brain caused by a rare and sometimes fatal condition.

"He has been appropriately responsive to both word and touch. No further surgical intervention has been required," said the physician, Adm. John Eisold. He had said earlier, "The senator is recovering without complication."

Johnson was responding to the voice of his wife, Barbara, and following directions after the surgery, the senator's office said in a statement. "He was reaching for and holding her hand."

Johnson was stricken as Democrats prepared to take fragile 51-49 control of the new Senate when it convenes in three weeks. Democrats seized control of both chambers of Congress from Republicans in November midterm elections.

If Johnson were to leave office, a replacement would be named by South Dakota's Republican governor, Mike Rounds. A Republican appointee would create a 50-50 tie and effectively allow the GOP to retain Senate control because of Vice President Dick Cheney's tie-breaking vote.

Johnson was rushed to the George Washington University Hospital at midday Wednesday after becoming disoriented and stammering during a conference call with reporters.

Eisold, the Capitol physician, said doctors stopped bleeding in Johnson's brain and drained the blood that had accumulated there. "It is premature to determine whether further surgery will be required or to assess any long-term prognosis," Eisold said.

On Thursday afternoon, Johnson underwent an additional procedure to prevent blood clots. The procedure is standard after surgery, said Julianne Fisher, Johnson's spokeswoman. Otherwise, she said, there were no new developments. "No news is good news," she said.

Johnson's condition, also known as AVM, or arteriovenous malformation, causes arteries and veins to grow abnormally large, become tangled and sometimes burst. The condition is often present from birth.

Johnson spokesman Noah Pinegar said the senator's diagnosis was a surprise. "No one was aware of it, including Tim," he said.

Sen. Harry Reid (news, bio, voting record), D-Nev., who is to become majority leader when the new Senate convenes on Jan. 4, said, "We're all praying for a full recovery. We're confident that will be the case."

Reid, who visited Johnson at the hospital Wednesday night and Thursday, told reporters the senator "really looks good." However, Reid declined to provide any details of Johnson's medical condition.

Politically, "there isn't a thing that's changed," he said, adding that he was keeping incoming Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky "totally advised" of developments.

Outgoing Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., visited the hospital Thursday afternoon.

Senate historian Donald Ritchie said senators serve out their terms unless they resign or die. He said there was precedent for senators remaining in the Senate even though illness kept them away from the chamber for long periods.

Just this year, Sen. Jay Rockefeller, a West Virginia Democrat, missed three months of votes because of back surgery. Sen. Joseph R. Biden (news, bio, voting record) Jr., D-Del., was away for seven months in 1988 after undergoing surgery for brain aneurysms.

In 1969, another South Dakota senator, Karl Mundt, a Republican, suffered a stroke while in office. Mundt continued to serve until the end of his term in January 1973, although he was unable to attend Senate sessions and was stripped of his committee assignments by fellow Republicans in 1972.

The White House offered best wishes.

"Our prayers are with Senator Johnson," said White House Press Secretary Tony Snow. "Look, he's a great guy, and it's one of these things where everybody's concerned and our thoughts and prayers are with him, his family, his staff, his colleagues."

Johnson, who turns 60 in two weeks, was taken to the hospital by ambulance after experiencing what his office initially said was a possible stroke.

In a conference call with reporters, Johnson at first had answered questions normally but then had begun to stutter. He paused, then continued stammering before appearing to recover and ending the call.

Johnson spokeswoman Fisher said that after making the call from the recording studio in the basement of the Capitol, the senator walked back to his office but appeared to not be feeling well.

The Capitol physician came to his office and examined him, and it was decided he should go to the hospital.

Arteriovenous malformation is believed to affect about 300,000 Americans, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. The institute's Web site said only about 12 percent of those have any symptoms. The symptoms, which range in severity, can include severe headaches, memory loss and dizziness.

It's common to take several days for someone to wake up after AVM surgery, said Dr. Sean Grady, neurosurgery chairman at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Someone who is awake and alert and talking in the first day or two typically has a shorter recovery Ñ in the range of four to eight weeks, he said. If it takes longer to wake up, it in turn takes more months to recover.

"We wouldn't make any immediate long-term prognoses for at least one to two days," he cautioned. "There can be a period of time where the brain is still swollen and the patient may have trouble responding."

Barbara Johnson, the senator's wife, said the family "is encouraged and optimistic."

South Dakota's governor, elected to a second four-year term last month, has been widely seen as the Republican candidate with the best chance to challenge Johnson in two years.

Other than Rounds himself, top possibilities if a replacement senator were needed include Lt. Gov. Dennis Daugaard and state Public Utilities Commission Chairman Dusty Johnson, considered a rising star in the Republican Party. Retiring GOP legislative leaders, such as state House Speaker Matthew Michels and Senate Majority Leader Eric Bogue, also might be considered.

Johnson was first elected in 1996 and is up for re-election in 2008.

The last time the Senate convened with a perfect balance of 50 Republicans and 50 Democrats was in January 2001. Then, the two parties struck a power-sharing agreement that gave control of the Senate to Republicans but gave Democrats equal representation on committees.

Johnson, a centrist Democrat, was elected to the Senate after serving 10 years in the House. He narrowly defeated Republican John Thune in his 2002 re-election bid. Thune defeated Sen. Tom Daschle, the former Senate Democratic leader, two years later.

Daschle also visited Johnson in the hospital Thursday.

Johnson is in line to become chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee.

He underwent prostate cancer treatment in 2004, and subsequent tests have shown him to be clear of the disease.

Johnson is the second senator to become ill after the Nov. 7 election. Wyoming Sen. Craig Thomas (news, bio, voting record), a Republican, was diagnosed with leukemia on Election Day. He is back at work.

____

Associated Press writers Laurie Kellman, Natasha Metzler and Lauran Neergaard in Washington and Dirk Lammers in Sioux Falls and Chet Brokaw in Pierre contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

[FORD]

My prescription for Senator Johnson......



Tim, start using this shit on everything you eat, except ice cream and Mrs. Johnson.

Natural blood thinner. It will knock out those clots upstairs or anywhere else you might have them.

[knuckleboner]

Originally posted by blueturk
The Dems should retain control according to past protocol....

Senate Has History of Lengthy Health-Related Absences

Published: December 14, 2006

South Dakota Sen. Tim Johnson underwent surgery Thursday after being diagnosed with bleeding on the brain, and even under the best of circumstances faces a period of recuperation that could cause him to miss work time after the 110th Congress convenes Jan. 4.

But the Senate has a long history of holding the seats of members forced to be away for months or even years.

The following list, dating back to 1942, was provided by Senate Historian Richard A. Baker; it names the senators along with the durations and causes of their absences.

• Styles Bridges, New Hampshire Republican: January-June 1942; fractured a hip in a fall on Dec. 31, 1941.

• Carter Glass, Virginia Democrat: June 1942 until his death on May 28, 1946; absent because of old-age infirmities, even as he held the posts of Senate president pro tempore (1941-45) and chairman of the Appropriations Committee. Despite his declining condition, Glass was re-elected by Virginia voters in November 1942.

• Robert F. Wagner, New York Democrat: January 1947 until his resignation on June 28, 1949; had a heart ailment that prevented him from attending any sessions in the 80th or 81st Congresses.

• Arthur H. Vandenberg, Michigan Republican: October 1949 until his death on April 18, 1951; after a major surgery to remove a tumor on his lung in October 1949, he returned to the Senate briefly in January and February 1950, then was absent for most of 1950. He had a second surgery that April and another brief return to the Senate in May of that year.

• Clair Engle, California Democrat: Various periods from 1963 until his death on July 30, 1964; underwent repeated operations for brain cancer, which left him partially paralyzed. In June 1964, he was carried into the Senate chamber to cast a key vote on the Civil Rights Act; unable to speak, he signaled in the affirmative.

• Karl E. Mundt, South Dakota Republican: November 1969 to January 1973; suffered a stroke that prevented him from returning to the Senate, but he declined to resign and served until the expiration of his term.

• Joseph R. Biden Jr., Delaware Democrat: Feb. 12-Sept. 7, 1988, after undergoing surgery for a brain aneurysm.

• Al Gore, Tennessee Democrat: April 3-May 1, 1989; on opening day of the major baseball season in Baltimore, the senator’s son — four-year-old Albert Gore III — was struck by an automobile and seriously injured as he and his father were leaving the stadium. The elder Gore spent much of his absence at Johns Hopkins Hospital caring for his son until his release en route to a full recovery.

• David Pryor, Arkansas Democrat: April 15-Sept. 10, 1991, after suffering a heart attack in Washington, D.C.

http://www.nytimes.com/cq/2006/12/14/cq_2041.html

and then there was strom thurmond. if memory serves me right, he was dead from 1994 through 2000 and still held his seat...

[Nickdfresh]

Originally posted by Sgt Schultz
I'm waiting for the inevitable kook theory that this "stroke" was actually the result of an evil plot of the Wascally Wepubwicans

Yeah, that would almost be as funny as your "Iraq is just like WWII" or, "all Muslims are part of a global jihad of Islamofascism" kook theories...

[Nickdfresh]

Originally posted by FORD
My prescription for Senator Johnson......



Tim, start using this #### on everything you eat, except ice cream and Mrs. Johnson.

Natural blood thinner. It will knock out those clots upstairs or anywhere else you might have them.

That's some good facking stuff man!

[ODShowtime]

gw&friends are so low and underhanded and backed so far into a corner that I'd believe they'd induce a stroke on someone.

After some of the hammer's antics, I'll believe anything.

But it sounds like this was a congenital thing.

[BigBadBrian]

Originally posted by ODShowtime
gw&friends are so low and underhanded and backed so far into a corner that I'd believe they'd induce a stroke on someone.

Geez, you people astound me. Your ignorance is stunning.

[ODShowtime]

Originally posted by BigBadBrian
Geez, you people astound me. Your ignorance is stunning.

the irony is even crazier!