Senator hospitalized with stroke-like symptoms

juang · 12-14-2006, 12:03 AM

I believe this article show go into the News section, so that our home page keeps being updated constantly

Once again I have highlighted the parts I considered as important

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/12/...oke/index.html

Quote:

Staff: Senator hospitalized with stroke-like symptoms
POSTED: 7:53 p.m. EST, December 13, 2006

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. Tim Johnson, D-South Dakota, was hospitalized Wednesday after he suffered stroke-like symptoms in his Washington office, his staff said.

Johnson, who turns 60 on December 28, was taken to George Washington University Hospital by ambulance about 11:30 a.m., sources in his office said.

A statement issued by Johnson's office said he was suffering from a "possible stroke." But a spokeswoman later said that tests showed Johnson had suffered neither a stroke nor a heart attack, although it was not clear what had happened.

Julianne Fisher, a spokeswoman for Johnson, told CNN he was still undergoing tests and will stay hospitalized overnight, but she would not characterize his condition.

"We're taking one day at a time," Fisher said, "saying a lot of prayers and waiting until morning."

Staff members said that Johnson was conscious when he was taken to the hospital.

Fisher said Johnson was in the Capitol Wednesday morning conducting a conference call with South Dakota reporters when "his speech pattern slipped off."

She said the senator was able to walk back to his office in the Hart Senate Office Building, then began having problems with his right arm. He thought he was all right, she said, and went to his desk, but came out a few minutes later and "it was apparent he needed help."

Staffers put him on a couch in the office and called the Capitol doctor, she said. He was taken to the hospital shortly afterward. His wife, in the office to have lunch with him, rode with him, Fisher said.

A lawyer and longtime state lawmaker, Johnson was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1986. He served five terms before he was elected to the Senate in 1996.

He is the senior senator from South Dakota and serves on numerous committees, including appropriations, budget, banking, energy and natural resources, and Indian affairs.

Should Johnson not be able to complete his term, which ends in 2008, South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds, a Republican, could appoint his replacement, which could shift the balance of power in the Senate.

South Dakota Secretary of State Chris Nelson said the appointment would fill the vacancy until a general election could be held in November 2008. There are no restrictions on who the governor can appoint, beyond meeting the legal requirements for Senate membership, he said.

Johnson battled prostate cancer in 2004, and after surgery, tests showed he no longer had the disease, according to his Web site.

Nick · 12-14-2006, 12:11 AM

Not really immigration related, so lets keep it here.

anothercollegekid · 12-14-2006, 03:16 AM

well lets hope it wont have "anything to do with immigration" but all things do..esp. a shift in senate power..

rock steady · 12-14-2006, 11:25 AM

Doctors have ruled out a stroke or a heart attack in the case of Senator Johnson. That's certainly good news. Let's keep praying for the best.

Ianus · 12-14-2006, 08:12 PM

Hopefully he recovers soon,but his illness shouldn't have much of an effect on Immigration reform & if the Republicans were to take over the Senate.There are still at least 50 Democratic Senators to deal with & I'd bet Reid would use the same methods he used to get S.2611.If it were to pass the Senate with no legalization there is still the Democratic House & I'm quite sure Pelosi or Conyers would block the bill since they have already gone on record for a Comprehensive plan.

Regardless there is also a new article that mentions Immigration Reform is deemed likely in 07.

Quote:

“Immigration reform debates are never easy … the politics are always complicated,” Munoz said, but noted that 2007 has many advocates optimistic. On the Senate side, Sen. Harry Reid, (D-NV), Majority Leader, has said that immigration reform will be among the top 10 legislative priorities, according to panel members, though the control of Senate has only recently been thrown into question by the illness of Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD). The burning political question in the nation’s capitol is, if Johnson is unable to return the Senate, whether his state’s governor could change the balance in the Senate by appointing a Republican to serve out Johnson’s term.

Regardless of inter-party tactics, the panelists agreed that immigration reform on Capitol Hill seems to have taken on significant momentum. That President Bush has signaled that he will be a willing player in promoting immigration reform in 2007 is significant, they agreed, particularly in shaping legislation that provides a pathway to U.S. citizenship for immigrants.

The panel seemed to concur that definitive legislation might not emerge until the spring. John Gay, Co-Director, Essential Worker Immigration Coalition and Vice President, National Restaurant Association, reiterated how important it was to emerge with legislation that moved beyond the “enforcement-only House approach” of the 109th Congress. He also stressed that he wanted to echo the cautionary note sounded by Fitz of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. Fitz said he was concerned that “the deeper we go into 2007” without an immigration package, the more likely it was that enlightened immigration reform would become victim to “the sharp elbows” of the two dominant political parties as they ramp up for the 2008 presidential elections.

hayire · 12-14-2006, 11:33 PM

There's no need to panic, he seems to be on the mend now.

Quote:

"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."

I almost had a stroke myself.

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Senator hospitalized with stroke-like symptoms