Posted on 12/13/2006 12:46:10 PM PST by leadpenny
Edited on 12/13/2006 2:04:33 PM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
http://capwiz.com/c-span/bio/?id=537&lvl=C&chamber=S
Sen. Johnson suffers possible stroke
12/13/2006, 4:53 p.m. ET
By MARY CLARE JALONICK
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson of South Dakota suffered a possible stroke Wednesday and was taken to a Washington hospital, his office said.
Johnson became disoriented during a call with reporters at midday, stuttering in response to a question. He appeared to recover, asking if there were any additional questions before ending the call.
If he should be unable to continue to serve, it could halt the scheduled Democratic takeover of the Senate. Democrats won a 51-49 majority in the November election. South Dakota's governor, who would appoint any temporary replacement, is a Republican.
Johnson spokeswoman Julianne Fisher said he had walked back to his Capitol office after the call with reporters but appeared to not be feeling well. The Capitol physician came to his office and examined him, and it decided he needed to go to the hospital.
He was taken by ambulance to George Washington University Hospital around noon, Fisher said.
"It was caught very early," she said.
Johnson's office released a statement saying he had suffered a possible stroke.
"At this stage, he is undergoing a comprehensive evaluation by the stroke team," the statement read.
The White House issued a statement wishing him a speedy recovery.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with Senator Johnson and his family," said spokesman Alex Conant.
If the two-term senator, 59, is unable to serve when the 110th Congress convenes Jan. 4, South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds would appoint a replacement. Johnson had surgery for prostate cancer in 2004. He is up for re-election in 2008.
South Dakota Secretary of State Chris Nelson said there are no special restrictions on such an appointment and a replacement would not have to be from the same political party.
Johnson turns 60 on Dec. 28. The centrist Democrat was elected to the Senate in 1996 and has been one of the more reserved members of the chamber, rarely taking center stage at news conferences.
He served in the House for 10 years from 1987 to 1997. His focus has been on committee assignments important to his state's interests Indian Affairs and Energy and Natural Resources as well as a spot on Appropriations. The latter allows him to direct funds to South Dakota.
Johnson has worked as a lawyer and county prosecutor and served several years in the 1970s and 1980s in the South Dakota state Legislature.
He's probably not precluded from appointing himself, assuming he wanted the job. Then they'd probably have to have a special election to replace him as governor.
That wouldn't work at the Presidential level, or fanatical partisans of the losing candidate would be doing their best to kill the winner of the election. Fortunately the Constitutional Convention provided for a Vice President.
What does that get anyone?
Does the law specify how long the replacement has to be a member of the party of the senator he's replacing? If not, then a Repub could simply change his party registration to D and get appointed with no legal problems.
hahha haaaaa haaaaa gotta watch those fatty oils.
Hmmmmm..........you must have heard the rumors, too.
oh, that sucks! I pray for him and his family. Strokes can be bad or not so bad. I hope he comes out ok and able to function normally.
We should pray for him and his family, this kind of thing also effects so many of his loved ones. Amen.
Herseth is downright hot. She's the hottest woman in Congress. This isn't a partisan thing, this is just a fact.
I think that state that you mentioned about the party selecting three names is WY. Are there others?
This would be a terrible way to get a majority back.
If the roles were reversed do you really think a Dem Governor would appoint a Republican Senator in the spirit of "bipartisanship"? Who ever said politics was fair? If it comes to that, I hope he appoints a 'Pub (not a RINO either).
Oh, you mean the way the Dem Gov did in Georgia when we lost Coverdale and he foisted Max Cleland on us?
No, read it again. That's for a representative, not a senator. The governor appoints senators, and the replacement would keep his or her seat at least until the next election opportunity (in this case, 2008).
Prayers up for his recovery.
Regardless of how this goes...the pachyderms had better shape up if given the chance. (as in, grow some spine for God's sake)
Hope Sen. Johnson will be well, especially at this time of year.
Stephanie Herseth is a lesbian ? that would shock me. she doesnt seem like one.
It shows you how dumb these kinds of laws are, but my guess is that there's some elaborate rule as to how the leader of the caucus that is not of the Senator's party submits three names to the Governor, blah, blah, blah. It doesn't apply here, thankfully.
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