Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) suffers possible stroke(Update Spokesman says NO stroke)

MSNBC

[leadpenny]

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.

[WashingtonSource]

Harry Reid may have a heart attack worrying over Senator Johnson.

[Jim Noble]

WaPo sez, at 7:44AM, that he's out, alive but critical, no further info.

Probably an aneurysm, probably leaked, probably bad location (My best guess, not from WaPo).

We'll have to wait for the press conference, "later this morning".

[Jim Noble]

Harry Reid may have a heart attack worrying over Senator Johnson.

I'm praying for Senator Johnson.

I'm also praying that Jack Abramoff gives up Harry Reid soon.

[Skip Ripley]

Brain surgery...that's almost as complicated as rocket science...

[bert]

My diagnosis..... TIA Transient Ischemic Attack

The surgery is the rotorooter operation, the routing out of the caratoid artery.

The corotid artery develops plaque buildup and must be scraped clean. Once the blockage is removed, blood flow resumes.

[WashingtonSource]

And Gaia is a pagan goddess who doesn't exist.

[mhking]

Hokay. So did he have a stroke, or didn't he?

When I left the newsroom last night, the last word from his staff was that he didn't suffer a stroke, but was being examined by a doctor. They implied (never actually said it, now that I think of it) that he was suffering from some form of exhaustion. I.e., he was just plain tired.

While I have hopes and prayers for Johnson's speedy recovery, I have to wonder how long before the rumor mills and conspiracy theorists get cranking....

Just damn.

If you want on the list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...

[ReignOfError]

My mother (only 58 years old) suffered a level 4 aneurysm in July of this year. She was in a coma for 2 weeks and hospitalized for 91 days. She currently is physically fine but not able to understand or communicate with us. Her speech is garbled and her understanding at about 50%.

My mom had an aneurysm at 52. It burst. After she spent three weeks in a coma, making slow but steady progress while the doctors hoped to make her well enough and strong enough for corrective surgery, it burst again, and at that point all hope was gone. She never regained consciousness, and we let her go.

Because I went through that, I have a tiny bit of insight. When I'm faced with a big scary thing I don't understand, I research it. That's my coping mechanism.

An aneurysm, or a subdural hematoma, is what doctors call a "brain bleed." A "stroke" is when brain tissue dies, either because of a lack of blood or because of pressure caused by bleeding in the skull cavity. Not every bleed causes a stroke, though they're often treated as synonyms.

It sounds to me like Sen. Johnson had some sort of bleeding, or obstructed or impeded blood flow, in his brain. That got called a "stroke" along the way, but the real extent of damage is something we don't know yet. I hope and pray that the Senator will wake up some time soon and wonder what happened.

[traderrob6]

A TIA is considered a stroke in the generic sense and it's being reported by several sources that it is NOT a stroke.

[ReignOfError]

Grandpa always said "Pray for a happy death".

"I always wanted to die peacefully in my sleep, like my grandfather -- not screaming in terror like his passengers." -- Jack Handey

[thepresidentsbestfriend]

Buck here

I said basically the same thing you said.Would it not be great if he accepted Christ and had a change of heart.A real conversion would surely mean he would have to switch parties,cross the floor.Anything else would be unsatisfactory.This is also his second health scare,the first one had no impact on him.Let`s hope this one does!!!

If not I hope he retires and is unable to serve in the senate.

You would rather have him be the difference in getting a conservative judge to the high court??

I guess it boils down to this...do we really believe that abortion is murder.

Ronald Reagan....why is it that everyone that supports abortion,has already been born.

I say get all the pro abortion people out of the senate,regardless of party.

[thepresidentsbestfriend]

Swift boat veterans for truth are Heroes!

[NeoCaveman]

Seems to me it would be pretty hard for most of us at FR to send ol' Ted "best wishes."

If it was Ted Kennedy, I would just flat out wouldn't comment.

[ReignOfError]

An aneurysm, or a subdural hematoma, is what doctors call a "brain bleed."

Just to clarify, an aneurysm and a hematoma are two completely different things. They're both bleeds, but the similarity ends there. The above could be read as treating the two as synonyms, and while I'm several kinds of dumbass, that's not one of mine.

[steveegg]

Sounding more and more like an aneurysm, and not good news for Johnson and family.

[bert]

......A TIA is considered a stroke....

In my view a TIA is "stroke like" in that vessels outside the head have a blockage reducing blood flow. A stroke on the other hand is a blockage or vessel leakage within the head.

I have experience with both parents and TIA. One had the events numerous times and always recovered. The other had TIA events and one required the rotorooter surgery right away. The tape being played is similar to the precise events prior to the TIA requiring surgery.

Given the "Fog of War" and the general press failure, A TIA can't be ruled out.

[NonZeroSum]

There is nothing "scummy" about a Republican governor appointing a Republican Senator to replace an incapacitated Senator. If the people of South Dakota were afraid of this happening, they'd have elected a Democrat governor. As close as Johnson's race was, it's not at all clear that there is any consensus on what party the people want their Senator to be from.

[scannell]

short answer is I suppose: To Osama Obama, Clinton, Biden, Dodd & Kerry. If you don't show for these one a week votes we are scheduling for your convenience on major issues, it will be obvious that the things you are campaigning on that fail in the Senate will be because you didn't show for the vote. Wouldn't look too good...........

[scannell]

I simply said ........

No offense intended.

[RushCrush]

Thank you very much, I really appreciate that.