Senate balance pivots on ailing Democrat (Johnson)

Cape Cod Times ^ | Jan. 5, 2007 | Wire Reports

[FairOpinion]

I guess he can stay in vegetative state indefinitely and remain a Senator.

[Chuck54]

I guess he can stay in vegetative state indefinitely and remain a Senator.

With some of the current members it's hard to tell the difference.

[skimask]

Most, if not all, Democrat senators are in a vegetative state.

[umgud]

He may retain his seat, but the dems won't have his vote.

[television is just wrong]

that is true, unless they come up with a way for him to respond.

[samadams2000]

Can Rounds appoint himself and then announce he's running for the Presidency and end our nightmarish slate of Rino candidates heading to slaughter??

[SteveMcKing]

Watch the "kill Terri Shindler" jerks all change their tune on the talk shows and news programs.

[Theresawithanh]

"'One vote really shouldn't matter if senators keep their pledge and work in a bipartisan manner,' said Jim Manley..."

This had me laughing so hard I couldn't finish the article!

But really, prayers for his full recovery.

[combat_boots]

This is getting tawdry, absurd--to think that maintaining control is founded on a ventilator.

There is nothing in the laws about time frames to take the oath, other circumstances?

[Maelstorm]

Don't put anything past them. They want every vote to count. I wondered when they'd get around to mentioning that he hadn't spoken yet. That hemorrhage was one of the most serious types and isn't something that is recovered from quickly and some never recover.

[Lexinom]

I guess he can stay in vegetative state indefinitely and remain a Senator.

Just don't let Judge Greer know about it!!!!

[Spunky]

For Johnson to be on a ventilator and still not speaking, he has to be in a bad way.

My husband has been on coumadin since he had an artificial valve put in, in 1994. In 2001 he had a bleed through into the right center portion of his brain. The C-Scan showed approximatle a three inch area of bleed. He was able to talk but had a hard time finding the correct words to use. He couldn't walk for over a month. He was in the hospital rehab for a month. With therapy he was able to overcome most of the effects. The only thing is it has slowed him down. I thank God every day for his recovery.

[fantom]

True. I hope they take it all the way and have him hit the talk show circuit. He's a donkey so all he will have to do is stomp his hoof in order to respond . They have no limits .

[MarineBrat]

that is true, unless they come up with a way for him to respond.

[kerryusama04]

How did the dems take the majority if this guy wasn't there to vote?

[DrGunsforHands]

Are there any laws on senate attendance?

[television is just wrong]

McCain voted in favor of it more than likely.

[quantim]

So by my count that still will leave us with 99 senators running for President. /s

[DrGunsforHands]

They have 51 senators. They still have a majority of 50 without his vote. The VP only votes if there's a tie.

[srmorton]

Tim Johnson is one of the few Democrats I can stomach and my thoughts and prayers are with him and his family at this difficult time. In the best of circumstances, he will have a long and difficult recovery. My problem is with the other Democrat Senators and the DBM. If this were a Republican Senator and the situation were reversed, they would be clamoring for him to step down so that he could be replaced and give control of the Senate to them.