[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.

[umgud]

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

[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?

[Lexinom]

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

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

[kerryusama04]

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

[DrGunsforHands]

Are there any laws on senate attendance?

[quantim]

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

[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.

[YourAdHere]

The dems view of this is a complete 180 on their opinion of Terri Schiavo.

[xzins]

That is not right.

It is contrary to common sense. Amend the constitution to Declare him incapacitated and hold an election.

[OKIEDOC]

I suspect that being in a vegetative state he will accomplish more good than the other dunder heads representing the air head Democrats.

[Sunsong]

Has the Senate passed their organizing resolution for this year?

[rhinohunter]

What would be really profound would be if the same thing happened to another democrat. You would then have 98 voting senators -- 49 GOP and 49 (caucusing) democrats -- with Cheney to break a tie. I wonder how things would play out?

My guess is the GOP, out of civility (ie. spinelessness), would allow the rats to retain majority control.

Of course, if the situation were reversed, the rats would sieze control in a New York minute.

[taxcontrol]

Johnson is up for re-election in two years, but until then no authority can remove him from office.

Wow... where do they make up this crap. This statement is absolutely false. First off, under Senate rules, a Senator can be impeached and removed from office. Secondly, under the Constitution, no state can be denied their representation which, if SCOTUS says so, might REQUIRE the Senator to be replaced.

[weegee]

Johnson is up for re-election in two years, but until then no authority can remove him from office.

There is no provision for citizens to file a petition to challenge his seat? He won't be serving his state.

[RedWireNut]

Calling Bob Woodward, calling Bob Woodward, we have a comatose patient ready to give an interview for your next anti Republican book.

[Plutarch]

He has not spoken since the surgery, said a spokeswoman, and he remains on a ventilator at night.

This doesn't make medical sense, unless he has a tracheostomy . He can't "be on a ventilator" unless he has a breathing tube. If they've removed the breathing tube from his mouth, they can't reintubate him every night. If extubated, he could be on CPAP with a mask at night, but that isn't a "ventilator".

If a patient still requires ventilation two weeks out, at that time they would consider a tracheostomy, which is probably what has happened. When the patient eventually recovers the tracheostomy is removed and it heals back. However, patients two weeks out with a trach are on a chronic trajectory, and are looking at a long haul at best.

[Paleo Conservative]

FROM WIRE REPORTS

Johnson is up for re-election in two years, but until then no authority can remove him from office.

Those wire reports are so authoratative.