S.D. Sen. Johnson in Critical Condition
By MARY CLARE JALONICK, Associated Press Writer
Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson of South Dakota was in critical but stable
condition Thursday after emergency brain surgery, creating political drama over
whether Democrats will control the new Senate next month if he is unable to
continue in office.
Johnson suffered from bleeding in the brain caused by a congenital
malformation, the U.S. Capitol physician said. He described the surgery as
successful. The condition, present at birth or immediately after, causes
tangled blood vessels that can block the flow of blood or rupture.
"The senator is recovering without complication," said the physician, Adm.
John Eisold. "It is premature to determine whether further surgery will be
required or to assess any long-term prognosis."
Eisold said doctors drained the blood that had accumulated in Johnson's brain
and stopped continued bleeding.
Democrats hold a fragile 51-49 margin in the new Senate that convenes Jan. 4.
If Johnson leaves the Senate, the Republican governor of South Dakota could
appoint a Republican to fill the remaining two years of Johnson's term
keeping the Senate in GOP hands with Vice President Dick Cheney's tie-breaking
power.
Johnson's condition, also known as AVM, or arteriovenous malformation, causes
arteries and veins to grow abnormally large and become tangled.
The condition is believed to affect about 300,000 Americans, according to the
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. The institute's Web
site said only about 12 percent of the people with the condition experience
symptoms, ranging in severity. It kills about 3,000 people a year.
The senator's wife, Barbara Johnson, said the family "is encouraged and
optimistic."
In a statement from Johnson's office Thursday, she said her family was
"grateful for the prayers and good wishes of friends, supporters and South
Dakotans."
A person familiar with Johnson's condition said the 59-year-old senator's
underlying condition caused the stroke-like symptoms and doctors will be
watching him closely for the next 24 to 48 hours. The person spoke on condition
of anonymity out of respect for the senator's family.
Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada visited Thursday morning. He
had visited the night before as well.
The emergency surgery lasted past midnight Wednesday
Apart from the risk to his health, Johnson's illness carried political
ramifications, coming so soon after the Democrats won control of the Senate. If
he were forced to relinquish his seat, a replacement would be named by South
Dakota's GOP Gov. Mike Rounds.
A Republican appointee would create a 50-50 tie, and allow the GOP to retain
Senate control.
Rounds' press secretary, Mark Johnston, said Thursday the governor was
watching events and had nothing new to say.
"We're watching as much as everyone else," he said. "The most important thing
is making sure Sen. Johnson is OK."
President Bush awoke Thursday to news of Johnson's condition, said first lady
Laura Bush. "We're praying like I know all the people of South Dakota are for
his very, very speedy recovery," Mrs. Bush told CBS's "Early Show."
Johnson, who turns 60 later this month, was admitted to George Washington
University hospital at midday after experiencing what his office initially said
was a possible stroke.
His spokeswoman, Julianne Fisher, later told reporters that it had been
determined that the senator had suffered neither a stroke nor a heart attack.
Johnson became disoriented during a conference call with reporters,
stuttering in response to a question.
Before he ended the call, Johnson appeared to recover and asked whether there
were any additional questions.
Fisher said he then walked back to his Capitol office but appeared to not be
feeling well. The Capitol physician came to his office and examined him, and it
was decided he should go to the hospital.
He was taken to the hospital by ambulance around noon, Fisher said. "It was
caught very early," she said.
Johnson is up for re-election in 2008.
In 1969, another South Dakota senator, Karl Mundt, a Republican, suffered a
stroke while in office. Mundt continued to serve until the end of his term in
January 1973, although he was unable to attend Senate sessions and was stripped
of his committee assignments by the Senate Republican Conference in 1972.
Johnson, who was elected in 1996, holds the same seat previously held by
Mundt.
South Dakota Secretary of State Chris Nelson said there were no special
restrictions on an appointment by the governor and a replacement would not have
to be from the same political party.
The Senate last convened with a perfect balance of 50 Republicans and 50
Democrats in January 2001. Then, the two parties struck a power-sharing
agreement that gave control of the Senate to Republicans but gave Democrats
equal representation on committees.
That arrangement lasted only until June 2001, when Vermont Republican James
Jeffords became an independent who chose to vote with Democrats on
organizational matters, giving Democrats control until Republicans won back the
Senate in the 2002 midterm electons.
Johnson, a centrist Democrat, was first elected to the Senate in 1996 after
serving 10 years in the House. He narrowly defeated Republican John Thune in
his 2002 re-election bid. Thune defeated Sen. Tom Daschle, the former Senate
Democratic leader, two years later.
Johnson underwent prostate cancer treatment in 2004, and subsequent tests
have shown him to be clear of the disease.
Johnson is the second senator to become ill after the Nov. 7 election.
Wyoming Sen. Craig Thomas (news, bio, voting record), a Republican, was
diagnosed with leukemia on Election Day. He is back at work.
____
Associated Press writers Laurie Kellman and Natasha Metzler in Washington and
Dirk Lammers in Sioux Falls contributed to this report.
To learn more visit: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061214/ap_on_go_co/johnson
-------------------------
Fair Use Notice
This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been
specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material
available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political,
human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc.
We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as
provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title
17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit
to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included
information for research and educational purposes. (See:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml.) If you wish to use copyrighted
material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you
must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
---------------------------------
Any questions? Get answers on any topic at Yahoo! Answers. Try it now.
_______________________________________________
Biofuel mailing list
Biofuel@sustainablelists.org
http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org
Biofuel at Journey to Forever:
http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html
Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):
http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
