[The Dark Wolf]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/12/...oke/index.html

And the real bad news, at least for us, the American People? Read the article... his successor, should he not be able to continue his term, would be appointed by the Republican Governor of South Dakota.

I hope and pray (for many reasons) for a speedy and full recovery, but this is a blow.

[noodles]

[ohio_eric]

Hopefully he'll make a full recovery. I won't worry one way or another about the Senate until more information on his condition and future are available.

[Drew]

Originally Posted by ohio_eric

Hopefully he'll make a full recovery. I won't worry one way or another about the Senate until more information on his condition and future are available.

Pretty much. If the American voters give the Democrats a majority in the Senate, and then they lose it due to factors out of their hands and a partisan governor...

Screw it. I just hope the guy's OK, lingering after a stroke is a horrible way to go. I lost a grandfather to complications down the road, I couildn't wish that on anyone.

[Vince]

Originally Posted by Drew

Screw it. I just hope the guy's OK

exactly.

[Drew]

Originally Posted by Drew

Pretty much. If the American voters give the Democrats a majority in the Senate, and then they lose it due to factors out of their hands and a partisan governor...

Screw it. I just hope the guy's OK, lingering after a stroke is a horrible way to go. I lost a grandfather to complications down the road, I couildn't wish that on anyone.

I was drunk when I wrote that.

I guess he had brain surgery last night and is now listed in critical condition... :/

[jim777]

If the poor bastard is really permanently disabled, that's a terrible shame. I heard he was literally having his hemorrhage while giving a radio interview.
Anyway, he's looking at months of recovery because of the location of the hemorrhage, and hopefully it will be a full recovery. The Governor will almost certainly have to name a replacement, who would only be Senator until Nov '08 any way, unless the replacement ran and was elected himself in '08. It's not a full term replacement.

Originally Posted by Drew

I guess he had brain surgery last night and is now listed in critical condition... :/

Everyone having brain surgery is listed in critical condition for at least 48 hours after surgery as standard practice. But he had a hemorrhage in the speach center, so he's likely going to need a lot of physical therapy just to hold a conversation again. It wasn't a minor stroke, unfortunately.

All you can do is hope for the best, and keep a good thought for him and his family.

[noodles]

I really hope he gets better, too, but I will not feel guilty for thinking about how this effects politics. Because it most certainly will.

http://www.time.com/time/nation/arti...0.html?cnn=yes

If the Republicans filibuster, and the question drags on into January or even beyond, it presents another truly extraordinary possibility: a chamber with a new Democratic leader, but the existing set of Republican committee chairmen. That is because, until an organizing resolution is passed, incoming Majority Leader Harry Reid would have no control over the committees.

The Republicans can parlay this into a serious attempt to not relinquish control of the Senate. It is legal, the recent precedent is there, and these are exactly the kind of Republicans who would try this stunt. The scary thing is it has absolutely nothing to do with a replacement for Senator Johnson. They can make this happen without a replacement even being named.

[jim777]

There will definitely be a fillibuster in the Senate. No way around that at all, as the republicans certainly will expect Governor Rounds to appoint another Republican to replace Tim Johnson. I don't know Governor Rounds, so I have no idea what kind of man he is.

[noodles]

Originally Posted by jim777

There will definitely be a fillibuster in the Senate. No way around that at all, as the republicans certainly will expect Governor Rounds to appoint a another Republican to replace Tim Johnson. I don't know Governor Rounds, so I have no idea what kind of man he is.

Governor Rounds is the dipshit that signed the South Dakota anti-abortion bill into law, ignoring a Supreme Court ruling that clearly dictated the unconstitutionality of such a law. I fully expect him to continue falling along party lines, because it is the only thing that backwoods, inbred asshat knows how to do.