The U.S. Senate hangs in the balance
Update: Senator Johnson appears to be ok
Thanks to Jane Hamsher in the comment section of FireDogLake
Keep an eye on this. January could have an entirely different feel to it.
I pray that Sen. Tim Johnson (Democrat, South Dakota) will be ok.
S. Dakota's Sen. Johnson has possible stroke
BREAKING NEWS
NBC, MSNBC and news services
Updated: 24 minutes ago
NEW YORK - Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S. D., has been hospitalized with symptoms described as stroke-like. The seriousness of his illness has not been disclosed.
In addition to concern about Johnson's immediate health, his illness draws political concern in that the Democrats currently hold a 51-49 advantage in seats, giving them control of the Senate.
The governor of South Dakota is Republican Mike Rounds. Should there be a vacancy as a consequence of Johnson's illness and Rounds appoints a Republican to fill the term, that would make the count 50 Demorats and 50 Republicans. Under the rules of the Senate, ties votes are settled by the vote of the vice president - currently Republican Dick Cheney - effectively giving control of the Senate to the Republicans.
Comments
Let us pray. All gods concentrate.
We've worked too hard for this. We can't let it be taken away from us now.
Posted by: Tom Harper | December 13, 2006 03:56 PM
Hi Tom,
I just recently updated. The latest is that Johnson appears to be ok...
Posted by: PoliShifter | December 13, 2006 04:03 PM
Thankgod he's OK. That could have been a HUGE tragedy.
Posted by: HillCountryGal | December 13, 2006 05:11 PM
Doesn't it make you wonder though, how desperate are the Republicans to keep control of the the Senate. Kill just one or debilitate just one Democratic and they are back in the driver's seat. Bottom line, they would do it.
Posted by: VVWKB | December 13, 2006 08:54 PM
Hi VVWKB,
my concern is now that if they haven't thought about it serously enough before, I'm sure the wheels are turning now.
After all, as many forget, when the Patriotic Act was being debated, the two Senators raising a stink about it both got Anthrax threat letters. I believe it was Daschile and Leahy but I don't remeber off hand.
I thought I had put it in this post but it must have been a comment I made on another blog but I wonder how many in BushCo are now thinkng "all we need to do is knock one or two off"
Think about it...take back the Senate and now Impeachment seems like a longshot. It's got to be tempting for BushCo.
Posted by: PoliShifter | December 13, 2006 09:21 PM
Kill just one or debilitate just one Democratic and they are back in the driver's seat.
I keep hearing the word "Wellstone"..."Wellstone". Hmmm.
A question: Was Johnson elected this last cycle? If so, I think that Rounds would reap the sh*t storm for appointing a Republican to fill the slot. Might not matter anyway. I think that SD requires a special election to fill a vacant seat. So the appointment would be temporary.
Posted by: Kvatch | December 14, 2006 12:47 AM
His term is up in 08, and if he was replaced, it would be by a Republican Govnr for the rest of his term.
Regardless, this administration and the Republican Party are disintegrating like wet paticleboard in a Home Depot parking lot.
Posted by: dave | December 14, 2006 03:18 AM
Hi Kvatch,
no he was not just elected. He was elected in 2002
Hi Dave, the repugs are going apeshit over this, that is the wingnut repug media.
They are already contriving ways to get Johnson removed.
To reiterate what VVWKB said earlier, I'm more concerned now that the unhinged fringe element of the wingnutville will try to take out a few Democratic Senators in order to protect their Dear Leader.
It was just a few months ago that a wingnut at the behest of Coulter and Malking mailed spoof anthrax letters to John Stewart, David Letterman, and a few others as well.
Posted by: PoliShifter | December 14, 2006 10:37 AM
W.R.T. Johnson, I learned that SD has no provision for "incapacitation". So as long as Johnson doesn't die...and doesn't resign...Rounds doesn't have much to work with.
Posted by: Kvatch | December 14, 2006 06:18 PM
Funny how the Republicans declared Terry Schiavo alive and able but Senator Johnson is already dead in their eyes.
Posted by: VVWKB | December 14, 2006 06:44 PM
Ha! Great Point VVWKB! Perhaps worth a whole post...
Posted by: PoliShifter | December 14, 2006 07:38 PM