Editore"s Note
Tilting at Windmills

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December 13, 2006
By: Christina Larson

GET WELL SOON ... Sen. Tim Johnson, Democrat of South Dakota, age 59, has been hospitalized with an apparent stroke. As Reuters notes:

South Dakota's governor, Michael Rounds, who would appoint any successor if there is a vacancy, is a Republican.

UPDATE: The Washington Post has a more detailed account. Johnson first became disoriented during a midday phone call with reporters, then walked back to the his office, still feeling poorly. The Capitol physician recommended he go to the hospital for evaluation by a stroke team.

Also, Steve Benen has been tracking details of South Dakota law. If there were a vacancy -- a premature "if" -- it seems the governor would be required to call for a special election, but would name a replacement in the short term. Christina Larson 5:04 PM Permalink | Trackbacks | Comments (87)

 
Comments

Well.

Isn't THAT conveeeenient?

Posted by: Extradite Rumsfeld on December 13, 2006 at 5:12 PM | PERMALINK

South Dakota's governor, Michael Rounds, who would appoint any successor if there is a vacancy, is a Republican.

Looks like Republicans are going to control the Senate after all. *Snicker*

Posted by: Al on December 13, 2006 at 5:12 PM | PERMALINK

Ezra says no, that South Dakota has a mechanism in place to call for a special election within 10 days. No appointments.

Posted by: merciless on December 13, 2006 at 5:12 PM | PERMALINK

Looks like Republicans are going to control the Senate after all. *Snicker*
Posted by: Al on December 13, 2006 at 5:12 PM | PERMALINK

I guess they couldn't find Senator Wellstone's airplane mechanic, so they found another way.

Posted by: Extradite Rumsfeld on December 13, 2006 at 5:13 PM | PERMALINK

Steve Bennen reports differently on the anny potential political implications.

state law mandates that the governor, in this case Mike Rounds (R), call for a special election. It does not appear that Rounds would name a replacement (who, presumably, would be a Republican and shift the balance of the Senate).

Posted by: johnny d on December 13, 2006 at 5:17 PM | PERMALINK

run the wife.

Posted by: jimmy on December 13, 2006 at 5:18 PM | PERMALINK

Winner of the special election might be an R. After all, South Dakota is VERY red.

Posted by: jimBOB on December 13, 2006 at 5:19 PM | PERMALINK

Oh dear God no!

Posted by: elmo on December 13, 2006 at 5:26 PM | PERMALINK

Did they test for polonium?

Posted by: adam on December 13, 2006 at 5:28 PM | PERMALINK

Note that Johnson was apparently walking and talking after the stroke, which means it was probably pretty minor.

Even if he was unable to serve, the Democrats would maintain a 50-49 majority until his replacement was elected.

The most logical candidate for the Democrats to run would be Stephanie Herseth, South Dakota's lone representative, who recently was re-elected with 69% of the vote. I doubt there are any Republicans besides Rounds, the current governor, who could beat her.

Posted by: mfw13 on December 13, 2006 at 5:28 PM | PERMALINK

Looks like Republicans are going to control the Senate after all. *Snicker*

yeah, someone suffering a stroke, that's hilarious. Almost as hilarious as Cheney having another heart attack. Now that's comedy.

Posted by: haha on December 13, 2006 at 5:29 PM | PERMALINK

Folks, it was a stroke, he didn't lose consciousness and they got it very early. He's not dead. Let's not be ghoulish here.

Posted by: gf120581 on December 13, 2006 at 5:29 PM | PERMALINK

God works in mysterious ways. He may be calling somebody home early, to make sure that good policy is enacted over the next two years. Any word on whether Johnson supported baby-killing and the death tax?

Posted by: American Hawk on December 13, 2006 at 5:29 PM | PERMALINK

run the wife.

Good God, let's not assume the guy's going to die!

Posted by: Ryan on December 13, 2006 at 5:30 PM | PERMALINK

Note that Johnson was apparently walking and talking after the stroke, which means it was probably pretty minor.

bad news for Al, premature ejaculation.

Posted by: haha on December 13, 2006 at 5:30 PM | PERMALINK

You are sick. By that right, I should be praising God for afflicting Craig Thomas with leukemia, so he may die and allow the Dem governor to pad the Senate majority. Except I actually don't sit around praying for public figures to die like you apparently do.

Posted by: gf120581 on December 13, 2006 at 5:32 PM | PERMALINK

He may be calling somebody home early, to make sure that good policy is enacted over the next two years.

God knows what kind of shitty policies they enacted, that's why he made sure you miserable assholes lost.

Posted by: haha on December 13, 2006 at 5:33 PM | PERMALINK

Ah, big pharma

Curiouser & curiouser it becomes

"Stop quoting the laws to us. We carry swords." - Pompey

Posted by: daCascadian on December 13, 2006 at 5:43 PM | PERMALINK

If he was up walking and talking, it was probably a minor stroke. It's not likely he lost any motor control or cognitive function.

If he were in a coma, even for a short while, that might've been a different story.

Bob

Posted by: rmck1 on December 13, 2006 at 5:44 PM | PERMALINK

The man had a stroke, I sure hope our first thought isn't whether his seat remains intact.

Posted by: Steve W. on December 13, 2006 at 5:44 PM | PERMALINK

Kevin,

Posting as Al in order to stimulate discussion is fine for most threads, but, if you did post as Al on this occasion, was it not in extremely poor taste?

If you did not, I will stand corrected.

Posted by: thethirdPaul on December 13, 2006 at 5:48 PM | PERMALINK

God works in mysterious ways.

He certainly does. Who would've thought that He'd allow the Antichrist to become president in 2000?

Posted by: Wonderin on December 13, 2006 at 5:49 PM | PERMALINK

My wishes for a strong recovery goes out to the Senator.

Two of my closest friends died from strokes. I, also, take Coumadin daily in order to prevent any blood clotting buildups. Strokes can be very frightening beasts.

Posted by: stupid git on December 13, 2006 at 5:56 PM | PERMALINK

Yay! The Good Guys will retake the Senate! More Judges!

See, God does answer prayers! Down with you Baby Killers!

Posted by: Al's Mommy on December 13, 2006 at 5:58 PM | PERMALINK

Both of my parents had TIA strokes this year. I am grateful they were not full strokes and am actually glad they had these 'mini-strokes,' because the doctors were able to identify real medical problems and address them before they became debilitating.

Posted by: Hostile on December 13, 2006 at 6:03 PM | PERMALINK

The special election provision in S Dak is for a House vacancy. If a Senator dies or resigns, then the Governor (now a Repub) chooses his replacement to serve until the next general election (Nov. 20080. So yes, the Repubs would regain control.

If Johnson is hospitialized, he remains a Senator. Incapacity to serve would not in itself cause a vacancy (the Senate would effectively be 50-49 Dem controlled).

Wyoming law is different - is a Senator dies or resigns, the Governor, if of a party different from the previous Senator, must appoint one of three people submitted to him by the party of that Senator, so that it does not affect the lineup of the Senate.

Hawaii law - the state has two Dem Senators in their 80s - requires the governor to appt the same party (the Governor there is Repub.)

And the governor of W Virginia is a Dem.

Posted by: hopeless pedant on December 13, 2006 at 6:03 PM | PERMALINK

Ya know, Strom Thurmond continued to vote in the Senate until several years after he was pretty much dead.

Posted by: Tom Burka on December 13, 2006 at 6:04 PM | PERMALINK

DECEMBER SURPRISE!

Posted by: Matthew on December 13, 2006 at 6:08 PM | PERMALINK

If you think South Dakota is "very red," you haven't seen this: http://www.princeton.edu/~rvdb/JAVA/election2006/

Posted by: wahoofive on December 13, 2006 at 6:17 PM | PERMALINK

Here is the South Dakota Law. It applies to both Representatives and Senators.

Here is the South Dakota law.

12-11-1. Special election to fill congressional vacancy--Time of election
of representative. If a vacancy occurs in the office of a senator or
representative in the United States Congress
it shall be the duty of the
Governor within ten days of the occurrence, to issue a proclamation setting
the date of and calling for a special election for the purpose of filling
such vacancy. If either a primary or general election is to be held within
six months, an election to fill a vacancy in the office of representative in
the United States Congress shall be held in conjunction with that election,
otherwise the election shall be held not less than eighty nor more than
ninety days after the vacancy occurs.

Source: SL 1890, ch 84, 19; RPolC 1903, 1956; SL 1915, ch 182, 2; RC
1919, 7214, 7308; SL 1929, ch 117, 5; SDC 1939, 16.0602, 16.1401;
SDCL, 12-11-2; SL 1974, ch 118, 46; SL 1979, ch 99, 5.

Don't let the caption fool you. The body of a statute always controls over the caption. Also don't let the references to some general election statute throw you either. A specific statute, unless repealed, always controls. There is no indication the above statute has been repelled.

Posted by: Ron Byers on December 13, 2006 at 6:20 PM | PERMALINK

The special election provision in S Dak is for a House vacancy. If a Senator dies or resigns, then the Governor (now a Repub) chooses his replacement to serve until the next general election (Nov. 20080. So yes, the Repubs would regain control.

I dunno, the reference that Kevin links to seems pretty clear that it covers senators as well. Note:

12-11-1. Special election to fill congressional vacancy--Time of election of representative. If a vacancy occurs in the office of a senator or representative in the United States Congress it shall be the duty of the Governor within ten days of the occurrence, to issue a proclamation setting the date of and calling for a special election for the purpose of filling such vacancy.

So, which is correct??

Posted by: pencarrow on December 13, 2006 at 6:26 PM | PERMALINK

So, which is correct??

Posted by: pencarrow on December 13, 2006 at 6:26 PM

Pundit/statute. Statute/pundit.

On balance I would stick with the statute.

Posted by: Ron Byers on December 13, 2006 at 6:33 PM | PERMALINK

As an aside to this, did anyone else notice the squib at Carpet Bagger that said the AP reporter's ethics charges against Senator Reid were baseless? Hour after hour of Reid bashing by the trools, especially Chuckles, before the election.

Baseless, Trools, Baseless. Let it rest in peace.

Posted by: thethirdPaul on December 13, 2006 at 6:39 PM | PERMALINK

American Hawk you reaaly are a pathetic piece of a human being(if you are one.) So is that why god "called" back those Repub thug campaign manager - can't remember his name but the guy who confessed and asked for forgiveness on his deathbed and the gay basher who had AIDS(Terry Eastland?)

Posted by: azggl on December 13, 2006 at 6:46 PM | PERMALINK

Calm down people. If he had a stroke there are new drugs available that when given shortly after the stroke make the chances for full recovery much more likely. The reports say he didn't even lose consciousness so his prognosis is probably very good. Don't listen to American Hawk please. His God will make sure he burns in hell for all eternity.

Posted by: Gabriel on December 13, 2006 at 7:16 PM | PERMALINK

Am Hawk: 7:10 P.M. Update is that the senator may not have suffered a stroke.
It is almost incomprehensible that anyone would think that a development such as sudden illness reflects divine intervention.
Your speculative nonsense is offensive, and frankly, warped.

Posted by: consider wisely on December 13, 2006 at 7:22 PM | PERMALINK

AP just reported he may not have a stroke. Let us hope that's the case, regardless of his ideology or party affiliation.

Posted by: Vincent on December 13, 2006 at 7:36 PM | PERMALINK

NO SPECIAL ELECTION

12-11-6. No special election if appointed senators term expires at normal time.

No special election, to fill a vacancy, may be held if the term of office of the appointed senator expires in the month of January immediately following the next general election that would occur after the vacancy.

So. Dak. title 12, chapter 11, section 6.
South Dakotas next general election is in 2008 and Tim Johnsons term expires in January, 2009, so there wouldnt be any special election. * * * But dont panic yet, because Tim Johnsons (possible) mini-stroke (TIA), as reported, sounds no worse than the mini-stroke (TIA) which Ed Koch suffered in 1987.

Posted by: sysprog on December 13, 2006 at 7:39 PM | PERMALINK

So --what kinds of drugs or toxins could induce a stroke?

Posted by: cld on December 13, 2006 at 7:42 PM | PERMALINK

Via Josh Marshall, MSNBC reports that the stroke became apparent when "Johnson became disoriented during a call with reporters at midday, stuttering in response to a question."

Disoriented, stuttering and unable to answer questions? Hell, has anyone checked to see whether Bush might be having a series of mini-strokes every single day? It would certainly explain a lot....

Posted by: Stefan on December 13, 2006 at 7:53 PM | PERMALINK

Well Damn. Lets hope South Dakota votes for another Dem. This pretty awful news no matter what.

Posted by: Cheryl on December 13, 2006 at 7:54 PM | PERMALINK

Meanwhile, let Duke Cunningham know you love him,

Mailing Address at the Butner low-security Federal Correctional Institution:

Randall Cunningham 94405-198
FCI Butner Low
P.O. Box 999
Butner, NC. 27509

Posted by: cld on December 13, 2006 at 8:02 PM | PERMALINK

Yes, Stefan, interesting questions - Perhaps the newly pardoned Dr Kervorkian can be assigned as Shrub's Primary Care Provider and he could give him a thorough physical.

Posted by: thethirdPaul on December 13, 2006 at 8:03 PM | PERMALINK

Couldn't Daschle run again? He's not retired is he? I think he'd be a better choice to run for this seat (in the horribly unfortunate event that it becomes open) and send Herseth up against Thune in '10.

Posted by: Greg on December 13, 2006 at 8:04 PM | PERMALINK

cid,

Do they have a landing strip and has Duke been appointed as a "trustee" flight instructor?

And is he making any "close" friends?

Posted by: thethirdPaul on December 13, 2006 at 8:19 PM | PERMALINK

"Language is the man. Bush's inadequacy is laid bare whenever he tries to explain his policies. If a politician cannot write or speak fluently, you can bet he is not thinking fluently, perhaps not thinking at all..." Henry Porter, "The American body politic laid low"
I

Posted by: consider wisely on December 13, 2006 at 8:33 PM | PERMALINK

3rd paul,

You know the idea of a 'trustee flight instructor' isn't all that far-fetched. It would satisfy those who say prison should be all about rehabilitation and at the same time think every crime should merit the death penalty.

Say the convicts simply can't leave until they solo. The cost in wrecked airplanes would be offset by the savings on their upkeep.

Posted by: cld on December 13, 2006 at 8:44 PM | PERMALINK

It sounds like a TIA, a transient ischemic attack, which will probably prove benign.

Posted by: Budd Shenkin, MD on December 13, 2006 at 8:49 PM | PERMALINK

Did someone say Cheney poisoned the Senator?

Posted by: Hedley Lamarr on December 13, 2006 at 9:06 PM | PERMALINK

23 comments before someone wished the Senator well. How telling.

I hope the Senator makes a full recovery from this episode, whether it was a stroke or (I hope) something less serious (more likely a TIA). Best wishes to him and his family.

Posted by: Steve White on December 13, 2006 at 9:08 PM | PERMALINK

Did not have a stroke or heart attack, tpm is saying.

Posted by: cld on December 13, 2006 at 9:15 PM | PERMALINK

Well it looks like Sen Johnson didn't have a stroke after all - that's good news.

Report: Sen. Johnson did not suffer stroke
Earthtimes.org - 51 minutes ago
WASHINGTON, Dec. 13 Sen. Tim Johnson, DS.D., was hospitalized in Washington Wednesday, but his office said he did not suffer a stroke or a heart attack, as earlier thought.


Hope he gets better fast. The nation needs him, the world needs him.

Posted by: Cheryl on December 13, 2006 at 9:31 PM | PERMALINK

Hope he gets better fast. The nation needs him, the world needs him.

Perhaps he was struck by lightning?

There was thunderstorm activity in the Washington DC area--it is entirely possible that a mild lightning strike occurred and rendered him ill. The complex on Capitol Hill is famous for being struck by lightning--and it is entirely possible that he was using a telephone with a wire connection or perhaps he was standing in an area where the electricity conducted itself through his shoes or where he was leaning against a pillar.

I hope he is well and perhaps all of this has a logical explanation--a lightning strike.

Posted by: Norman Rogers on December 13, 2006 at 9:49 PM | PERMALINK

I know a psychologist who had a TIA who has some residual peripheral vision difficulties in one eye, but resumed working within 3 weeks, as good as gold.

Posted by: consider wisely on December 13, 2006 at 9:53 PM | PERMALINK

Get this,

Gingrich wins fantasy poll,

http://www.gopbloggers.org/decpollresults.php?refer=boifromtroy.com

Posted by: cld on December 13, 2006 at 9:58 PM | PERMALINK

Even if he dies, the Democrats should have Johnson stuffed and propped up in his chair on the Senate floor for the next two years. After all, that's what the GOP did with Strom Thurmond. That old coot was fossilized for the better part of the last decade he was in the Senate.

Better to do that than let that asshole Republican governor in S. Dakote nominate some conservative stiff.

Posted by: The Conservative Deflator on December 13, 2006 at 10:05 PM | PERMALINK

gf120581-

Except I actually don't sit around praying for public figures to die like you apparently do.

Neither do I!

Except for Cheney and Bush and Rumsfeld...

And Lieberman.

Posted by: Jane Hamster on December 13, 2006 at 10:05 PM | PERMALINK

Real class act, Jane. Real class. Bet you feel good about it, too. I'm sure of it.

Posted by: Steve White on December 13, 2006 at 11:00 PM | PERMALINK

Real class act, Jane. Real class. Bet you feel good about it, too. I'm sure of it.

I believe she would hoot and holler if a man was struck by lightning and had both of his shoes blown off.

Posted by: Norman Rogers on December 13, 2006 at 11:02 PM | PERMALINK

Except for Cheney and Bush and Rumsfeld...

And Lieberman.


And Gonzales. And Rove. And Jeb.

And all the rest who ought to take the hint and emigrate to Paraguay.

Posted by: cld on December 13, 2006 at 11:11 PM | PERMALINK

I don't pray for them to die.

I just pray for justice.

Which would involve them being executed.

Posted by: Extradite Rumsfeld on December 13, 2006 at 11:35 PM | PERMALINK

Which would involve them being executed.

Oh, none of that, none of that!

This is America. We don't execute innocent people who hold high positions of power in our government.

Posted by: Norman Rogers on December 13, 2006 at 11:37 PM | PERMALINK

Norman, there's a certain number of "progressives" (the scare quotes are deliberate) who aren't very progressive in their thinking. In fact they're right out of the French revolution. Everyone who disagrees with them must be killed.

Posted by: Steve White on December 13, 2006 at 11:56 PM | PERMALINK

Norman, there's a certain number of "progressives" (the scare quotes are deliberate) who aren't very progressive in their thinking. In fact they're right out of the French revolution. Everyone who disagrees with them must be killed.

Not on my watch, sir! Not on your life!

I will stand toe to toe with these liberals and give them what-for!

What has this country become? A man gets hit by lightning and the whole liberal echo chamber resounds with the cries of blood, blood blood!

It's enough to make a person of intellect pause and think about this all very carefully--where did the liberal derangement come from?

Posted by: Norman Rogers on December 13, 2006 at 11:58 PM | PERMALINK

23 comments before someone wished the Senator well. How telling.

My, aren't we feeling especially self-righteous today.

You'd have found something else to bitch about if the first 22 comments were well-wishing, no doubt. Scolds like you always do.

Posted by: Ferruge on December 14, 2006 at 12:15 AM | PERMALINK

I'm guessing a pulmonary embolism or some sort of aortic compromise, if indeed it isn't a stroke or a heart attack.

Posted by: Global Citizen on December 14, 2006 at 3:27 AM | PERMALINK

Whatever it was, Johnson underwent surgery Wednesday night. They sure are tight-lipped about it.

The surgery wasn't at the Radhakrishnan Institute, by any chance? We could have a new contender in '08...

Posted by: ajay on December 14, 2006 at 4:23 AM | PERMALINK

Here's hoping that the senator makes a full recovery from...from...whatever it is.

And here's hoping that all of this talk about praying for death is relegated to the dustbin. It's not amusing from either side. If you want to wish for punishment, wish for empathy, that the criminal truly understands, regrets, and is forced to live with the harm he has caused.

Posted by: Saint Fnordius on December 14, 2006 at 5:01 AM | PERMALINK

Disoriented, stuttering and unable to answer questions? Hell, has anyone checked to see whether Bush might be having a series of mini-strokes every single day? It would certainly explain a lot....

Occam's Razor, Stefan. The man is a drunk.

Posted by: Gregory on December 14, 2006 at 8:47 AM | PERMALINK

Steve White wrote: 23 comments before someone wished the Senator well. How telling.

Kevin's post was titled "get well soon," you mendacious toad. Unlike Republicans, we aren't all dittoheads around here.

Posted by: Gregory on December 14, 2006 at 8:49 AM | PERMALINK

Occam's Razor, Stefan. The man is a drunk.

For a couple of reasons, the main one being that it's kind of hard to keep it private when you're the POTUS, I can't quite believe that Bush is drinking again.

A dry drunk, oh, hell, yeah; he exhibits every single classic behavior. But there's a lot more going on there, I think. How I'd love to see a thorough psychological evaluation of this man. It pains me that we never will.

Posted by: shortstop on December 14, 2006 at 9:16 AM | PERMALINK

Shortstop posts "How I'd love to see a thorough psychological evaluation of this man. It pains me that we never will."

Why not? Do you think Mr. Bush will leave the White House in 2009 in honor and retire to his impregnable country fortress in Connecticut, unaccountable and never to be seen by living American within his lifetime?

Here's looking forward to that psychological evaluation, those investigations, and the trial in the Hague. Like what Mr. Pinochet should have gotten, only orders of magnitude worse.

Posted by: Zandru on December 14, 2006 at 9:37 AM | PERMALINK

Morbid discussion.

Any topic to insult and disrespect Bush will be exploited by liberals.

Amazing cruelty.

Posted by: Orwell on December 14, 2006 at 9:50 AM | PERMALINK

Morbid discussion. Any topic to insult and disrespect Bush will be exploited by liberals. Amazing cruelty. Posted by: Orwell on December 14, 2006 at 9:50 AM

Said Orwell from his lofty position of NOT joining in the topic of bashing liberals.

Posted by: Shut up on December 14, 2006 at 10:19 AM | PERMALINK

Any topic to insult and disrespect Bush will be exploited by liberals.

Even more amazing: Any amount of mendacity, incompetence and corruption on the part of Bush and his party will be defended by mendacious trolls like "Orwell" and Steve White.

Oh, and White, we're sooooooo impressed by your self-righteousness. But holding this Adminsitration and the leaders of the Party whose water you carry responsible for its crimes is hardly "Everyone who disagrees with them must be killed." It's interesting, though, that you undercut your pretentions of moral superiority by resorting to such a dishonest straw man.

Personally, I don't want to see you killed, White...shamed would do, as if you were capable of shame.

shortstop, I was careful not to say that Bush was drunk -- although I absolutely would not rule out him hitting the bottle in private, as opposed to public functions. But being a dry drunk comes with its own personality flaws -- many of which Bush has exhibited throughout his presidenct -- which somehow the liberal media failed to discuss while they were pushing the bullshit about Gore claiming to have invented the internet.

Posted by: Gregory on December 14, 2006 at 10:31 AM | PERMALINK

My esteemed diagnosis is that Sen. Johnson is functionally dead. He could reverse this condition, however, were he to cross the aisle.

Posted by: Bill Frist on December 14, 2006 at 10:32 AM | PERMALINK

Dr White,

As usual, your diagnosis is off. The Committee of Public Safety currently resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and oversees the RNC from whence the tumbrells roll for those not as "pristine and holy" as Saint George, le Roi.

Posted by: stupid git on December 14, 2006 at 10:41 AM | PERMALINK

NPR last night:
First story: Bush says he will wait until the first of the year to announce any changes in direction to the war in Iraq.
Second or third story down: South Dakota senator Tim Johnson (D) is taken to the hospital with stroke-like symptoms. A side note to that was the Dems could loose the Senate.

2000 elections
2004 elections
2008 elections

I shook in my little Democratic bed all night last night thinking we'd just witnessed the fall of the democratic government of the United States yesterday. Did the current the administration circumvent the voice of US voters yet a third time (by theory) by incapacitating a Democratic senator to keep themselves in power? Oh, the horror. But by todays new updates of Senater Johnsons condition I was able to giggle at my irrational fears.

Question posed in previous blogs: Reason for being in Iraq, oil. Did we get the oil. Not yet.

Question posed in this blog: Does this administration want us to stay in Iraq until civil war dismounts the elected government over there and we can install our own regime and get the oil? Such cost in troops and funding would be irrational. Sort of like American voters standing between an oil man and his oil.

Half the citizens of America wont care how the GOP retains power so long as their rutted little lives can continue uninterrupted. The other half will be outraged but without strong leadership or journalistic assistance to combat the usurpation of our government.

But I giggle at my irrational fears, and giggle, and giggle, and....

Posted by: Left Foot on December 14, 2006 at 11:30 AM | PERMALINK

The first sign of any problem was that Johnson sounded disoriented. I wonder how anybody could ever diagnose Senator Ted Stevens, then.

Posted by: Jim Bartle on December 14, 2006 at 11:32 AM | PERMALINK

I wouldnt be too sure about the special election. SD law is confused on this point: Chapter 12-11 section 1 sounds good, but then look at section 5:

12-11-5. Special election to fill senate vacancy. The special election
to fill the vacancy of a senator shall be held at the same time as the
next general election. The general election laws shall apply unless
inconsistent with this chapter.

This is section one:
12-11-1. Special election to fill congressional vacancy--Time of
election of representative. If a vacancy occurs in the office of a senator
or representative in the United States Congress it shall be the duty of
the Governor within ten days of the occurrence, to issue a proclamation
setting the date of and calling for a special election for the purpose of
filling such vacancy. If either a primary or general election is to be
held within six months, an election to fill a vacancy in the office of
representative in the United States Congress shall be held in conjunction
with that election, otherwise the election shall be held not less than
eighty nor more than ninety days after the vacancy occurs.

I hope that 12-11-1 controls, but I tend to doubt it, as 12-11-5 is more specific. I just wonder how the same chapter of the law can have such obviously contradictory sections.

Here's hoping Mr. Johnson gets well soon.

Posted by: dave on December 14, 2006 at 2:08 PM | PERMALINK

12-11-1 and 12-11-5, as cited, do not conflict at all.

If there is a vacancy in either a senate or house seat, the governor must within 10 days issue a proclamation setting the date for the special election.

If the vacancy is in a house seat, the special election will be concurrent with the next regularly scheduled general or primary election if there is one within the next six months, otherwise it will be held between 80 and 90 days from the date of the vacancy.

If the vacancy is in a Senate seat, the special election will be concurrent with the next regularly scheduled general election.

There is nothing contradictory there.

Posted by: cmdicely on December 14, 2006 at 2:55 PM | PERMALINK

Hey, Gregory.

shortstop, I was careful not to say that Bush was drunk -- although I absolutely would not rule out him hitting the bottle in private, as opposed to public functions.

The president really never has total privacy. Unless he's drinking in his bedroom away from the presence of every single White House staff member, word will leak out. As unpopular as he is right now--word would leak out.

But being a dry drunk comes with its own personality flaws -- many of which Bush has exhibited throughout his presidenct -- which somehow the liberal media failed to discuss while they were pushing the bullshit about Gore claiming to have invented the internet.

I know--as I said, he exhibits all the behaviors typically associated with this.

We don't really disagree. I was just riffing on your post to say that in addition to the untreated alcoholism, I think this guy has some serious psychological problems I'd love to get the skinny on. It would explain so much.

Posted by: shortstop on December 14, 2006 at 3:07 PM | PERMALINK

Whoops--took a phone call and accidentally sent that. Would also add, Gregory, that the original symptoms you quote--"disoriented, stuttering and unable to answer questions"--are not typically associated with being a dry drunk, but rather with actual drinking, which is why I took your first comment to mean that you thought he was exhibiting public drunkenness.

Posted by: shortstop on December 14, 2006 at 3:17 PM | PERMALINK

I took your first comment to mean that you thought he was exhibiting public drunkenness.

Well, I took the opportunity for snark, so it's a fair cop.

I'm not as confident that Bush isn't hitting the bottle privately -- given the bubble he's in, andthe fact that I doubt Cheney, Rove or Condi would blab -- but I'm sure Rove would never let Bush show up in public drunk. But whether from booze, coke or whatever, the man's brains are oatmeal, and he is obviously not fully functional.

Posted by: Gregory on December 14, 2006 at 4:00 PM | PERMALINK

Okay, not to beat a minor point till it screams, but it isn't just the high-level people who have to keep a secret like that. The president and his family are surrounded by staff people just about every waking moment--not just aides, cabinet members and West Wing staffers, but also the Secret Service, White House police, ushers, housekeeping staff, valets, maintenance employees and on and on. Bedrooms are literally the only places the first family can be without someone else there...and often there are people in there, too.

I would be very surprised if, given the depth of unpopularity of the president, no word whatsoever leaked out if he's been drinking. If he has been doing so and somehow has managed to keep that secret thus far, we will hear about it after he's left office.

Posted by: shortstop on December 14, 2006 at 7:00 PM | PERMALINK

These might just be the single most batshit crazy comments I have ever read here, and that is saying a lot.

Posted by: Billy Bob Shranzburg on December 14, 2006 at 10:01 PM | PERMALINK

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