vt.Buzz ~ a political blog

Political notes from Free Press staff writers Terri Hallenbeck, Sam Hemingway and Nancy Remsen

12.13.2006

Here's a doozy

This just came over the wires: Sen. Tim Johnson, a Democrat from South Dakota, suffered a possible stroke. The potential reverberations go far beyond Johnson and South Dakota.

If Johnson were unable to serve, his replacement would be appointed by the governor, who's a Republican. If Gov. Mike Rounds were to appoint a Republican, it would toss the Senate into a 50-50 tie politically but effectively return control to the Republicans, as Vice President Dick Cheney would break tie votes.

I know that's a lot of ifs and speculation, right after I condemned such practices, but it is a surprising turn of events.

Dems might want to hold off on the redecorating.

- Terri Hallenbeck

posted by vt.Buzz | 4:39 PM |

Comments:

The treatment of this story by the press and the blogosphere this afternoon represents the worst sort of speculation and overreaction. We don't yet know Sen. Johnson's medical condition - indeed a 7:31 p.m. AP story on the NY Times Web site says that Johnson's press secretary says he didn't suffer either a stroke or a heart attack - yet there are reporters speculating about change in party control of the Senate and bloggers hyperventilating.

The important news story for Vermonters out of the Senate today was a speech Sen. Leahy gave setting forth his agenda as Judiciary Committee chair - real oversight of the Bush administration on wiretapping, torture, Guantanamo, signing statements, etc.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 7:58 PM, December 13, 2006

Terri: Thank you for helping to prove my point and not asking to me to do so by providing previous examples of such instances of yours instead. Much appreciated.

# Posted by:

Anonymous | 12:24 AM, December 14, 2006