Senator's Absence Threatens Iraq Measures

Tim Johnson's Recovery From A Brain Hemorrhage Leaves Dems' Senate Majority Razor Thin

(AP)  When Senate Democrats move next month to narrow President George W. Bush's authority to wage war in Iraq, at least one of their own will not be there to help. The same goes for trying to pass a spending bill for the war or a budget for the government.

Such is life for a razor-thin majority two months after Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson suffered a brain hemorrhage that has left him physically weakened, relearning how to speak and unable to report to work — even when big votes hang in the balance.

Democrats have not needed Johnson's vote yet, but they are rapidly approaching the point where not having it in their pocket could spell defeat in the notoriously freewheeling Senate.

"I worry about his vote on the budget. I worry about his vote on the supplemental (war spending bill). I worry about all those things," said Democratic Sen. Kent Conrad. Conrad said he has been tracking Johnson's recovery through the South Dakotan's staff, but he has refrained from visiting at the suggestion of the senator's family.

Including two independents who are considered part of their caucus, Democrats enjoy a tiny 51-49 majority over Republicans in the Senate, where a tie-vote can be decided by Republican Vice President Dick Cheney.

Under the 100-member chamber's rules, it requires 60 votes to pass most contested measures. Since a simple party-line, majority vote is usually insufficient to prevail, Johnson's absence alone rarely would be enough to cost Democrats a pivotal victory.

Johnson left a Washington hospital last week to enter a private rehabilitation facility. Sedated for weeks after his Dec. 13 attack, he is now described by aides as alert and able to talk, but he is still experiencing considerable weakness on his right side.

His staff will not say where he is, or how long it will be until he is in a condition to report to the Senate, but his recuperation—which includes four hours a day of physical and speech therapy — is expected to take months.

Johnson has been hospitalized since he was stricken in during a December telephone call with reporters. He was diagnosed with arteriovenous malformation, a condition that causes arteries and veins to grow abnormally large, become tangled and sometimes burst.

Democratic leaders — intensely protective of Johnson and unwilling to vent their concerns publicly — are resigned to the situation.

"It's not like we're going to be shying away from tough debates. We're just going to have to work that much harder to get the votes together," said Jim Manley, a spokesman for Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid, who has kept in close contact with Johnson's family throughout the medical ordeal.

Still, with Democrats eager to use their first few months in power to demonstrate an ability to govern and repair Congress' tarnished image, every vote counts.

Their challenge is even more acute when it comes to Iraq, where Democrats are at a disadvantage because independent Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut routinely sides with Republicans.

"We start out one down on this stuff. On Iraq, we start out two down with Lieberman. It's just the reality," Manley said.

Democrats have not yet gotten close enough to a tie on matters requiring only a bare majority or to the 60-vote threshold on other matters to make Johnson's absence a deciding factor. It could become one as early this week, though, with Senate fights looming over nationwide driver's licenses and whether airport screeners should have a union. The issues are part of a measure enacting the homeland security recommendations of the bipartisan 9/11 commission.

As Democrats strategize on how to keep their majority in 2008, Johnson's illness also leaves them with a question mark hanging over a key seat in a Republican-leaning state. He faces re-election next year.

Reid and other senior Democratic senators have stepped in to raise money for Johnson, and members of his inner circle say he intends to run. But it's not clear he will be able to do so — or when Democrats will be certain of his plans.

Johnson's illness also comes at a particularly inopportune time in the Senate, whereas many as four Democrats are running for president, making Reid's job of corralling Democrats to cast key votes even more difficult.

[perception5]

Yeah and if we had real "social justice" in the Senate the Dems would be (3) down:

1. Ted, Mary Jo, Kennedy
2. Robert, KKK, Byrd
3. Harry, million$ land scandal, Reid.......

but with a corrupt liberal press it probably won't be........... but Americans KNOW the truth...

[rafterman1]

You are right, Americans DO know the truth. Hence Bush's garbage numbers, large opposition to the Iraq war and Dems winning last November.

[perception5]

Yeah and if we had real "social justice" in the Senate the Dems would be (3) down:

1. Ted, Mary Jo, Kennedy
2. Robert, KKK, Byrd
3. Harry, million$ land scandal, Reid.......

So Rafterman, does that mean you don't have any issues with the (3) Senators above then?????

[us_infidel]

"Dems winning last November."

Posted by Rafterman1 at 02:44 PM : Feb 28, 2007

The dems won by the SLIMMEST of margins....and they had to pass themselvs off as 'moderates' to even do that. Air Pelosi disappeared 3 weeks prior to the election, and they had to tell Burtha to shut his pie hole.

Go ahead...keep thinking you guys won some sort of mandate in the last election. That will make the republican victory in '08 so much the sweeter.

Hell, your paleolib politicians are even falling down on their promises to you. 5 day work weeks - what's that? They lied about ending teh war and zeroing out the funding...."we'll revisit that."

Keep drinking from the trough!

[rafterman1]

"So Rafterman, does that mean you don't have any issues with the (3) Senators above then?????"

I could name a dozen Republicans and probably some more Dems too. What's your point? Congress is corrupt? Oh boy, news flash, call the networks. Most Americans accept that politics is full of sleezeballs. It's policy and what get done that counts and Bush and the Republicans have failed miserably the last six uears.

[rharrin1]

Doesn't matter if he is there or not dems. don't have enough votes in senate because of the rubber stampers that still hold office.

[us_infidel]

And as for this Johnson guy, will anyone be able to tell the difference betweeen him and any other rank-n-file lib democrat - to me, they all think like they had a stroke! Pathetically paralyzed.

[rafterman1]

"The dems won by the SLIMMEST of margins"

No, they won LARGE. Considering how much ground Dems had to make up (and did) despite strong Republican majorities (six seats in the Senate, 20+ seats in the House, I think), it was an overwhelming defeat for the GOP.

As far as ending the war, if the Repubs don't want to do the right thing and end it, Dems can't force them. Repubs will block every Dem effort. They even whined about the 5 day weeks.

But since Repubs had six years and Dems have had only one month (and have to deal with a President planning to veto just about everything they do), it's hilarious for you to demand why the Dems haven't done anything yet.

[us_infidel]

Maybe so. But like I said, they had to paint themselves as 'moderates' in order to make it. Now that they are outed, so to speak, we'll see what happens in '08.

And that's slightly disingenuous of you to say.....if the dems thought ending the war was sooooo important, and that a majority of America wanted it, they would try to pass real legislation to do so....not cowardly 'non-binding' fluff for the cameras and the left wing base. Even if it couldn't pass, at least they would be on record as standing by their word.

[bluestardad]

It may be time to consider changing Democratic Leadership in Congress! It seems that those leaders the American People have entrusted to get America out of Iraq are not capable of doing so. With Three American Soldiers being killed a day and a Billion Tax Dollars a week being lost in the Middle East America cannot afford Leadership that is indecisive or inept! The American Electorate has spoken and demands our elected officials be responsive to our mandate! Changes must be made and quickly to Pull all American Troops out of Iraq! The entire Middle East has grown accustom to America coming to their rescue for their problems and has never exercised their own ability to resolve their own difficulties. In some cases as with Iran in the 1950s America has added to the problems and destabilization of the country. It is time the Entire Middle East, all parties, sits down together and solves their own problems without America standing over their shoulder or acting as a destabilizing force for corporate reasons. When the Middle East has ownership of the solution and its results it will cause them to work harder to make the plans successful. The Middle East must wean itself from American dependency!

Write your Representatives and Senators! http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/

[rafterman1]

"And that's slightly disingenuous of you to say.....if the dems thought ending the war was sooooo important, and that a majority of America wanted it, they would try to pass real legislation to do so....not cowardly 'non-binding' fluff for the cameras and the left wing base. Even if it couldn't pass, at least they would be on record as standing by their word."

Problem is, they can't force Bush to do anything since he is CinC. Hence the "non-binding" part. Any wording in a resolution still has to pass Republican reps in committee in the House and filibuster in the Senate (which is exactly what happened in the Senate - filibuster). They could cut the funding, but few Dems were ever for pulling the rug out in that manner and only came up after a stronger worded resolution was prevented by Republicans from coming to the floor.

[musty2u]

The real beauty is that there is no clear, as you might want to say, majority that wants us out of Iraq. ***, it is good business. Works a tad on the unemployment rate. Gives the president and his court a little swagger time. What the hey, aint it great?

[terrapin78]

I say it is the time for the Dems to trigger "the nuclear option". It is a tactic the Re-pubic-cans threatened to do.

I think the Dems should do it!

[observantx]

So the Dems just roll over and play dead.


What a bunch of gutless worthless spineless wonders.

Isn%u2019t there a single man or woman in Kongress willing to do what is required to save this nation from our fledgling king?

Their plan is to EMBARRASS the president into changing his behavior??

E M B A R R A S S ???

It%u2019s impossible to embarrass the man. Why even try?

Kongress needs to be embarrassed for kissing GW%u2019s @ss like this.

Harry and Nancy, et al: If this is your response, nonbinding hand slaps and then giving up your authority to control funding, just stay home. Don%u2019t even bother showing up any more. If this is all you%u2019ve got, we%u2019re truly lost and double fvcked. Thanks for nothing.

[bluestardad]

It may be time to consider changing Democratic Leadership in Congress! It seems that those leaders the American People have entrusted to get America out of Iraq are not capable of doing so. With Three American Soldiers being killed a day and a Billion Tax Dollars a week being lost in the Middle East America cannot afford Leadership that is indecisive or inept! The American Electorate has spoken and demands our elected officials be responsive to our mandate! Changes must be made and quickly to Pull all American Troops out of Iraq! The entire Middle East has grown accustom to America coming to their rescue for their problems and has never exercised their own ability to resolve their own difficulties. In some cases as with Iran in the 1950s America has added to the problems and destabilization of the country. It is time the Entire Middle East, all parties, sits down together and solves their own problems without America standing over their shoulder or acting as a destabilizing force for corporate reasons. When the Middle East has ownership of the solution and its results it will cause them to work harder to make the plans successful. The Middle East must wean itself from American dependency!

Write your Representatives and Senators! http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/
Here is the House Speakers email address: [e-mail]

[musty2u]

Satan's balls ringers. We lose more than three a day on our highways. The ante hasn't even been paid for our trip to the sunny middle east.

[fascistusa]

REVOLUTION is necessary.

[forthepeaple]

YOU CALLED ? GET IT OUT, GET IT OUT, THE NEW PARTY IS HERE. AND WE WILL TAKE OVER OUR GOVERNMENT ALL OF OUR GOVERNMENT FROM TOP TO BOTTOM. SO GET THE WORD OUT IN ANYWAY YOU CAN THROUGH E-MAIL,BLOGS, THAT AMERICANS FOR AMERICA IS THE PARTY TO VOTE FOR JUST HARD WORKING NORMAL AMERICANS JUST LIKE OUR FORFATHER STARTED. ITS TIME TO PUT A END TO DEMS AGAINST REPS. THEY ALL LIE CHEAT STEEL FROM US AND THEY HAVE BEEN FOR TO LONG AND IF WE SIT STILL AND DO NOTHING AS AMERICANS NOW. THEN ANYONE THAT IS COMPLAINING ABOUT I HAVE NO MONEY, I HAVE NO JOB, HAVE NO VOICE TO SAY ANYTHING. BUT IF WE THE PEOPLE STAND PROUDAND STAIGHT AND TELL WASHINGTON THAT WE THE PEOPLE HAVE THE ONLY VOICE THAT COUNT. SO VOTE FOR AMERICANS FOR AMERICA. HES A NORMAL AMERICAN JUST LIKE YOU. AND WILL PUT AMERICANS FIRST. WE DO NEED YOU HELP IN GETTING ALL OUR AMERICANS FOR AMERICA PARTY IN WASHINGTON AND TO TAKE OVER OUR COUNTRY. IF YOU WANT TO HELP PLEASE E-MAIL OUR SITE AT [e-mail] AND WE WILL E-MAIL YOU BACK WITH DETAILS TO SEND DONATIONS. BUT THE BIGGEST HELP IS GETTING THE WORD OUT. WE AMERICANS WILL ONLY SUPPORT AND ELECT TO OFFICE IS AMERICANS FOR AMERICA.

[mcvet]

And that's slightly disingenuous of you to say.....if the dems thought ending the war was sooooo important, and that a majority of America wanted it, they would try to pass real legislation to do so....not cowardly 'non-binding' fluff for the cameras and the left wing base. Even if it couldn't pass, at least they would be on record as standing by their word.


Posted by US_Infidel at 03:15 PM : Feb 28, 2007

Now the fact is that the Senator is sick, that's does not have anything to do with the Will of the AMERICAN PEOPLE or the Will of the Democrats. You see Sparky we can't all be superior like you nazi's. That's the best the American People could do with the Senate since there weren't that many open seats. The House is VERY secure and following the Will of the People quite well. Hell just look at things now verses before the Democrats took over. If they aren't there, we're still hearing the "We're Winning" Lie and there would be NO oversight what so ever of the actions of this Fraud a few call a President. To blame the Democrats for the Complete and absolute FAILURE of the Republican Party is NUTS!

[mcvet]

Folks lets keep in mind here that We the People have handed the Democrat Party the Mother of all mess's. A mess that is even larger than the mess we handed them with the Great Depression. We must also keep in mind we have asked them to lead with a very sick Senator AND the smallest of margins. Add to that the FACT that they are faced off against the Souther Fascist Block who have NO concern, what so ever, about the Will of the American People. This IS not the Republican Party either so you are going to get a lot of debating and a LOT of different ideas kicked around, it is and always has been the soul of the party. If you want neatness and lock step thinking, then Southern Fascist are the way to go. If you want to come out of this with a direction and a feeling that All the People of this nation are being addressed, you'll just have to hang in there. As Will Rogers said, "I don't belong to an orgainized Political Party, I'm a Democrat". Pray for them folks, the mountain we have handed them is HUGH indeed.

[mcvet]

Keep drinking from the trough!
Posted by US_Infidel at 02:54 PM

Sparky YOU have got to change the Nazi Youth Leader you are following. The Reich stopped using this some time ago... Since THEY took control and weren't able to stop spending it really isn't something the Gestapo wants to discuss. Maybe you should keep up on these things do you think? ROFLMAO

[bm6005]

We lose more than three a day on our highways.
Posted by Musty2U

This is completely irrelevant. I don't give a *** about this stupid f*kin statistic. It means nothing and shows your frickin' callousness for our troops. Go ahead die for me! What trash talk!!

[bm6005]

Americans KNOW the truth...
Posted by perception5

They are catching on as to how lame you and your arguments are. Corrupt, let's talk about your right wing talking heads. The only thing they're interested in is their ratings/salary. Why don't you read something out of a valid book as opposed to the scripts and Readers Digest Faux News BS you believe. Try a library, get a card. Read Hubris, Fiasco, Life in the Emerald City to see how you've been played the fool!!

[clemenhagen1]

This talk of the lame Democratic Congress would amuse were it not so shallow. Do the math and catch a clue about the quirky rules of the Senate. Johnson being out of the rotation means in all reality a 49-50 majority for the REPUBLICANS. Lieberman caucused with the Democrats but votes Republican on virtually all issues remotely associated with the war. Democrats control the committees, but lack the votes to even force a genuine debate, let alone an actual vote on issues of substance. The Republicans, who moaned so loudly about the filibuster being the bane to the existence of our republic, (the animals remembered, or thought they remembered the preachers railing about the evil flibuster on JUSTICE SUNDAY), now routinely use the filibuster to prevent any actual votes. So much for nuclear options, eh. Not to mention how gleefully they remind us of their veto-proof minority. So spare me the rhetoric about the Democrats failings in the Senate...this story is all about Stonewall McConnell and the rest of foot soldiers who take their marching orders without question and remain in formation like good Spartans. The problem, of course, being they won't die holding the pass at Thermopylae, our troops get the honor of being sacrificed for our arrogant Commander-in-Chief.

[fascistusa]

ARMED Revolution is necessary.

[antoniof123]

It is very true about the Senate but 08' will be here soon.

[bluestardad]

It may be time to consider changing Democratic Leadership in Congress! It seems that those leaders the American People have entrusted to get America out of Iraq are not capable of doing so. With Three American Soldiers being killed a day and a Billion Tax Dollars a week being lost in the Middle East America cannot afford Leadership that is indecisive or inept! The American Electorate has spoken and demands our elected officials be responsive to our mandate! Changes must be made and quickly to Pull all American Troops out of Iraq! The entire Middle East has grown accustom to America coming to their rescue for their problems and has never exercised their own ability to resolve their own difficulties. In some cases as with Iran in the 1950s America has added to the problems and destabilization of the country. It is time the Entire Middle East, all parties, sits down together and solves their own problems without America standing over their shoulder or acting as a destabilizing force for corporate reasons. When the Middle East has ownership of the solution and its results it will cause them to work harder to make the plans successful. The Middle East must wean itself from American dependency!

Write your Representatives and Senators! SHOW THEM YOUR DISDAIN OF THEIR COWARDOUS ACTIONS WHILE OUR TROOPS ARE DYING! http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/

Here is the House Speakers email address: [e-mail]

[randalds]

ARMED Revolution is necessary.
Posted by fascistusa at 10:27 PM : Feb 28, 2007

And long overdue.

[motherjones-2009]

Americans KNOW the truth...
Posted by perception5


You are absolutely right! Americans know the truth! That's why we kicked your rethug *** last November. I can hardly wait till 2008 when we hammer the final nails into the right wing coffin and bury you.