My senior U.S. Senator is rushed to a hospital from the Capitol building. He remains there in critical condition following late night surgery for a congenital problem that caused bleeding in his brain. What does it mean? An opportunity for the media vultures to feast.
The news of Sen. Tim Johnson's potential stroke flashed almost instantaneously across the news wires and the internet. Not knowing exactly what was wrong with him and grasping for "news," the media pressed forward. What did it want to know? What would happen if Johnson dies.
And it certainly was not just the national media. The South Dakota press is equally guilty. South Dakota Public Radio called the South Dakota Secretary of State asking what the process was if Johnson no longer held the office. The first story I saw online Wednesday afternoon from the state's largest daily newspaper dealt with the state's Republican governor having the power to appoint a replacement in the event of a "vacancy" in Johnson's Senate seat. Even today they are reporting that Johnson's health "sent state officials scrambling to determine how [Johnson] would be replaced."
Vacancy? Replaced? Excuse me. Our U.S. Senator and a man I respect despite some philosophical differences is in a hospital and the media wants to know what's going to happen if he dies or doesn't recover. If state officials were "scrambling," it was because of calls from the news media asking what would happen if Johnson left office. The media displayed far more interest in who a Republican governor might appoint and whether there might be a 50-50 split in the U.S. Senate than concern for Johnson and his family.
The U.S. Senate has operated with a 50-50 split before and the republic survived. Nor are health problems for a U.S. Senator from South Dakota simply recent news. Karl Mundt, who served 10 yerars in the U.S. House and 24 years in the U.S. Senate, suffered a stroke in November 1969 midway through his last six year term. He served the balance of his term despite being incapacitated.
How about if we let Sen. Johnson get treated for his condition before you start digging a grave for him? How about if we show some concern for a man and his family instead of immediately focusing on potential and entirely speculative political ramifications?
.jpg?t=20120527181101)
Article comments
1 - handyguy
It's only because of the close numbers in the Senate that this has become such a big opportunity for Bad Taste in News Coverage. I do think it's somewhat understandable [I won't use the word justified], although it must be horrendous for the Senator's family and friends. I think most of the major-outlet stories I've read have tried to inject a modicum of sensitivity into their stories, but inevitably they do end up resembling vultures, as you say.
2 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
Just download "Dirty Laundry" to your computer from your favorite filesharing outfit. Listen to it a few times and you'll see why Tim Gebhart is a decent guy to write what he does...
3 - Baronius
I think what made this story unique is that he was talking to reporters when it happened. I heard the recording on the radio news, and immediately turned it off.
I can picture a news editor with a little angel and devil on his shoulders. "Use the tape. It's news." "You've got a tape of a decent man suffering a brain trauma. This isn't even a close call. Destroy it."
4 - Joel Johnson
I'm in Illinois myself - but when I heard a senator had fallen ill, my firest response wasn't "Which party?" "Who'll control the Senate?!" It was "I hope he's ok!"
Especially when it was revealed to be a brain hemmorage.
I may be a liberal, I may desperately not want the Republicans back in control ever again - but that's *not the important thing right now*.
The important thing is that a man is in the hospital, in critical condition, and he needs support. I'd feel the same way about a senetor from the GOP and heck, I'm sure Republicans (wingnuts obviously excepted) are just as horrified by the way the coverage of this has been handled as you are.
If he's got to take off so he can watch after his health? So be it! If he can stay on the job? So much the better! But right now isn't the time to be dealing with either - it's just about making sure he gets the care he needs.
It's this sickness - this sensaltionalism, which has turned more and more people away from the traditional media and toward bloggers.
5 - Dave Nalle
I don't think you need to worry about him getting the care he needs. The Senate has one hell of a health plan.
Dave
6 - Kesali
I agree with Dave Nalle. This Senator, his family, and the others in the Senate can ponder the economic devastation that would have fallen on this senator and his family if they did not have medical insurance. Never mind the millions of Americans that must face this prospect everyday because they can not afford medical insurance and their employers do not or can not help provide it.
7 - nancy
Dave & Kesali are absolutely spot on: the Senator has no need of any sympathy from the public, who thru their taxes support him & his family in a lavish manner they themselves cannot afford, and which the Senator himself helped create along with his fellow self-serving, overprivileged congressmaggots. Shed no tears there, please: he'll get the best treatment, his family the best financial support (and personal service too if they ask for it) for the rest of his life & theirs, that YOUR money can buy. He won't be sent home from the hospital early, or after only a day or so because insurance demands it, nor will he have to worry about his family being beggared while he's out of it. There will be no monetary limits on the costs for his care or the time frame.
Now don't YOU wish you were a congressmaggot & could vote yourself all kinds of similar cushy perks & privileges at public expense? It must be nice.
8 - Scrapiron
I wouldn't look so bad for the dimmi's but Dachle is circling the Senator like a volture. I guss he think he'll get the office. If I was a member of the Senator's family I'd watch him close. People do strange things out of greed, like maybe unplugging the life support system.
9 - Baronius
Yes, Nance, you hate congress. Could we possibly agree that it'd be better if he lived than died? That the press has lost the picture? That maybe we could pray for the maggot's health and his family?
10 - Bliffle
"This Senator, his family, and the others in the Senate can ponder the economic devastation that would have fallen on this senator and his family if they did not have medical insurance."
Indeed. It's unsettling to think that these congresscritters freely bestow generous health benefits on themselves and their families, and then balk at the slightest improvement in healthcare for the (mere) citizens of the USA. It's actually shocking.
As for ones own insurance, I suspect that most folks cannot even be sure of the extent of their coverage, because the policy language is so complex and the Ins Cos. reserve so many discretionary rights for themselves. Most people will be shocked if they have a medical problem to discover that they are poorly covered.
11 - Scrapiron
The big panic was in the left wing slime 'er' news outlets. They started adding up all of the older than senior citizens in the dimmi Senate and went wild. Johnson is a spring chicken compared to a lot of them and there's a good chance some of them won't make it two years. They displayed real panic when they discovered they have several really old codgers in states with a republican governor. This past election has brought real comedy to the country.
12 - RJ Elliott
I do not dislike Senator Tim Johnson, even though he is a Democrat. And as a human being, I certainly hope he fully recovers. His family must be taking this very tough, and my best wishes go out to them.
Now, on to the politics:
If Senator Tim Johnson is unable to serve out the remainder of his term, for one reason or another, the Republican Governor of this Red State will get to pick his replacement. And if that's the case, those same MSM vultures who have been talking about him as if he is no longer a living person will be absolutely begging said Governor to appoint a Democrat as his replacement. The pressure will be immense. And the role the MSM plays in this will be just as disgusting and infuriating as the role they are playing now, as the Grim Reaper...
13 - nancy
In his basic aspect as a human being, of course I hope he recovers. As a politician, I maintain no member of the public needs to shed tears or waste anxiety on him or his family; they are well covered thanks to the taxes we pay; we the public, on the other hand, are not - largely thanks to the same congress that (as Blffle points out) while rewarding itself so richly, refuses to sanction decent basic coverage to the taxpaying, subsidizing masses. Good job also, Blif, pointing out that the insurance industry is very careful to throw dust in everyone's eyes by using extremely obfuscatory language in their policies, to the point that few can translate them without difficulty if not assistance.