Byrd, Kennedy stricken at Obama luncheon

[MacBeth]

Two senators taken away from event for medical attention


Sens. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., and Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., were stricken Tuesday at an inauguration luncheon for President Barack Obama.

A Capitol police officer stood up at the luncheon and said medical attention was needed.

Kennedy collapsed and was wheeled out on a stretcher from the Capitol luncheon following the inauguration of the 44th president, NBC's Mike Viquiera said. Kennedy reportedly suffered convulsions.

The Massachusetts Democrat was hospitalized in May after suffering a seizure. He was later diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor.


Obama acknowledged Kennedy during his luncheon remarks, saying that his prayers are with the senator and his family.

Byrd fell ill and was escorted out.


www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28755439/

[Calluna]

The story I read on it just before leaving work was that Kennedy suffered another seizure and was taken to the hospital. Apparently, Byrd was just upset over seeing Kennedy's seizure, and that's why he had to leave, but he's okay now. Though, who knows, at 91, anything could happen any day. I'm sure that Rockefeller is looking forward to the day when he's no longer the "junior" senator from WV...poor guy, how long does he have to wait before they stop calling him "junior?" ;D

[shiftless2]

I'm sure Mary Jo is smiling.

[wheelspinner]

Jan 21, 2009 8:21:12 GMT -5 shiftless2 said:

I'm sure Mary Jo is smiling.

Man that's some impressive grudge-holding. Have you never heard of rehabilitation? You would think that decades of public service might have counted for something in overcoming cheap shots like that.

I'd hate to live under a justice system where attitudes like that prevail.

Still, the fact that you have to reach that far back to find something to toss at Kennedy should tell us something about his record.

[shiftless2]

Decades of public service??? Guess that offsets murder.

[wheelspinner]

Give it a rest. That's ancient BS and is unworthy of anybody who is anything less than blinded by an awesomely long-lasting bias.

Kennedy and Kopechne were in a road accident. It is impossible to construe the events as murder unless you are going to argue that Kennedy intentionally drove the car off a bridge, which would make it attempted suicide also, surely. The worst that can be said of Kennedy is that he left the seen and Kopechne might have been saved had he got help earlier. But there is no certainty of that. Absolutely the worst case that anyone could ever make against him would be vehicular manslaughter - not murder. His prior record, shock after the accident and other mitigating factors would all be taken into account when considering that.

In a court of law interested in fairness, that is what happens. Kennedy pleaded guilty to the one thing that could be proven against him beyond a reasonable doubt - leaving the scene. So, according to the system of justice that is supposed to prevail in your country, the right outcome occurred.

Of course I am wasting my time explaining this to you because if you still hold this opinion after all this time, it is because of personal dislike of the man, not because of any findings based on the law or the facts or judicial error or any other rational thought process that might result in a different verdict than the actual one.

Again, it's instructive that you have to reach back to fabricated gossip from 1969 to find something snarky to say about a man who is at death's door. That is both a measure of the man's achievements since, and also of how low you are willing to sink in maligning a gravely ill person at such a time.