Sen. Byrd taken to hospital after fall in Virginia home

[Kadie]

Byrd taken to hospital after fall in Virginia home

40 mins ago

WASHINGTON – Robert Byrd, the longest serving senator in history, has been taken to a hospital after a fall at home in the Washington suburbs.

Spokesman Jesse Jacobs says the 91-year-old West Virginia Democrat apparently stood up too fast and fell and that his caregiver called an ambulance "out of an abundance of caution." He said that Byrd is being examined but that at this point there is no indication that he will be admitted.

more...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_byrd_fall

[SPedigrees]

1. I hope he will be alright.

We've lost Kennedy and I sincerely hope Senator Byrd will not be next. I guess at his age every day is a gift.

[Jennicut]

2. Oh no. Hope he is okay. My 88 year old Grandma has had a few spills of her own.

She seems to be getting weaker and weaker. Hopefully Byrd will be okay...we really need his vote on health care.

[havocmom]

3. Sadly, it may be the GOP wanted to drag out Health Care Reform

knowing two top DEM Senators were in perilous health. They will play every advantage and may have been betting on DEM side of aisle being down by two at least, they sure tried to keep Al Franken from being seated. They know they don't have ANY real debate they just want to stop any reform. They will play the odds on death helping them out if they just drag the process down long enough.

Yeah, I am that cynical.

It doesn't make me happy that one of my senators helped them drag this way past the original planned date for passing legislation.

[Freddie Stubbs]

5. If Byrd cannot fufill his duties he could resign and allow Governor Manchin to appoint a replacement

But I do not suspect that will happen.

[havocmom]

8. Is that how the state does it or does it require an election like MA

I am so ignorant of the constitutions of various states :blush:

[Freddie Stubbs]

9. Governor gets to appoint:

Vacancies in the U. S. Senate are filled by appointment of the Governor, and the appointed Senator serves until the next election that is more than two years and six months away from the date of the vacancy. In other words, if a vacancy occurs after the specific day in May of an election year which marks the 2-year 6-month cutoff, the appointment would not be filled at the election held that fall, but the appointee would serve until the certification of the election two years following. The law does not provide for nominations from any committee.

These provisions are set out in West Virginia Code §3-10-3.

http://www.wvsos.com/elections/offices/vacancies.htm

[Craftsman]

6. Is the govenor of WV a dem or a rep?

[Freddie Stubbs]

7. A Democrat

[Craftsman]

4. A fall at tehis age could be life threatening

[Ocracoker16]

10. Update- Byrd admitted to hospital

He didn't sustain major injuries such as broken bones from the fall. However, his white blood cell count was high which signaled an early infection. He is receiving antibiotics at the hospital. Byrd has spent quite a lot of time in the past few months in hospitals being treated for infections.

[VMI Dem]

11. Couldn't care less.

I can't stand that man.