Byrd hospitalized after fall

AP on Yahoo ^ | 2/26/08 | AP

[NormsRevenge]

WASHINGTON - Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia was hospitalized Tuesday after complaining of back pain following a fall at his home, his spokesman said.

Byrd, 90, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and the longest-serving senator in history, was staying overnight at Walter Reed Army Medical Center for observation, said spokesman Jesse Jacobs. It was not immediately clear whether he had suffered broken bones.

Jacobs said Byrd fell at his Virginia home Monday night. He came to his office Tuesday and was on the Senate floor to vote for an Indian health bill. But after noticing he was wincing in pain, Byrd's staff recommended that he see the Capitol physician, who "smartly for a 90-year-old man advised him to go to Walter Reed for observation."

Byrd, who as Senate president pro tempore is third in line to the presidency, walks haltingly with two canes. Due to his frail condition, some Senate Democrats reportedly explored ways to replace him as Appropriations chairman, but he continues to hold the post.

[NormsRevenge]

Sen. Robert Byrd: http://www.byrd.senate.gov/

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Please be respectful, FReepers...

[Clintonfatigued]

I’m no fan of the Senator, but I wish him a full recovery, as do all Freepers.

[Stonewall Jackson]

While I don't care for his politics, I hope that the Senator is okay.

My grandmother broke her hip after a fall and she never really recovered.

[SevenofNine]

Did he fall on his sheet just asking Norm

[Liberty2007]

spEAK for yourself.

[Viking2002]

He was berating Hannity while watching Fox, and slipped in a pile of his own B.S...........!

[Jemian]

I think I speak for many of us when I say that we wish Senator Byrd good health and advise him to not push his recovery. Many times a patient does more damage by trying to do to much too soon.

Perhaps this is a good time for Senator Byrd to retire.

[Revolting cat!]

Wasn’t he the founder of the rock group the Byrds? He and his contemporary David Crosby? (You have to be old enough to remember.)

[maggief]

*comment deleted*

[BunnySlippers]

Prayers for Robert Byrd.

[BallyBill]

Get well Mr.Byrd. The world would be dull without you.

[SoldierDad]

While I wish no physical harm against this man, I wish his fall had happened much earlier (politically, that is).

[jws3sticks]

I’m no fan of the Senator, but I wish him a full recovery, as do all Freepers.

Maybe the pork will slow down while he's in Walter Reed.

Get well and please go home to enjoy your retirement.

You've done so much for your state versus the rest of us, it is time for a permanent rest.

[manapua]

One wonders if the Ku Klux Klan has sent flowers to his room.

Q: Why did Byrd dislike The Lord of the Rings?
A: The White Wizard never became the Grand Wizard.

Q: Why did Byrd dislike The Hobbit?
A: He thought it was about Theodore Bilbo visiting a Grand Dragon.

[clintonh8r]

What makes you so sure?

[melt]

He was berating Hannity while watching Fox, and slipped in a pile of his own B.S...........!

Or maybe he slipped on a "sheet" of ice.

[Blood of Tyrants]

I wish him a speedy recovery.

[Lurking in Kansas]

BITING.

MY.

TONGUE.

[Blood of Tyrants]

If he retired, he would have no reason to get up in the morning and would pass away in a few months.

[Finalapproach29er]

Senator from Virginia went into the hospital also; he had a racing heart problem.

[mkjessup]

I wish the Senator a full and speedy recovery, because we need him back in Washington as soon as possible because how else will the 'Robert C. Byrd Center for Research into Accidental Slips & Falls in the Home' receive it's 400 million dollar initial funding if he isn't there to guide it through the legislative process?!?

Get well quick Senator! ;)

[Jemian]

That is in the Lord’s hands. I just think he needs a lot of rest.

[Elle Bee]

slipped on pork fat ?

.

[Rome2000]

He broke the point on his hood?

[AFreeBird]

My grandmother broke her hip after a fall and she never really recovered.

Pins or full hip replacement?

My dad got pins. He's doing reasonably well regarding all the other crap he's had to deal with. I guess we're a stubborn lot.

[guido911]

I do not get this about being respectful. Here is a former Klan member who is responsible for sending millions of tax dollars to his personal/pet projects and there are those who tell us to mind our manners.

But Senator McCain, we read daily how that rat bastard can go straight to hell...But in a respectful sort of way, eh?

[Trajan88]

that’ll leave a mark ;-)

[elizabetty]

Please be respectful, FReepers...

If Walter Reed was in West Virginia, what do you think it would be named? :-)

[Senator Goldwater]

Byrd, who as Senate president pro tempore is third in line to the presidency

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Is this true?

Someone get Al Haig on the phone.

[ElPatriota]

I better don’t say I am thinking... Can you guess? :)

[RatsDawg]

He put his hood on backwards and tripped.

[elizabetty]

I better don’t say I am thinking... Can you guess? :)

It would surely have the words "Robert" and "Byrd" in the title.

[NormsRevenge]

I saw that earlier,, Sen. John Warner was hospitalized for atrial fibrillation , irregular heart rhythm

[RFEngineer]

Tripped on his ku, sprained his klux.

[ExSoldier]

Perhaps this is a good time for Senator Byrd to retire.

Depends. Is the Governor in his state a good Republican? If so then a decent conservative might be appointed to serve the remainder of the term or until an election. Then that person could run as an incumbent with a record. But if the GOV is a RAT, why allow him to appoint a young, strong lion of a LIBERAL (wait that's an oxymoron -- "liberal?" "lion?") anyway why give a young rat the same chance?

[mass55th]

Did he trip on his sheet?

[Fox_Mulder77]

A man at his age falling is never a good thing.
He won’t let the Dems replace him though, he’s a tough old man.

[glock rocks]

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Comment #42 Removed by Moderator

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[Lijahsbubbe]

Depends.

I can't help it. That's just funny.

[RetSignman]

[a fall at his home, his spokesman said.]

If that had happened to happened to Bush, the media would be saying it is suspected he was drunk at the time.

[leprechaun9]

How could Bobbie fall out of the gutter?

[traviskicks]

This shall be Byrd’s legacy:

http://www.clubforgrowth.org/2006/10/big_daddy_byrd_brags_about_por.php

[vpintheak]

The honorary Robert Byrd slippery floor. Touched by his greatness. Yuck, I have to go wash myself off now.

[trumandogz]

Byrd will float the rumor that he was chasing a 19 year old female intern around his house.

[Robe]

Recon he tripped on his sheet while getting his Bourbon thirdie??????

[The Citizen Soldier]

Meaning no disrespect, there should be some mechanism for retiring a Senator who cannot physically meet the (very limited) challenge of the office.

Last week I watched a clip of Byrd blathering incoherently, possibly drunk or medicated.

Another recent clip showed him sound asleep directly behind another Senator who was speeking at the time.

Get well, but get gone. Please.