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.

[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

---

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?