Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Nice Moment: Sen. Mark Kirk Returns To Capitol One Year After Stroke
NPR ^ | January 03, 2013 | Mark Memmott

Posted on 01/03/2013 9:42:27 AM PST by iowamark

Before lawmakers get back to the business of arguing about taxes, deficits and other issues as they open a new session of Congress today, there was just a nice moment outside the Capitol.

Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., who suffered a stroke last Jan. 21, came to the Capitol for the first time since then. And as C-SPAN cameras watched, he made a very public return — slowly walking up the steps of the Capitol with assistance from Vice President Biden and Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W. Va.

Kirk, 53, was cheered on by other members of Congress, including his Democratic colleague from Illinois, Sen. Richard Durbin.

As The Associated Press wrote earlier this week, Kirk's climb up those steps was:

"Significant not just for Illinois' junior senator, but also for medical researchers and hundreds of thousands of stroke patients. It's estimated only one-third of patients return to work after a stroke, said Dr. Elliot Roth, medical director of the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago's New Patient Recovery Unit and AbilityLab, where Kirk recovered. ... The Illinois senator's return will be inspiring to fellow stroke patients, said Frank Watson, the former Republican leader of the Illinois Senate who resigned from office after his 2008 stroke. 'For us in the stroke fraternity, we're very happy to see this occur, to see somebody taking their life back,' Watson said. 'There are so many people who don't make it back.' "


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Illinois
KEYWORDS: markkirk

Senator Kirk holding cane
1 posted on 01/03/2013 9:42:36 AM PST by iowamark
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: iowamark

Of course he was cheered by the Demonicrat members. He’s almost more liberal than they are.


2 posted on 01/03/2013 9:49:51 AM PST by fwdude ( You cannot compromise with that which you must defeat.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: fwdude

Another liberal puppet


3 posted on 01/03/2013 9:53:13 AM PST by GeronL (http://asspos.blogspot.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: iowamark

Gotta love Illinois. Most of their governors serving time, one congressman re-elected from his rubber room in Fruit Cake City, and a senator completely out of commission for a year, all in addition to the empty chair.


4 posted on 01/03/2013 10:00:00 AM PST by DPMD
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: iowamark

We need new rules for Congress desperately. If you have an unfortunate medical issue that will take you out of the Congress more than 30 days, then on the 31st day, you resign and run for election when you can do the job completely. Sorry but this is ridiculous for both sides. What an embarrassment. Sorry but that is 100 percent how I feel. This is another reason we are in such dire straights.


5 posted on 01/03/2013 10:08:43 AM PST by napscoordinator (GOP Candidate 2020 - "Bloomberg 2020 - We vote for whatever crap the GOP puts in front of us.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: napscoordinator
If you have an unfortunate medical issue that will take you out of the Congress more than 30 days, then on the 31st day, you resign and run for election when you can do the job completely.

Kirk winning was a fluke. If he resigned, the seat would likely be won by a Rat. Better to have a vacant seat than another Rat.

6 posted on 01/03/2013 10:39:01 AM PST by arista
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: arista

It was no fluke, it was a IL Combiner deal. Democrats steal the Governorship and gift the Senate seat to a corrupt Socialist RINO.


7 posted on 01/03/2013 10:54:47 AM PST by fieldmarshaldj (Resist We Much)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: napscoordinator
If you have an unfortunate medical issue that will take you out of the Congress more than 30 days, then on the 31st day, you resign and run for election when you can do the job completely.

They might have to make the time limit a little more than that. Otherwise it would undoubtedly be found to be discriminatory toward pregnant female legislators.

I wonder if the rule would also have to be a Constitutional amendment.

8 posted on 01/03/2013 11:11:21 AM PST by wideminded
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson