It’s disgusting that *this * is what has dominated discussion of the poor man’s problem, within much less than 24 hours of the occurrence. He just might recover, ya know, disappointing though that may be to some - and he’ll be able to tell who at the time was thinking of partisan advantage and who was thinking about him and his family. Which of you is in which category?
Good point, and I was thinking along those lines watching some of the news coverage earlier. The guy looks a lot younger than his 59 years, too (not that 59 is particularly old). Let’s hope he has a full recovery.
Just a point of clarification, though. I think it’s a “good point” that there is a conspicuous lack of sympathy being shown in this thread, but I didn’t detect any blatant partisanship so far. Unless I missed something…?
Well, this thread isn’t about his health, it’s about the political implications thereof, and I’m certain nobody here or anywhere wishes him ill. This isn’t the only discussion of Sen. Johnson on the Dope, after all.
His illness does not exist in a vacuum. While sympathy for him is certainly appropriate, it is equally appropriate to discuss the implications of it.
Depends: who’s dealing with whom?
On one side of the deal: the Senate Dems. On the other side: the SD Gov, who’s the head of the SD GOP. Sidelined: the national GOP and the SD Dems.
It’s a good deal for both parties to the deal, it’s a lousy deal for one of the sidelined parties, and a not so good deal (but not terrible either) for the other sidelined party.
But it’s like if four of us are playing Monopoly, and two players reach a trade so that both of them get new monopolies that they’re ready to load up with hotels. It’s great for both of them, and it sucked to be the other two. But the other two didn’t get a say in the matter. That’s life in the big city.
Not exclusively, Frank. But that’s what this thread has been - not a damn word of sympathy from anybody, only the partisan political implications (the word has a broader meaning, John), and speculatively at that.
You apparently knew what I was talking about earlier:
I assumed you meant deaths that could affect control of the Senate. Maybe I was wrong.
What else could or should there be? None of us know the man or even heard of him before.
I do not share your certainty, nor should any rational citizen or Doper.
This forum is not, last time I looked, MPSIMS. I didn’t start a sympathy thread; I started a thread for political discussion.
I repeat, how does this deal benefit Rounds? He guarantees a Democratic majority in the Senate, and has only a slight chance of weakening a very strong Democratic majority in the House. He might possibly gain a little political capital, but I doubt that would help him much in 2010, and you’re not addressing that issue, AFAICT. The Republican Party has no reasonable chance to gain in this deal, and Rounds is a loyal party follower. Trading a Senator who affects the balance for a Representative who could not make a real difference even if that seat went to his party (which, as I said before, is very unlikely) is a terrible idea for Rounds and the GOP in general. There’s nothing I can see that Democrats can offer Rounds to make him appoint a Democratic Senator: they don’t have the power, apart from possibly some legislation that might affect SD, which again is not what you’re addressing, to give him anything he wants.
I really doubt it, RT. Rumor bespeaks that Rounds would really like to flight up to the Senate in 2008 anyway. This complicates matters in a couple of ways.
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Cut a deal with the National Democrats and see just how made he’s made the RNC and NO funding for him.
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If he appoints a Republican to the slot he’s dead in the water as far as getting to run for that seat in 2008 goes. Whomever that appointee is will be the candidate-presumptive for the full term in 2008. Rounds won’t want that to happen.
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Maybe he can cut a deal with Lt Governor Daugaard. Rounds resigns, Daugaard moves up and appoints Rounds to the gig. Senate flips, Daugaard gets promoted, Rounds gets his Senator slot, RNC happy with him and gives him money for reelection in 2008.
I’m just sayin’, is all.
There’s nothing partisan about simply asking what will happen. It’s a legitimate question, and I don’t see any rah rah go Dems/Pubs going on. It’s interesting how words always have broader meanings when you use them, but not when others do…
I wouldn’t say that:
Of course, most of us hadn’t heard of the man before and know little about him. And if it was say 55-45 for one party or the other, there wouldn’t be nearly as much fuss. There might be some debate over whether an incapacitated Senator should remain in office but otherwise it wouldn’t generate a ripple. That his possible death/resignation would flip the control of the chamber is the story and of course that’s what we’re all worried about.
Right, because we know Republicans are evil, and therefore hoping he dies for immediate political advantage.
I’m amazed people on this board still take you seriously.
I was basing that impression on the Free Republic thread linked in post #19. Most posters are earnestly praying for Johnson’s recovery, but at the same time . . . well, let’s say there’s a definite whiff of crocodile tears.
Is there? Where? Show me. All I’m seeing in the thread you’re referencing (Post #18, BTW; post #19 is DU) is people offering prayers, condolensces, well wishing to the family, and less speculation on “what this means” than has shown up even here.
If you see “crocodile tears”, it’s because you’re such a biased partisan that you refuse to be willing to ascribe human emotions to your opponents.
Crocodile tears are smelly? Who knew?
That’s why I called it an “impression,” based on reading between the lines – not strong enough to form a basis for excoriating the evil Pubs (we have many much better grounds for that), but enough to justify some small degree of skepticism re the certainy Captain Carrot expressed in post #68; especially as that certainty encompassed “here or anywhere.” E.g., I very much doubt Karl Rove or Dick Cheney are praying for Johnson’s recovery and would not be surprised one bit if they are offering up a very, very different prayer (just not in public). Ditto Pat Robertson and many like him – not all, not most, but many.