Ted Kennedy has had a Stroke

Falkenhayn · Post by **Falkenhayn** » 2008-05-17 01:56pm

Report: Sen. Kennedy rushed to hospital
76-year-old Democrat airlifted to hospital after stroke-like symptoms
The Associated Press
updated 1:44 p.m. ET, Sat., May. 17, 2008

BOSTON - A spokeswoman said Sen. Edward M. Kennedy was hospitalized Saturday after suffering a seizure. Kennedy became ill at his home, his office said.

There was no immediate word on his condition.

Kennedy spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter confirmed in a statement that Kennedy went to Cape Cod Hospital on Saturday morning "after feeling ill at his home." After discussion with his doctors in Boston, Kennedy was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital for further examination.

"He is currently under evaluation that information will be released as it becomes available," she said.

911 call from compound
Hyannis Fire Lt. Bill Rex told The Associated Press that a 911 call came in from the Kennedy family compound at 8:19 a.m. A man was transported to Cape Cod Hospital and transferred by air at 10:10 a.m. from Barnstable Municipal Airport to Massachusetts General.

David Reilly, a spokesman for Cape Cod Hospital, said that Kennedy was brought to the hospital at about 9 a.m. and stayed for about an hour before being flown by helicopter to the Boston hospital. He said he could not comment on Kennedy's condition or treatment because of medical privacy laws.

Kennedy, 76, has been in the Senate since 1962, filling out the term won by his brother, John F. Kennedy.

In October, Kennedy had surgery to repair a nearly complete blockage in a major neck artery. The discovery was made during a routine examination of a decades-old back injury.

The hour-long procedure on his left carotid artery — a main supplier of blood to the face and brain — was performed at Massachusetts General. This type of operation is performed on more than 180,000 people a year to prevent a stroke.

The doctor who operated on Kennedy said at the time that surgery is reserved for those with more than 70 percent blockage, and Kennedy had "a very high-grade blockage."

Iconic political family
Kennedy is the lone surviving son in a famed political family. His eldest brother, Joseph, was killed in a World War II airplane crash. President John Kennedy was assassinated in 1963 and his brother Robert was assassinated in 1968.

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, beginning a tour of hospitals in Eugene, Ore., told reporters that he had been in touch with the senator's family. "Ted Kennedy is a giant in American political history. He's done more for health care than just about anybody in history. We are going to be rooting for him. I insist on being optimistic about how it's going to turn out."

Kennedy gave Obama's presidential campaign a big boost this year with his endorsement and has campaigned actively for the Illinois senator.

Hillary Clinton, also a candidate for the Democratic nomination, had this to say regarding Kennedy: "My thoughts and prayers are with Ted Kennedy and his family today. We all wish him well and a quick recovery."

Arizona Sen. John McCain, the likely GOP presidential nominee, said he awaited word on Kennedy's condition. "Senator Kennedy's role in the U.S. Senate cannot be overstated. He is a legendary lawmaker, and I have the highest respect for him. When we have worked together, he has been a skillful, fair and generous partner."

© 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Falkenhayn · Post by **Falkenhayn** » 2008-05-17 02:58pm

Update: Teddy has definitely had a seizure, no word on cause.

Einhander Sn0m4n · Post by **Einhander Sn0m4n** » 2008-05-17 03:03pm

Two things that come to my mind right quick: One, I hope he recovers quickly and fully. Two, are we going to have to endure a Media Blackout of everything that isn't this story for two weeks now?

Post by **Broomstick** » 2008-05-17 03:34pm

He's old. Old people have strokes. I can see this being of earth-shattering importance to his constituents, and possibly to Massachusetts as a whole, but seriously...!

I have had enough of "Camelot" and worshiping the fucking Kennedy family.

Of course I wish him either a swift recovery or, if that is not possible, for him to not suffer a horrible lingering death. I feel sympathy for him as a human being having a Bad Thing happen. But there are more important things in the world than an old senator's health problems.

Flagg · Post by **Flagg** » 2008-05-17 05:23pm

It's vitally important since a Democratic Senator being put out of action makes it that much easier for the Republicans and Benedict Joe to stall anything Bush doesn't want, and try to rush through what he does.

Oh, and that thump you just heard was the entire city of Boston passing out simultaneously from drinking to Teddy boy's health. If I could drink, I'd join 'em as he's helped my family when they needed it more than once. Godspeed you old bastard (and try not to fly off any bridges).

Guardsman Bass · Post by **Guardsman Bass** » 2008-05-17 06:17pm

Ted Kennedy dead or too incapacitated for his Senate post would really be a blow to the Democratic Party. Whether or not you like the Kennedys, he's been very influential within the Senate.

Adrian Laguna · Post by **Adrian Laguna** » 2008-05-17 10:56pm

This doesn't support my hypothesis that Ted didn't survive that crash at the bridge and he's a zombie that runs on alcohol.

Post by **Coyote** » 2008-05-18 03:36am

Broomstick wrote:... I feel sympathy for him as a human being having a Bad Thing happen. But there are more important things in the world than an old senator's health problems.

Yeah, but the news isn't covering them, at least not in the political world. If Senator Kennedy's stroke allows the media to forget about ridiculous crap like flag pins and "sweetiegate" for a bit then I'm OK with that.

The Original Nex · Post by **The Original Nex** » 2008-05-18 03:46am

Just to clarify, and perhaps a Mod would change the thread title;

Senator Kennedy suffered a seizure, not a stroke as originally reported, and is expected to make a full recovery.

cosmicalstorm · Post by **cosmicalstorm** » 2008-05-20 01:43pm

He has been diagnosed with a brain tumor according to AP.

General Zod · Post by **General Zod** » 2008-05-20 01:45pm

cosmicalstorm wrote:He has been diagnosed with a brain tumor according to AP.

A malignant tumor specifically. Not very good news.

FSTargetDrone · Post by **FSTargetDrone** » 2008-05-20 02:03pm

General Zod wrote:A malignant tumor specifically. Not very good news.

One of the doctors on MSNBC was talking about a poor prognosis, that the situation is evidently "not good" and he said that even with chemotherapy or radiation treatment, the extended life span is "months." At best.

Ender · Post by **Ender** » 2008-05-20 02:34pm

And the hillaryis44 people are citing the brain tumor as why he backed Obama instead of Hillary.

As for Ted, well he beat cirrhosis. If there is another world after this and some kind of justice there Mary Jo Kopechne will be waiting for him on the other side.

Adrian Laguna · Post by **Adrian Laguna** » 2008-05-20 05:31pm

Ender wrote:And the hillaryis44 people are citing the brain tumor as why he backed Obama instead of Hillary.

You're serious? That's stupid, there are no signs he has lost his ability to reason.

CaptainChewbacca · Post by **CaptainChewbacca** » 2008-05-20 05:32pm

I can just imagine the call to his relative, Arnold.

"I have a tumor."

"Its not a tumor!"

18-Till-I-Die · Post by **18-Till-I-Die** » 2008-05-21 01:17am

Maybe now all the conservative cockheads will stop making retarded non sequitur jokes about a car accident that happened fucking ages ago, when he eventually dies. Maybe out of respect or mercy for his condition even...

Oh who am i kidding.

Patrick Degan · Post by **Patrick Degan** » 2008-05-21 01:34pm

18-Till-I-Die wrote:Maybe now all the conservative cockheads will stop making retarded non sequitur jokes about a car accident that happened fucking ages ago, when he eventually dies. Maybe out of respect or mercy for his condition even...

Oh who am i kidding.

The champaigne corks probably started popping at Rush Limbaugh's house already.

The Duchess of Zeon · Post by **The Duchess of Zeon** » 2008-05-21 01:50pm

Ender wrote:And the hillaryis44 people are citing the brain tumor as why he backed Obama instead of Hillary.

As for Ted, well he beat cirrhosis. If there is another world after this and some kind of justice there Mary Jo Kopechne will be waiting for him on the other side.

Yeah, I'm not going to regret his getting what's coming for driving drunk and then leaving his passenger to drown. It's a safe seat anyway, no big deal, except that the junior senator who replaces him won't have enough clout to block wind farms off the coast because they interfere with his view or divert enough money to fund the Iraq war for a year into ludicrous projects like the Big Dig... About time.

[R_H] · Post by **[R_H]** » 2008-05-21 02:09pm

He's out of the hospital

The important part of the article

US Democratic Senator Edward Kennedy has left hospital after being diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour.

Mr Kennedy was released ahead of schedule on Wednesday after having recovered from treatment "remarkably quickly", doctors said.

Mr Kennedy, 76, was flown to a hospital in Boston from his home in Cape Cod after suffering a seizure on Saturday.

The youngest brother of assassinated President John F Kennedy, he is one of the best-known Democratic politicians.

Doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital said Mr Kennedy had recovered quickly from a biopsy performed on Monday.

"He will return to his home on Cape Cod while we await further test results and determine treatment plans," doctors Lee Schwamm and Larry Ronan said in a statement.

"He's feeling well and eager to get started."

On Tuesday, the doctors said tests had revealed a tumour in the left side of Mr Kennedy's brain.

"Preliminary results from a biopsy of the brain identified the cause of the seizure as a malignant glioma in the left parietal lobe," they said.