Kennedy's prognosis looking bleak
Malignant gliomas strike almost 9,000 Americans a year. Survival statistics are grim — few live three years and for the worst subtype, half die within a year.
The news reverberated across the spectrum of U.S. politics.
Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, was visibly shaken after the Republican caucus lunch meeting, when he learned the news.
"I love him like a brother," Hatch said, wiping tears from his eyes. "I just feel terrible about hearing this. It's really terrible news."
Hatch has been e-mailing with Vicki Kennedy, the senator's wife, since Kennedy suffered a seizure over the weekend. Kennedy's staff members, who know how close the two are, also have been keeping him in the loop, Hatch said.
"We've just been very, very close," Hatch said. "We've always respected each other."
President Bush, as well as all three presidential candidates, paused to pay tribute to the Massachusetts Democrat's legislative achievements.
"Ted Kennedy is a man of tremendous courage, remarkable strength and powerful spirit. Our thoughts are with Senator Kennedy and his family during this difficult period. We join our fellow Americans in praying for his full recovery," Bush said.
And Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., Kennedy's chief co-sponsor on an unsuccessful overhaul of immigration laws, blinked back tears on his campaign bus as he called Kennedy "the last lion in the Senate."
"I have held that view because he remains the single most effective member of the Senate if you want to get results," McCain said.
Senate Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Kennedy's wife has said the senator is in "really good spirits" and was walking around Tuesday.
"He knows how we feel about him, without our even telling him. ... " Reid said. "And so we stand as a body, and as certainly a Democratic family, with our affection, our love and our prayers with Senator Ted Kennedy."
GOP presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., called Kennedy "the single most effective member of the Senate."
"Obviously, our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and to him. We hope and pray that they will be able to treat it and that he will experience a full recovery. I have said on numerous occasions, I have described Ted Kennedy as the last lion in the Senate," McCain said.
Recent comments
Wow, just wow at all of you hope that Sen. Kennedy finds forgiveness...
Jeffrey | May 21, 2008 at 11:59 p.m.
He should step down now.
twp | May 21, 2008 at 10:27 p.m.
Why does someone always come onto a site like this and spew his anger...
Why? | May 21, 2008 at 6:56 p.m.
