I have to admit, when I first heard that South Dakota’s Senator Tim Johnson had a stroke or heart attack my first thought was polonioum 210. I reprimanded myself for paranoia and thinking evil of the opposition and concentrated on wishing him a speedy recovery. The news then arrived that it was not a stroke or heart attack and I allowed myself to relax a little, until I read last night brain surgery. That cost me a few hours of sleep, contemplating a scene from Romulo Gallegos’ Canaima in which a dead man is propped up in bed long enough to marry him to his lady friend who would otherwise be cast out in the streets by the family of the deceased.

This morning’s news that some tangled blood vessels in his brain had caused bleeding, and thus his disorientation, and had been successfully operated on was a relief in its concreteness, and a further worry because of what it implied. So I am left lopsided until we hear more. Meanwhile I’m sure the Republican Governor of South Dakota is going through his roledex for possible appointments, who would serve through January of 2009 at least, and have to stand for election in November 2008. You can be sure that no one being considered is of Senator Johnson’s party…

Newsday: Senator Johnson