91-year-old Sen. Byrd hospitalized

[ccharles000]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090518/ap_on_go_co/us_byrd

WASHINGTON – Sen. Robert C. Byrd, 91 and the longest-serving senator in history, was hospitalized last Friday with a temperature spike evidently caused by a minor infection, his office announced Monday.

Byrd, a West Virginia Democrat, "is being treated with antibiotics, responding well and is expected to be released from the hospital in a few days," the office said in a statement.

Byrd has been in Congress since 1952 and was first elected to the Senate six years later.

He has been plagued by health problems in recent years, uses a wheelchair and sometimes appears frail. He has been hospitalized several times.

He stepped down as chairman of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee last November, but not before first chastising party leaders whom he said had been discussing his removal.

In the statement, Byrd's office said the senator was hospitalized late Friday afternoon as a "precautionary measure." It said his doctors attributed the temperature to a minor infection.

[hedgehog]

1. After he voted with the credit card companies last week, I'm

wondering if he is really controlling his votes any more. Best wishes to him, but it's time to retire.

[cali]

6. yep. past time for him to retire. also wish him a speedy recovery.

[ccharles000]

2. kick

[bdamomma]

3. all the best to him.

[Fleshdancer]

4. I don't think I would ever love a job enough to do it while in my 90's

I honestly don't understand why he would want to continue working. Regardless, I hope he's ok.

[MineralMan]

7. They just keep electing him...that's why.

I agree that he should have retired a couple of terms ago, though.

[undergroundnomore]

5. I graduated from

college in WV. Byrd has tried to bring jobs to WV that aren't coal related. I have always believed that Byrd loves West Virginia. I hope he recovers soon.