Sen Johnson in critical condition after brain surgery

Fox News:

South Dakota Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson is in critical condition Thursday after undergoing brain surgery for stroke-like symptoms at George Washington University Hospital.

Details of the surgery were not distributed by the hospital, except that it began Wednesday night and lasted past midnight.

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Johnson, who turns 60 on Dec. 28, is already a cancer survivor, having had his prostate gland removed in March 2004. According to news reports, he is also deaf in his left ear as a result of surgery to remove a benign tumor from his eardrum after returning from the Vietnam War.

While the extent of his illness isn't known yet, Washington political watchers are already noting that a Johnson replacement in the Senate would be made by Republican Gov. Michael Rounds. Sources in South Dakota told FOX News contributor Mort Kondracke that Rounds is inclined to name a Republican replacement should the need arise.

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Tom DeLay and the White House have both had kind words for Johnson and wished him a speedy recovery. His condition appears to be much worse than earlier reports that suggest a mild stroke. In fact his office was telling reports late yesterday that he had not had a stroke. Clearly he had something that caused doctors to work late into the night doing brain surgery. My guess is that test showed some blockage that they were trying to clear before it caused more damage. While the political implications of his recovery cannot be ignored, the Republicans are showing a lot of class in responding to his illness.