Sen. Jim Bunning (R., Ky) used the annual Hardin County Republican Lincoln Day Dinner to announce his diagnosis that Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 75, will be dead from pancreatic cancer within nine months. While Bunning only holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Xavier University and had a baseball career with the Detroit Tigers, he felt comfortable with the medical prediction and even more comfortable discussing Ginsburg’s imminent demise at a political dinner.
Bunning is drumming up support for his run for reelection and returning to a favorite GOP stump issue of fighting the appointment of liberal judges. He used insisted that he is needed in the Senate to block such nominees “and that’s going to be in place very shortly because Ruth Bader Ginsburg … has cancer. Even though she was operated on, usually, nine months is the longest that anybody would live after (being diagnosed) with pancreatic cancer.”
It is certainly true that the American Cancer Society figures show that only about 20 percent of people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer live for more than a year. However, most people would find such a direct prediction of death to be a bit crude and lowbrow.
With only 150,000 in the bank and rumors that his colleagues believe he is a loser, Bunning appears desperate. At the dinner, he virtually went through the coats in the cloakroom for cash: “I’m not only asking for your support, but if you have a $25 check somewhere, or whatever, you can send it, I’ll cash it.”
[Update: Bunning has now apologized.]
For the full story, click here.
Just when you think you have seen the worst this party has to offer (Boss Limbaugh) along comes this rube. The Republican Party is hurtling toward well-deserved political oblivion.
town crier:
An update on the figures from the American Cancer Society found in the article seems in order too:
“The American Cancer Society estimates that 20 percent to 24 percent of patients whose pancreatic cancer is caught early survive FIVE years.” [emphasis added]
Justice Ginsburg’s cancer was caught early. Long live the Justice!
Batter,
One of my favorite Bruce songs and oh so appropriate. The shame was that Bunning was a very good pitcher, but as his political career has shown not such a good person. I’m not saying this facetiously or venomously, but he has shown signs of advancing senility in the last few years.
This just in:
Republican U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning apologized Monday to Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg for saying he believes she could die within a year from pancreatic cancer.
At the same time, his planned bid for a third term in 2010 may have gotten tougher with one of Kentucky’s top Republicans saying he has not ruled out a possible run.
Nice guy.
Batter
“Very nice” in my best Borat voice.
I had a friend was a big baseball player
back in high school
He could throw that speedball by you
Make you look like a fool boy
Saw him the other night at this roadside bar
I was walking in, he was walking out
We went back inside sat down had a few drinks
but all he kept talking about was
Chorus:
Glory days well they’ll pass you by
Glory days in the wink of a young girl’s eye
Glory days, glory days
Now I think I’m going down to the well tonight
and I’m going to drink till I get my fill
And I hope when I get old I don’t sit around thinking about it
but I probably will
Yeah, just sitting back trying to recapture
a little of the glory of, well time slips away
and leaves you with nothing mister but
boring stories of glory days
Glory Days
Bruce Springsteen
Buddha:
I have been thinking a good deal about Bush over the last few weeks and I have come to the conclusion that he has not on the whole been a very good president. He failed on the economy and he failed on the war. Although I think we disagree on the particulars.
In the final analysis the question becomes-would I want my son to have died in Iraq and the answer is a resounding no.
Since I live near DC, I have some clients that have husbands that work for various government agencies and one of them told me that her husband was asked, not to lie, but to evaluate the data in the best possible light for going to war. I tend to believe this type of hearsay because as a college student I had a TA whose brother was in the Iranian army and he told me in about 1985 that his brother was taking shipments of American arms from Norfolk, VA . The sailors were writing death to America on the boxes and sending them to Iran. I was not surprised about the Iran Contra investigation, only that it took so long to come to national attention.
And you are right the real threat was/is Saudi Arabia and Iran, until those 2 states are either gone or liberalized we are going to continue living in an unsafe world.
Bron,
You’re really going to love Bobby Jindal when he enters the big show. Start hiding now would be my advice. And any help putting Bush Co behind bars that we can get from sane conservatives such as yourself is greatly appreciated.
He also ought to hope for her continued survival because if he thinks that Justice Ginsberg is a liberal, he will really hate who President Obama nominates.
Friggen republicans cant even get their logic straight.
GD the more I think about it the more I wish I had not voted for GW. I will run like hell from the next compassionate conservative the GOP puts up for local or national office. He (GW) ought to imprisoned for ruining the conservative movement in this country.
If you on the left can put him jail for war crimes be my guest.
Well gang, you know those GOP Senators are geniuses at remote diagnosis. From what I can tell, they are only remotely good at anything as a general rule. At least Frist could pretend to be a medical doctor legally. Now if Justice Ginsgerg needs to have her personal GDP evaluated . . .
Sen. Bunning has overstayed his welcome in the Senate and his obvious sense of propriety is poorly lacking. I would think that he would have learned more in his lifetime than figuring out a way to get re-elected. This idiot is a true Bushite and needs to be removed from office. Would this be considered an ethical violation according to the rules of the Senate??
That’s pretty sick. I guess he hasnt seen Paula on the Cancer Treatment Centers of America. She had pancreatic cancer and she is still up and kicking.
As a conservative (but not a republican) I find those comments in very bad taste. One can disagree with Justice Ginsberg on the issues but should extend the hand of humanity in a trying time. Sen. Bunning should be shunned for his remarks.
Well maybe he’s clairvoyant, or like Sen. Frist, can diagnose from afar. In any event as a Senator, he makes a good baseball player. Can steroids make you lose your dignity in the pursuit of money? He and A-roid seem to prove it can.