Robert Byrd, the longest-serving senator in U.S. history, is in serious condition in a Washington-area hospital, according to aides to the West Virginia Democrat.

In a statement Sunday, Byrd’s staff said the senator “was admitted to the hospital late last week, suffering from what was believed to be heat exhaustion and severe dehydration as a result of the extreme temperatures. He was expected to remain in the hospital not more than a few days.”

“However, upon further examination by his doctors,” the statement went on, “other conditions have developed which has resulted in his condition being described as ‘serious.’”

If it persists, Byrd’s illness could complicate the financial reform bill’s path to President Barack Obama’s desk. Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown, one of four Republicans who voted for the original bill, has said he might vote against the version that emerged from the reconciliation of the House and Senate versions because it adds a $19 billion bank tax.

Should Brown vote no and Byrd is unable to vote, it would leave the bill one vote shy of the 60 needed to close debate and move to final passage.

source..

UPDATE:

The longest serving senator in U.S. history, Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) died Monday morning at approximately 3 a.m., according to a statement from his office.

Comment by American Grand Jury:

Robert.. say hello to Teddy Kennedy and John Murtha for us..

FoxNews

PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. — The groundhog has spoken. And it’s bad news.

Punxsutawney Phil has emerged to see his shadow before chilly revelers in Pennsylvania, meaning winter will last another six weeks.

German tradition holds that if a hibernating animal sees its shadow on Feb. 2 — the Christian holiday of Candlemas — winter will last another six weeks. If no shadow is seen, legend says spring will come early.

The Inner Circle of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club annually announces Phil’s forecast at dawn on Gobbler’s Knob, about 65 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.

Phil’s announcement came before hundreds of onlookers who huddled as temperatures hovered in the teens.

The Groundhog Club says since 1887 Phil has predicted more winter weather by seeing his shadow nearly 100 times, but there are no records for nine years.

OSLO (Reuters) - Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for his calls to reduce the world’s stockpile of nuclear weapons and working for world peace.

The first African American to hold the country’s highest office, Obama has called for disarmament and worked to restart the stalled Middle East peace process since taking office in January.

Unbelievable! This is the the JOKE of the century.

I wonder how many people and $millions did Obama have to pay-off to get this rammed home? Now I suppose we the taxpayer will have to spend another $15,000,000 to haul his sorry ass on Air Force One over to Oslo to go get the trophy! Couldn’t he have just picked it up on the way back from Copenhagen last week?

Finally, a chance to vote on President Obama’s performance on the economy -AT&T/Yahoo Poll…. This totally unbiased poll asks but one question, very simply and to the point. No tricks. No hidden messages. No nothing. JUST A SIMPLE QUESTION.. I’m glad that I’ve been asked to give my opinion to such a poll. I don’t know why this hasn’t been done before..

I’m impressed with the fact that the question is NOT “phrased” in a way that it can be interpreted later… to fit someone else’s desired answer.

Good evening — it is nice to visit with you again. Before I give you the new announcement you have got to hear this. This is a true story as I just witnessed it this morning.

My routine in the morning is to go for a walk, stop and have breakfast and think a little. I live by a school and this morning as I was rounding the schoolyard corner I could hear singing. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. It was “Yankee Doodle Dandy.” I ran around the corner to look closer and I could see the children (this is grammar school — these were young children) standing in classroom groups at attention singing this song in ENGLISH. Now I haven’t heard this song in years and I can’t remember the words, but I clearly heard:

There was Captain Washington
Upon a slapping stallion
A-giving orders to his men
I guess there was a million.

Now maybe some of you won’t think this is a big deal, but try this on for size. This song was being sung in an open school courtyard visible by the public from 2 major street corners. These children were singing at the top of their voice in wonderful, CLEAR English.

Oh, did I foget to tell you? I live in The People’s Republic of China right now. That’s right! I am an American Citizen that is a guest in this Country. I have a small interest in a saxophone factory here. I have been here about 3 years now and I get terribly homesick so when this event happened this morning, I have to say, “it brought tears to my eyes.”

There you have it folks. Don’t ever think for one minute that patriotism or freedom is dead. If the public in Communist China can hear young children singing “Yankee Dookle Dandy in English” you can damn sure believe there is hope for all of us in the United States.

If you would like to see the words and hear the Yankee Doodle tune, then go here.

Announcement

Today, I received an email from a viewer wanting to know about a comment I put on the website (oh, I guess it was maybe 4 or 5 days ago). I don’t have time to find and exactly quote it, but it has to do with money. Now don’t get nervous, I have NO intention of charging anybody any money to use this website.

Jeff’s comment was this:

I agree with this movement and how it is progressing, however, might I make a suggestion so that your site and the movement come off as serious rather than the potential for a scam. Rather than say, “The first 25 members will sign-up free of charge…

What Jeff was implying is that this website could have issues with credibility whereby I charge a fee to be a jury member. I thought about his message and gave him a reply.

My reply to Jeff, paraphrased:

This website is not about money. I could care less about money. This website is paid for completely out of my own pocket…

My purpose is simple, to spread the word that people are not alone as Patriots and that ALL of us can make a difference in our fight for freedom.

…If and when the resources get out of hand and I need to charge a small fee to cover the expenses I may do that…

…It would be sin in my book to try and promote this website as a money making proposition. Not going to ever happen. You have my word on that.

Now, I thought further about this and I have to correct myself here. Making money IS NOT a sin. That is the old liberal crap of anti-capitalism. I have been a selp-employed businessman for 35 years and making money the honest way is not a sin, it is every person’s right to earn a living and make money in the United States of America.

However, for the purposes of this website I have made the following decision:

There will NEVER be a fee for any citizen to volunteer or sign up for jury service on the American Grand Jury website. To charge someone to exercise their own Constitutional right to Freedom of Speech on this website would be absurd and yes, a sin. So this is final: NO fee to sign up for Jury service.

Now, for all of you naysayers out there I should give full disclosure. Each jury member has to sign an “Oath of Office” and they have to get that document notorized. Then they have to mail it to my business office in Arizona. Each member will probably have to pay some Notary to notorize the document. Then the member will have to pay to mail the document to me. So a notary fee and the cost of a postage stamp is about the only money I can see a jury member ever having to pay to participate as an ONLINE Grand Jury member. Does that seem fair?

If I do decide to add a little advertising on this website or to have a “make a donation” button at the bottom of the page then I will let all of you know. I don’t see that happening right now.

Thanks for stopping by,

Bob Campbell
American Grand Jury Founder

PS.. we have 43 jury members signed up right now.. keep ‘em coming.. we want all the jury members possible.. there is NO limit on the number of Grand Jury hearings we can convene.

Note to jury members: I am working on the “Oath of Office” form today. Look for it in your email box within the next 24 hours.. thx, Bob