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ABC:

Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., said today he will undergo surgery this morning at Duke University Medical Center in Durham N.C., as part of his treatment for a cancerous brain tumor.

Kennedy, 76, was diagnosed last month with a malignant glioma, an often lethal type of brain tumor.[..]

After consulting with his doctors and his wife, Vicki, Kennedy "decided the best course of action for my brain tumor is targeted surgery followed by chemotherapy and radiation," he said.[..]

When his treatment ends, Kennedy said, "I look forward to returning to the United States Senate and to doing everything I can to help elect Barack Obama as our next president."

UPDATE: NY Times:

"I am pleased to report that Senator Kennedy's surgery was successful and accomplished our goals," Dr. Allan Friedman, chief of the division of neurosurgery in the surgical department at Duke in Durham, N.C., said in a statement about 2 p.m.

Dr. Friedman said after the procedure that Mr. Kennedy should "experience no permanent neurological affects from the surgery."

For all of the misguided talk about Mike Huckabee being a "populist," his enthusiastic support for a regressive national sales tax should effectively end the discussion.

In case there's any lingering confusion about just how ridiculous this policy is, Jon Chait sets the record straight:

Basically, trying to explain why the Fairtax is a bad idea is like trying to explain why having trained elephants perform open-heart surgery on every first-grader in America is a bad idea. The whole idea is one bit of lunacy stacked upon another, so when you focus on any one element of it, you let the other side suck you into into arguments about details -- Maybe there could be benefits to preemptively fixing the hearts of six year olds! Perhaps elephants do have the potential intelligence to one day perform this task!! -- that inadvertently make the plan sound semi-credible.

If you're still not convinced, take a look at Brad DeLong's piece in Salon this week.

The single most significant thing to ever happen to me was becoming a mother. It has changed me forever, and colored my perceptions of the world around me, my priorities, my actions and even the way I experience life. I suspect (okay, I hope) that all parents feel essentially the same.

Robert Greenwald's Brave New Foundation has put together a new promotion in honor of real meaning behind Mother's Day:

Be well my friend. The blogosphere misses you. Gilly in for round 2 of open heart surgery any day now.

She got out of the hospital and picked up her things from my place with her friend just now. She looks incredibly beautiful after coming off of the surgery and is tired, but in good spirits. Jane's doctor was awesome too, but don't you love our medical system? Two days after surgery and it's adios my friend. I hope the members in Congress are proud of the health care that is provided in our country. It's pitiful.

I'll talk more about my feelings on health care at another time...Light a candle for Jane. We're up to 367 candles from 18 countries.

Update: I was speaking about my own personal experiences with the medical profession and not Jane's. I apologize for not being clearer. Jane's feeling really strong and was ready to leave the hospital today. She's really looking forward to be in Washington DC, in two weeks covering the Scotter Libby trial.

I talked to Jane three times on the phone Friday and today. She sounds unbelievably strong after such an intense procedure. It looks like she'll be out of the hospital by Monday if all goes well. Thanks so much for all your support---it has really helped and meant a lot to her. I received a couple of emails from two right wing bloggers wishing her well also...Digby spent like 16 hours at the hospital on Thursday...

Update: from the comment by "Renee in Ohio" Light a candle for Jane

A reader of C&L and FDL---who worked on Buffy TVS, saw our reference to the show and is bringing us a poster from Season 6. That is really kind of him...

I talked to Matt Stoller and Howie Klein for a moment who are at the hospital just now. Let's keep her in our prayers and in our hearts.

Christy:

Jane will likely remain in the ICU at least another day or two for recovery, so her visitation and calling will be limited. Since folks have been asking about that, I thought I would pass it along — and I am trying to subtly hint here that Jane needs her rest...read on

Arianna Huffington:

I've just gotten back from visiting Jane Hamsher in the ICU unit at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica. For those of you that don't know, Jane has been diagnosed with breast cancer -- her third go-around with it -- and underwent 8 hours of surgery yesterday.---

Knowing Jane, she'll be there -- in a low-cut dress -- ready for bear. And for Dick Cheney. According to Jane's close friend Tom Swan, when Jane was being wheeled into surgery, in her anesthetized twilight state, she muttered to the doctors: "I have to be back in DC in two weeks to watch Dick Cheney sweat on the stand." Good thing Jane's surgeon, Armando Giuliano, is not among the deluded few who still approve of the VP.

Jane, we love you, we miss your voice online, and can't wait to read your Libby takes

Jane's doctor said that everything went really well. She was in surgery for about 8 hours...I'll let you know more when I find out...Thanks for all the kind words the last few days. It's really helped her.

Christy has more...

As many of you know, Jane Hamsher has breast cancer and is scheduled for surgery Thursday (correction). FDL had to shut down the comment section so you can leave one on the new thread here. I know in my heart that she'll be at the Libby trial faster than a speeding bullet and I hope by her staying with me---it has brought her a small measure of comfort before she goes in for treatment.

I broke out Buffy The Vampire Slayer and we've been watching some episodes in between her doctor visits. Yes, she's an Angel and Buffy fan too, (She digs Spike) and we've had some incredible pretzel rolls and Ben & Jerry's ice cream. We've been close friends almost from the beginning of our blogging days and I couldn't have been happier that she's here with me. The whole blogosphere is praying for her and wishing her all the best and she has had a smile on her face for much of her stay so far. I'm not that eloquent a writer to adequately express myself at times like these--so I thought I would use this time to say that if you ever have the chance to help somebody---please don't hesitate. I've been lucky to have people help me when I've needed it and it's nice to pay it forward, especially for someone like Jane.

I'll echo Duncan's fine words.

Still, like many people, when faced with awful news I plea for miraculous fortune. Hope is not a plan, but hope is hope. So let's hope for Jane.

I won't be posting much myself in the coming days, as you know. Please link all the posts about Jane that you find in the comment section. It would be nice to keep them in one thread....

This is ridiculous. Sen. Johnson just got out of surgery and the media is covering this story as if the whole balance of the Senate is up for grabs. Can't the man have a little time to recuperate before the vultures fly around? How would they cover the story if a Republican got ill? Certainly not like this...

I understand that Steve Doocy on FOX & Friends was rather gleefully planning the Republicans' regaining of the majority this morning. How despicably ghoulish. Luckily, the outlook for Johnson appears to be far more optimistic...Harry Reid spoke about Johnson's condition earlier today on CNN...

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Yahoo:

Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson was in critical condition recovering from emergency brain surgery Thursday, creating political drama over whether his illness could cost Democrats newly won control of the Senate.

The South Dakota senator, 59, suffered from bleeding in the brain caused by a congenital malformation, the U.S. Capitol physician said. He described the surgery as successful.

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