I'd rather be a Dem with a brain tumor than a hypocritical Republican closet case who hits on guys for a little restroom nasty.

A Gay Republican-EVIL
A Gay Democrat-HERO

Thank god for Barney Frank!

If Mr. Johnson recovers sufficiently to do his job then this is great. I'm very happy for him and his family.

How exactly was Craig hypocritical, JM? Are you saying that being gay or bi contradicts family values?

Bigot.

"How exactly was Craig hypocritical, JM? Are you saying that being gay or bi contradicts family values?

No. But being a closet case that votes against gay rights makes you a hypocrite.

If Johnson had been a Republican, ABC would not have sent Woodruff to do a sympathetic story - they would have sent Stephanopoulos to ask "Senator, what do you think the people of South Dakota think about having a Senator who is so limited in his ability to participate in the Senate? How can you possibly handle the rigors of a campaign? etc..."

Being gay and voting against gay rights makes you a hypocrite?

Does being black and voting against affirmative action do the same?

How about being a woman and voting [take your pick of the stances on abortion to be "anti-woman")?

Being a cyclist and voting for freeway construction?

It's surely not hypocritical to vote against one's own personal interests, even if you don't tell people what those interests are.

Hey danny-boy, I'm suprised you are so interested in someone's private sexual life. I thought lefties agreed it was "none of our business", even if "rape" is alleged. Oh well, helps you guys to try and pass more gay special rights with the MSM's help. When you're done with those rights can you help me with "height rights"...I'm not very tall and get discriminated against quite often.

I am glad to hear that the Senator is doing so well! My sister who is 45 suffered an AVM this month and is currently in rehabilitation. At first the doctors told us to let her go in peace as they told us that she had an aneurism and would not recover. The family decided to have the surgery to stop the bleeding. During the surgery they discovered to their surprise that there was no aneurism. They removed the malformations and now we as a family are working with the doctors and nurses, and therapists to assit my sister in her efforts to resume her life.

What a great story and the more I see Bob's projects the better they get - great outcome for Tim and a phonemonal story by Bob. Please do not let Bob back as an anchor - every time I hear of a Bob Woodruf special I make sure I see it. Apolitical and proud of it - these stories are special !

I am so happy that Mr. Johnson is getting better each day. It makes me proud to know how determined he is. I have also had severe brain injury (WNV), but unlike Mr. Johnson, my family was not there for me to help me get better after the five-six month stay in the hospital. I do believe if most brain injury survivors get the proper help and the support Mr. Johnson has today, the brain would heal at a better pace. It is an enormous task for any family member to live through the stuggle of their own daily lives, let alone a person with a brain injury. I am at the fifth year that hell struck my life. I was just as determined as Mr. Johnson in trying to get my life back in order. Unlike Mr. Johnson, I had to do this all alone since my family never stood by my side except when they were called to see me die. And I was in a coma so I do not recall their support at all. I lost everything from my memory, children, husband, family members, employment,money, and even a state to live for any length of time. But I have finally gotten some sort of direction after numerous years of trying to find who I was/am.
Mr. Johnson...you are very blessed and I wish you all the best.
lgk

This is great news for South Dakota Republicans. South Dakota voters undoubtedly feel sympathy for Johnson, and cheer his recovery, but they're not going to vote to re-elect somebody whose obvious physical limitations will prevent him from representing them to the degree they'd like.

I say good job to Bob! As a South Dakotan I thought the piece was beautifully done. No body but Bob W. could undrestand anybodies struggles after a brain trauma. I know Tim will continue to improve because my mom went through about the same thing 20 years ago and recovered and went back to college and graduated with honors. Methods have improved and Doctors know so much more then what they did 20 years ago. So good luck Sen. Johnson my prayers are with you. Becky

I was very impressed with Bob's story and have written ABC before after Bob's story aired, but this story is again proof that aggressive therapy in a quick and timely manner after an accident or event such as Sen. Johnson can make the difference between successful recovery and custodial care. My son's wife has TBI from a one car accident July 28,2006, and after the insurance company provided coverage to get her through the injury and to a rehab nursing home back near her home, they terminated her coverage that had 120 days of acute rehab and 60 visits of out patient acute rehab left in the plan but denied her treatment and left her to go on Medicare and custodial care. We have been fighting them since last October and even though they let her start again in May after much political pressure, she lost that intensive care required early on in her recovery that the brain need to help it recover and start the neurological rebuilding that she lost and now may never be able to care for herself. Her husband worked for the largest hospital in southern Illinois with its own health insurance program and this is the way they have been treated.. If she had received the care and medical attention Bob Woodruff and Sen Johnson received, she may have been able to be back home and caring for her 3yr old daughter. At 32 she may never be able to care for her daughter again. As a self insured the insurance policy the plan falls under federal guidelines and ERISA and it is very difficult to appeal and fight their decisions in Federal court besides the high cost. This is another example of our sad medical system and its costly insurance program. When is someone going to investigate these practices and help our legislators fix these problems. Throwing more money at the issue does not fix the problem.
Now the insurance is running out again and refusing to extend the needed care so where do we go for help to get her the care she needs to recover??? Thanks for listening? And Best of luck and continued recovery and success for Tim and Bob.

Thanks so much for the story on Tim Johnson. Three months prior to Senator Johnson's AVM my father had an AVM. Because my mother recognized that things were not right we were able to get him to the hospital and get him the treament he needed. It's been a long road to recovery and after brain surgery, a two and a half week coma, restorative care and rehab he has made great progress. As my father watched the show he said afterwards that Senator Johnson made a comment that was so true: you can't get thru something like this without the love and support of family and friends. Prior to Senator Johnson's illness many people didn't understand what an AVM was and what tremendous courage ANYONE with a brain injury must have to endure the rehab process. Thank you for brining the story of Tim Johnson to us and for both of you showing that with the love and support of family and a lot of faith you can recover from such a traumatic experience.