Too Much Excitement: Strom Thurmond Collapses on Senate Floor

Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/americas/newsid_1575000/1575566.stm

Tuesday, 2 October, 2001, 15:35 GMT 16:35 UK 

Oldest US senator collapses
                                  
Thurmond was first elected to the Senate in 1954 The United States'
longest-serving senator, Strom Thurmond of South Carolina, has
collapsed on the Senate floor.

But a few minutes later he was reported to be standing and talking.

The Senate recessed immediately after Mr Thurmond collapsed. When it
resumed business 15 minutes later he was not in the chamber.

Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott said later that Mr Thurmond was
"standing and talking and seemed OK".

It was not immediately clear why he collapsed.

Among those near Mr Thurmond at the time was Senator Bill Frist, a
Republican who is also a physician.

Mr Thurmond, 98, is a Republican and has served longer in the United
States Senate, and at a more advanced age, than any other American.

During his many years in the Senate, he has served as chairman of the
Judiciary and Armed Services Committee.

He switched from the Democratic Party to the Republicans in 1964 and
aided Barry Goldwater in his unsuccessful bid for the presidency
against Lyndon Johnson.

Mr Thurmond was instrumental in the "Southern strategy" that won the
White House for Richard Nixon in 1968.

 
=================================================================
  NY Transfer News Collective   *   A Service of Blythe Systems 
           Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us          
              339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012             
  http://www.blythe.org                  e-mail: nyt@blythe.org 
=================================================================
 
nytrc-10.02.01-13:46:53-2938