Wyden has cancer; will undergo surgery

T.A. Barnhart

I just caught this on Huff Post; a massive shock. From Senator Wyden's press release:

After my annual physical in late November, I was diagnosed with early stage prostate cancer. After reviewing all the options with multiple physicians, I decided to take a proactive approach and have surgery, which will be performed December 20 at Johns Hopkins Hospital by Dr. Alan Partin.

Thanks to routine screening, this was diagnosed very early and I expect a full and speedy recovery.

I scheduled the surgery for the Monday before Christmas anticipating that the Senate would have recessed by that time and that there would be no disruption to my work in Oregon or Washington. However, it now appears that I will be missing votes tomorrow and possibly next week while I prepare and undergo this procedure. I expect to be back to work full-time when the Senate reconvenes in January.

If anything is taken away from my experience, I hope it is the importance of getting routine physicals. One in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetimes. Early detection is critical to catching this disease when treatment is most effective.

Here's hoping for a quick and full recovery.

By T.A. Barnhart
Dec. 16, 2010

  • 7:48 p.m.
    Dec 16, '10
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    My best to you Senator Wyden.

  •
    10:06 p.m.
    Dec 16, '10
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    Likewise... best wishes for a rapid and full healing recovery. Sounds as if there is every reason to be hopeful.

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    10:59 p.m.
    Dec 16, '10
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    This is one of those strange posts that I won't "like," but am happy got posted. Best wishes, Sen. Wyden.

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      11:36 a.m.
      Dec 17, '10
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      Heh...I 'liked' it because I very much appreciated TA putting it up here and giving us all the opportunity to publicly wish Sen Wyden well.


  • 7:12 a.m.
    Dec 17, '10
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    "Here's hoping for a quick & full recovery". You said it T.A.

    All the best, Senator Wyden.

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    8:27 a.m.
    Dec 17, '10
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    Catching this kind of cancer early is HUGELY important step in getting to a full recovery. Best wishes, Senator Wyden. And lots of rest, too.

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    8:28 a.m.
    Dec 17, '10
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    Fortunately prostate cancer is highly curable if caught early, and it appears that Wyden's was caught early. Best wishes for successful surgery and a complete and speedy recovery.

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    10:25 a.m.
    Dec 17, '10
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    Here's hoping for a fast recovery.

    And thank you to Senator Wyden for going public - and reminding all of us to get those regular checkups.


  • 10:49 a.m.
    Dec 17, '10
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    Best wishes Senator Wyden, but I don;t buy this press release's basic tone or statement. This is not is almost certainly NOT early stage diagnosis.

    The difference between putting this off a week vs. doing on the 20th, when critical votes (from DREAM act, START and DADT) votes are coming shows is negligible.

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      11:56 a.m.
      Dec 17, '10
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      I'm sure Senator Wyden appreciates your diagnosis, Dr. Gore.

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        1:30 p.m.
        Dec 17, '10
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        I am not playing doctor at all. I am pointing out that I don't believe the press statement to be truthful.

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          3:01 p.m.
          Dec 17, '10
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          Do you symptoms of anything you'd like us to comment on or make any claims about?

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            5:07 p.m.
            Dec 17, '10
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            I'm sorry, but I don't understand your question.

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              8:23 p.m.
              Dec 17, '10
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              Mitchell, as you now know, the Senate votes are being scheduled to allow Ron's participation. none today, when he had tests, and hopefully done tomorrow so he won't be needed on Monday. while skepticism is rarely a mistake in official messages, i think in this case you were way off the mark.

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                5:06 a.m.
                Dec 18, '10
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                Well aware when Reid has scheduled the cloture votes (with Wyden's condition in mind). Which do nothing to counter the points I brought up or was driving at.

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      3:14 p.m.
      Dec 17, '10
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      Mitch... really?

      Do you really think that Senator Wyden or his staff would lie about a cancer diagnosis? To what end?

      In any case, I think the news of the afternoon blows a hole in your premise (the notion that he's sicker than he's letting on because he's going to miss critical votes).

      The DADT and DREAM votes are scheduled for Saturday, and as Politico is reporting, "Ron Wyden will vote this weekend."

      All that said, I'm still baffled by your assertion that Wyden would lie about something like this.

      •
        5:26 p.m.
        Dec 17, '10
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        Do you really think that Senator Wyden or his staff would lie about a cancer diagnosis? To what end?

        I think most any Senate staff would spin news about the severely of a cancer diagnosis just after an election. We have many examples of it form other Congressional staff.

        I can think of several off the top of my head. From the optics of only after an election that he has cancer, to downplaying the seriousness of said cancer for political reasons.

        All that said, I'm still baffled by your assertion that Wyden would lie about something like this.

        Really?

        We have clear examples of other past election races where not long after a re-election bid the elected official releases that he or she has cancer, etc. and there is blowback ranging from claims that the candidate was lying to the public about their health (whether a valid claim or not)… or what I suspect here to be trying to navigate/thread the needle in a lame duck session with major votes in a packed schedule and an opposition party trying to run out the clock.

        And as to your link to Politco's article, here is the phrase to keep a close eye on:

        Wyden's spokeswoman told POLITICO in an e-mail that he will not miss the vote to repeal “don’t ask, don’t tell” if it is held this weekend. His vote could prove pivotal for Democrats, who appear to have just enough votes to repeal the policy. (emphasis mine)

        We have seen time and again the GOP caucus (specifically Snowe, Collins, Browne) play "Lucy" on the DADT repeal vote. There are still weasel words in Snowe's statements just an hour or two ago, about needing the CR on the budget to be addressed first before a cloture vote on DADT. If that forces a push back of the cloture vote past Saturday, then the entire whip-count on the DADT cloture vote is up-ended because of Wyden being out on Monday (and possibly beyond).

        Even the Poltico article notes that he may miss crucial votes on DREAM and START because of this. Which again makes me skeptical of the downplaying of the seriousness of Senator Wyden's cancer (I hope I am 100% wrong on that BTW, as I hope the Senator makes a full and speedy recovery). Those votes are crucial and I do not believe Senator Wyden would put those votes at risk if this was truly just a stage 1 diagnosis of prostate cancer.

        Again, I hope I am wrong here. I most certainly do NOT want Senator Wyden's health to actually be worse than what the press statements play it out as. Call it tea leaf reading perhaps, but I am more concerned about it than the official statements over it are making this out as.

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          5:56 p.m.
          Dec 17, '10
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          To clarify that last sentence.

          I am more concerned about the severity of Senator Wyden's health than the official statements over it are making this out as.

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            6:08 p.m.
            Dec 17, '10
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            He found out he has cancer, and fixing it before it can get worse. That's pretty simple. You have a right to decide that he's lying, and really means something different, but the reality is that you have nothing to go on but a wild hair. You wouldn't want someone to do that to you, why is it OK for you to do that to someone else?

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    11:04 a.m.
    Dec 17, '10
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    A family member of mine has recently had both surgery and radiation for the same thing. Not fun, but very effective. I wish the Senator the best, and hope his experience is as successful as my family member's.

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    1:10 p.m.
    Dec 17, '10
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    Best wishes to Senator Wyden & his family for his recovery.


  • 11:48 a.m.
    Dec 18, '10
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    Best wishes for a complete and speedy recovery.

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    6:01 p.m.
    Dec 18, '10
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    While Sen. Manchin of WV skipped both votes today on the Dream Act and the repeal of DADT to attend a Christmas party, Sen. Wyden was there to make his mark for justice. He will be there tomorrow to pass START.

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    8:34 p.m.
    Dec 22, '10
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    My best wishes to Senator Wyden for a speedy recovery.

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