Doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital Sunday were
trying to determine the cause of Sen. Edward Kennedy's seizure.
Sen. Ted Kennedy, shown in May 2007, was rushed to a
hospital Saturday morning.
Medical officials said the 76-year-old Democratic icon
seemed to be out of any "immediate danger."
Preliminary tests Saturday night determined Kennedy
had not suffered a stroke, a physician at the hospital said.
Kennedy was flown to the hospital on a medical jet
Saturday.
"Over the next couple of days, Sen. Kennedy will
undergo further evaluation to determine the cause of the seizure, and a course
of treatment will be determined at that time," said Dr. Larry Ronan,
Kennedy's primary care physician. He added that Kennedy was "resting
comfortably and watching the Red Sox game with his family."
Doctors offered no update Sunday morning.
Stephanie Cutter, a spokeswoman for the senator, on
Sunday said there was no new information about his medical evaluations and
tests.
"He got a good night's sleep and we expect today
to be very quiet," Cutter said.
She added that Kennedy was surrounded by his family at
the hospital and that he spoke with Democratic president contender Barack Obama
on Sunday.
Cutter said Kennedy planned to spend the evening
watching some favorite movies, including "The Great Debaters" and
"Best in Show."
Cutter also said that earlier in the day, Kennedy
spoke with Democratic president contender Barack Obama -- whom he has endorsed
for the party's nomination.
Obama told reporters at a campaign stop in
"I am just thrilled that Teddy is back on the
mend," Obama said. "And I suspect he will be on the floor of the
Senate immediately, doing the people's business. And there's not a better
senator, or better friend, or better supporter for me than Ted Kennedy."
Well-wishers across the country sent messages to
Kennedy and his family.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Saturday he
spoke to the wife of the Massachusetts Democrat, Victoria Reggie Kennedy, and
she told him her husband is going to be fine.
Initially, a well-informed, prominent Democratic
source in
Someone in the Kennedy compound in Hyannisport called
911 Saturday morning, and an ambulance soon rushed Kennedy to
He was then flown to Massachusetts General, where he
had undergone surgery to remove a blockage in his left carotid artery in
October. Kennedy's office said that blockage was discovered "as part of a
routine evaluation of Sen. Kennedy's back and spine."
He suffers chronic back pain from injuries suffered in
a plane crash in 1964.
In recent days Kennedy has appeared to be in fine
health. On Friday, he took part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new maritime
learning center in
Family members reported that Kennedy was well enough
later in the morning Saturday to call to say he would not be able to join them
for lunch.
Kennedy has represented
Kennedy, who ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic
presidential nomination in 1980, is one of Sen. Barack Obama's most prominent
supporters and has helped mobilize votes for him nationwide.
Obama and his presidential rivals, Sens. Hillary
Clinton and John McCain, all expressed thoughts and prayers for Kennedy on
Saturday.
"We are going to try to find out as quickly as
possible what is going on," Obama said.
"He is one of my favorite people," he said.
McCain said in a statement he was "very sorry to
hear that Sen. Kennedy has taken ill and, like millions of Americans, Cindy and
I anxiously await word of his condition."
The two senators are close friends despite differing
political ideologies. They co-sponsored a comprehensive immigration bill that
has stalled in the Senate.
source: boston.com
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