Pres. Bush among Sen. Kennedy well wishers
BOSTON (AP) - May 19, 2008 "Take care of my friend," the Republican leader told Kennedy's
wife, Vicki, who answered the call at Massachusetts General
Hospital, according to a family spokeswoman.
While Kennedy remains a conservative target, Bush has hosted him
socially at the White House and worked with him to pass a signature
administration achievement, the No Child Left Behind education law.
"The senator and Mrs. Kennedy were very appreciative of the
call," spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter said. Over the weekend,
Kennedy fielded similar calls from Sens. Barack Obama of Illinois
and Charles Schumer of New York, while receiving visits from Sen.
John Kerry of Massachusetts, other dignitaries and a stream of
family members.
The liberal icon was admitted to Massachusetts General on
Saturday after becoming ill after walking his dogs at his
oceanfront home on Cape Cod. Despite suffering what appeared to be
stroke-like symptoms, the senator's primary care physician later
said a stroke had been ruled out and Kennedy appeared to have been
the victim of a seizure.
Dr. Larry Ronan and other physicians were conducting a battery
of tests, the results of which may not be available until late
Monday or Tuesday.
Kennedy, 76, underwent surgery last October on the left carotid
artery in his neck after doctors discovered a near-complete
blockage that left him with an elevated risk of a stroke. The
senator has since resumed a hectic schedule, including campaigning
for Obama and bouncing between appointments on Capitol Hill and in
Massachusetts.
Cutter said the senator had a restful night at the hospital
after spending Sunday watching sports and movies and visiting with
family.
Bush had been notified of Kennedy's hospitalization just before
he went to a Saturday night dinner meeting with Palestinian
President Mahmoud Abbas during a tour of the Middle East. The
president called the Kennedys from the White House, where he
returned Sunday.
