Calif. Rep. Lantos says he has cancer, won't seek re-election

[Newsjock]

Source: Associated Press

Rep. Tom Lantos, D-Calif., the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said Wednesday he has cancer of the esophagus and will forego seeking re-election this year to focus on treatment.

Lantos, 79, a Holocaust survivor and one of the most respected voices on Capitol Hill on foreign affairs, announced his illness and intentions in an e-mail from his office.

"Routine medical tests have revealed that I have cancer of the esophagus," he said in the prepared statement. "In view of this development and the treatment it will require, I will not seek re-election."



Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/01/02/state/n100842S33.DTL&type=politics

[babylonsister]

1. That's sad. I think that's what Ann Richards had, too.

:(

[TexasBushwhacker]

33. Yup, and it's usually not discovered early

Ann died 6 months after her diagnosis, but she hung in there to hold her newest grandchild in June.

Here's a nice picture of them:

[Maat]

2. Healing energy to him.

I hope he recovers fully.

[Joe Bacon]

40. Yes, we hope the best for him.

I hope they caught it early!

[CBHagman]

3. I'm so sorry to hear that.

And I wish him every success with his treatment. May he and his wife and large family have many great times ahead of them.

By the way, for those of you who don't know Lantos's story, check here:

http://www.lantos.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=215&Itemid=1

And here:

http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?_r=1&res=9B06E3D81E38F936A35751C0A96F958260&oref=slogin

[LeftishBrit]

16. That is quite a story.

A terrible period in our history.

[sabra]

4. Lantos has an amazing story - he will be missed from Congress :-(

"refuah shlema" = Hebrew for a full and speedy recovery

[Name removed]

28. Deleted message

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[CreekDog]

34. Lantos thinks for himself and is in nobody's pocket

I didn't agree with him on occasion like on the Iraq War authorization, but I know he voted for it and everything else he voted for on principle. Although I had been planning to support Jackie Speier in her primary run against Lantos, it was only because of how good she is than anything against him and my family and friends around the 12th district have mostly said the same.

That he has cancer is tremendously sad, he has been my congressman for most of my life.

I think this district with Lantos currently and Leo Ryan previously and hopefully Jackie Speier for the next term has been blessed to have such representation.

[Tom Joad]

44. It wasn't that he was in aipac's pocket, he is just naturally a warmonger.

[bdamomma]

5. oh that's too bad, he is a vital voice.

[aquart]

6. Oh no.

[hisownpetard]

7. Very sad. Sorry to hear that.

[Joey Liberal]

8. A big loss for the Dems

He's a good guy.

[Tom Joad]

22. A bigger loss for Republicans.

[Tom Joad]

9. It is really sad that he will not run for reelection.

Not only because I would not wish cancer on my worst enemy.

But i think it would have been wonderful to see a man who has brought such pain and suffering to millions of people by his support of war and militarism abroad go down in electoral defeat.

[LeftishBrit]

24. There were loads of members of Congress who voted for the war...

why blame it all on him - it's not as though the IWR passed by one vote? I assume he's your congressman and you don't like him; but still he's got a terrible illness and surely we should wish him well.

[hooraydems06]

41. I don't blame it just on him...

... I'm also not fond of Joe Lieberman (a Democrat at the time, but certainly not one now, and what were some conservative registered Democrats in CT thinking when they voted to reelect him in 2006???), nor of Dianne Feinstein, nor of Jane Harman. Just FYI.

[Behind the Aegis]

50. Fun list you created!

:eyes:

[Tom Joad]

42. Brit, stop it with your false attacks and innuendo.

No where did i blame it all on him. You imagined that. That is false. Of course others bear responsibility.

Lantos, however, does have some responsibility, i think abit more than others because of his leadership position. but i think any congressperson that voted for this illegal, immoral, insane war shares some responsibility. Just because more than one or more than 50 or more than a hundred voted for it does not exonerate him, especially because he not only voted for it, but pushed so hard for it.

I did say, but perhaps you were unable to make out the words, that i was sorry he has cancer, i had much wished he would be forced to leave congress by losing an election.

I wish the thousands of people in Iraq who face cancer due to Depleted Uranium well. I wish all the US military people who face cancer due to Depleted Uranium well. I wish all the people in Gaza who have Cancer but cannot get medical care due to a blockade supported enthusiastically by Lantos well.

I even Wish Lantos well so that he could run again and lose properly. That is unlikely, so i think what he should do is resign immediately. It looks like he is not going to get his wish for war against Iran anyway, so there isn't much more for him to do.

and look, if you want to start pouring on the hate against me and other DU posters who disagree with you, i can direct you to a website specifically used for that purpose. It doesn't belong here.

[LeftishBrit]

49. No one's attacking you; calm down a bit!

You have a right to express your opinions and so do I. Disagreeing is not 'pouring hate'.

It wasn't really your one post about being sorry he had cancer but wishing he'd lost an election that concerned me - it was the NUMBER of negative posts you made about him on a thread that's about his illness. I happen to have a slightly idiosyncratic view that it is not that bad to speak ill or even 'dance on the grave' of a politician who has died; but that one should be restrained in attacking one who has just been diagnosed with a very serious illness. Many, probably most, people would disagree with my priorities. I fear serious illness much more than I fear death as such, and it affects my reactions. You don't have to agree with me, but I still have the right to comment from my own perspective. A close family friend died of cancer of the oesophagus, and it's an emotional issue for me.

And what innuendo is there in my saying "I assume he is your Congressman and you don't like him"? It could be an incorrect statement, but it's not an innuendo. I hated my (Tory) ex-MP's guts.

In fact, to be absolutely honest, the reason I clicked on this thread at all is probably because I feel a bit guilty about something that I said about Lantos myself a few months ago. He said something a bit critical of the Dutch in which he mentioned 'our fight against Hitler' or something similar; and I assumed that he was just engaging in the usual American politican rhetoric about 'we saved Europe from Hitler' when they were born after the war, and probably got out of any war in which they could have fought. I was then informed that Lantos is much older than I thought and WAS in the resistance; and I realized I'd been unfair.

And please stop being paranoid; I'm not out to get you, and frankly I doubt that anyone else here is either!

[Tom Joad]

55. It might be one thing if this just *were* just about his illness.

I see other posts that are also about his record. If Blair were to become ill, and others were posting what a great man of peace he was or other such rubbish, I would also feel compelled to say something and perhaps you would too.

So here others are talking about Lantos in such superlative terms, we have to remember that for the most part, he has supported a disastrous war (and wars) in the Middle East that many innocent people have lost their lives in. He has engaged in lies to the American people.

I think to describe Lantos and his record falsely is, in effect, dancing on *their* graves, and i will have none of it.

[LeftishBrit]

59. If it were Blair, I would not post negativity on a thread about his illness, No.

Not even if it were Thatcher. I might do so if she *died*. But not if she were diagnosed with some terrible form of cancer. (I'm not saying I wouldn't criticize her - just not on a thread *about* her illness.)

If a left-winger were diagnosed with a serious illness, and Republicans and RW Dems jumped on the thread and attacked the person, wouldn't you find it upsetting?

My suggestion is that if you are that concerned about certain actions by Lantos, perhaps you could start your own thread just about that, rather than putting it on a thread about this terrible event.

But you can do as you like. Just be prepared for the possibility that, if you post this sort of remark on a thread on such an emotive topic, you may end up with some emotive responses; and it doesn't mean that people have got a personal vendetta against you.

[Tom Joad]

43. those "loads of congresspeople" who voted for the war ain't worth much.

politically speaking, they don't know how to do the job they are holding. they should all have jobs cleaning toilets at bus stations. and live long lives. very long lives. But the public would be safer if they had a simpler job.

[Tom Joad]

46. Just one last question...

do you really think that what you or i express here will make a bit of difference regarding Mr. Lantos' and his health? Seems like a bit a magic to me.

[LeftishBrit]

51. You're right on this; but most of us become 'magical thinkers' in the face of horrors like cancer

[Tom Joad]

10. Do all of us a favor, most especially yourself, Lantos. Resign today.

You deserve the rest so that your chances of recovery are better.

The world deserves less people that support war and aggression in political power.

a win-win for everyone.

[SoxFan]

56. You're a lowlife

The Lantos family is dealing with a devastating personal crisis, and you decide to make disgusting comments like this? You're a lowlife.

[Tom Joad]

60. Dog, Millions of families are dealing with the war of aggression supported

by Lantos, including many American families. men barely out of their teens are being killed in that war.

What about those families?

I did suggest that he resign so that he may spend more time with his own family. Why is that so negative?

Do you want him to spend all his time in DC away from his family??

[Virginia Dare]

11. So sad to hear this...

he's been a vital advocate for justice and human rights on the Hill for a long time.

[Tom Joad]

12. It should be noted that because of his past support for war, it did not look

like he was going to be reelected in any case, even if he was healthy. This may have contributed to his decision. He was going to be facing a stiff challenge in the Dem primary by popular State Sen. Jackie Speier , which polls showed she would very likely win.

Let's hope that the replacement Dem candidate stands solidly against war, which sadly, was not the case for Lantos.

Especially, we need to push for anyone sitting on the international relations committee to be opposed to war and aggression. Lantos, i'm afraid, was a disgrace to his constituents and to his party.

[defendandprotect]

13. A likeable man, but sorry to hear that he was supporting the war in Iraq ---

he held some positions I didn't agree with ---
on other issues he was strong ---

[Tom Joad]

14. yes, he was good on environmental issues

well, except that supporting war can be said to be very anti-environmental.

But in any case, he was quite the extremist. He supported the first war against Iraq by bringing in young woman who testified that the "Iraqis are turning off incubators in Kuwait" The story turned out to be a fabrication.

[defendandprotect]

17. I didn't realize that was Lantos --- really sorry to hear about his medical

condition --- and hope that his replacement in Congress will be someone who supports more progressive positions --- and certainly anti-war positions!!

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

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[Tom Joad]

21. I was merely stating a political opinion. It's what we do here.

No need for personal attacks.
Lantos is quite vocal in his political opinions, i think i have a right to mine.

you may believe differently.

[leftynyc]

27. I believe it could have waited for one

fucking day. That's all. And stop whining - nobody is saying you aren't entitled to your opinion.

[Tom Joad]

30. Many, many people have opposed the extremism of Mr. Lantos,

while people here were expressing their political opinions, i expressed mine.
Look, he was not going to be reelected anyway, healthy or not.

He has done hard work to make war against Iraq possible, and i think the Bush/Cheney regime owes him much for that.

Peace Action and many other peace groups have protested his support for war in the Middle East.

We can't wait one more day to end that war and occupation. Too many lives are at stake.

[Cha]

39. I'm glad you're

standing your ground against the etiquette police.

[Tom Joad]

31. Don't forget the ignore button.

feel free to use.

[CreekDog]

35. I agree with you that it could have waited 1 day

I think Lantos has an incredible story and incredible character.

Several friends and family had planned to vote for Speier in the primary but had at least some qualms dealing Lantos a defeat.

[Tom Joad]

45. It's easier if you know the victims of Lantos' policy of supporting war and occupation

Many people do not have access to medical care because of the policies that Lantos supports in occupied Palestine. Many people are sick and dying of cancer because of the policies that Lantos supports in the Middle East (a war fought with Depleted Uranium)

Many people who have gone through the holocaust have come to very different conclusions than Mr. Lantos, and their position is that we must oppose war, occupation, militarism and support human rights for all.

NEVER AGAIN is for everyone.

[cali]

32. *snicker*

of course it is. And it's always amusing in a horrifying way to watch.

[Jim Lane]

53. Lantos didn't perpetrate that fraud

The perjury was arranged by the Bush 41 administration. Lantos was the committee chair who presided over the hearing, and said later that he had no reason to question the credibility of the witness who appeared.

I sympathize with him on this incident (though not on his pro-war votes). Who would've thought that the other side would be so audacious in deceit? Remember, this was back before Bush 43 had totally trashed any assumption of good faith that might be accorded to the White House.

[Tom Joad]

58. He was associated with the PR firm that arranged the testimony.

The PR firm with clients such as Indonesia! yeah, sure he is a supporter of Human Rights. Lantos is on par with the great men of peace like Sharon. :sarcasm:

[LeftishBrit]

15. So sorry to hear this...

It's a horrible illness. I really do hope that he'll beat it.

[question everything]

18. Sad to hear this

Hope he can receive whatever treatments are available and at least be spare too much pain.

[roguevalley]

19. this is horrendous news. I am very sorry to hear this. What a good man.

[ronnykmarshall]

23. Oh no!

Best wishes Tom.

[Eurobabe]

25. Very sad indeed

This is a loss for CA.

[Alcibiades]

26. We all need to quit smoking

I don't know if Lantos smoked or not, and I do respect his story and his decades of work on behalf of people who cannot speak for themselves.

Having said that, smoking is a big cause of this sort of cancer. My neighbor came down with COPD a couple of years ago (now has a new set of heart and lungs installed by Duke, looks great). Then my mom came down with COPD and started oxygen. Then my other neighbor was diagnosed with esophageal cancer (he's undergoing treatment now and he looks not nearly so good as the neighbor with the new heart and lungs.)

Took this all as a sign to quit myself, so I did four days ago. I had my first cigarette today.

Now I see this and again say to hell with smoking. Let's honor Lantos and his recovery by quitting. Let's leave this particular nasty addiction to the Republicans.

[brentspeak]

29. Very sad

Best wishes for Rep. Lantos.

[CreekDog]

36. Very sad news to hear about a very good man

I've always admired Lantos' toughness and frequent candor. One of his predecessors, Leo Ryan had the same pechant for candor and referred to Jim Jones and his thugs as "jackals" before everyone realized the horror of what was going on in Guyana.

Both of these men had a lot of courage with respect to human rights. Lantos knew from personal experience in WW2 the terror of tyranny and instinctively recognized and opposed it.

Best wishes Mr. Lantos.

[Retrograde]

37. Finally some turnover

while I sympathize with Mr. Lantos' health problems, it's about time we see some turnover in the Bay Area congressional delegation. Too many of them get re-elected term after term without any real opposition, and after little pro-active representation (Yes, I'm looking at you, Ms Eschoo). It's good that they're Dems, but IMHO they've gotten too complacent.

[cyr330]

38. Too Bad for Him. . .

But too bad he wasn't obliged to resign before that awful vote for the Iraq War. It's not that he just voted for the War. . . He supported it at every chance. I feel bad for him as a human being, but he wasn't much of a Democrat.

[Name removed]

47. Deleted message

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[oberliner]

48. Rep. Lantos “We can not take ANY of this Administration’s assertions on Iraq at face value anymore”

Here is his statement on the recent house testimony on Iraq (September)

We can not take ANY of this Administration’s assertions on Iraq at face value anymore, and no amount of charts or statistics will improve its credibility. This is not a knock on you, General Petraeus, or on you, Ambassador Crocker. But the fact remains, gentlemen, that the Administration has sent you here today to convince the members of these two Committees and the Congress that victory is at hand. With all due respect to you, I must say … I don’t buy it. And neither does the independent Government Accountability Office or the Commission headed by General Jones. Both recently issued deeply pessimistic reports… In the last few days, General Petraeus, media have reported that you are prepared to support a slow drawdown of our forces in Iraq - beginning with a brigade or two, perhaps at the end of this year. This clearly is nowhere near enough… It is time to go - and to go now.

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/09/10/the-iraq-war-report-rep-lantos-we-can-not-take-any-of-this-administration%E2%80%99s-assertions-on-iraq-at-face-value-anymore/

He's also been one of the most progressive voices in Congress during his tenure on a variety of domestic issues.

Check out his rankings on Project Vote Smart or Progressive Punch.

[Name removed]

57. Deleted message

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[RFKHumphreyObama]

52. Very, very sad news

My sincerest thoughts, prayers, positive vibes, healing energies and whatever else I can extend goes out to Tom Lantos and his family

And, while I strongly disagreed with him on the Iraq War, I always highly valued and respected him as a passionate humanitarian and a leading voice in foreign policy. On Darfur, the Armenian Genocide and the like, he showed a willingness to challenge traditional foreign policy orthodoxy and to promote a humanitarian and compassionate stance.

[lonestarnot]

54. Ah...sigh.

I am sorry Representative Lantos.

[classysassy]

61. God

bless you Tom.