Texas Governor Burned in Accident and Could Miss G.O.P. Convention.

[elleng]

Source: nyt

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas sustained "extensive second- and third-degree burns" on both legs below the knees and both feet — and may miss next week's Republican National Convention as a result, his office said Sunday.

Spokesman Matt Hirsch said Abbott was with his family in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, on Thursday when he was scalded in an accident involving hot water. He declined to provide further details.

The governor was treated for several hours at nearby St. John's Medical Center. As he was being released, a top aide called from Texas to say a gunman had opened fire in downtown Dallas — an attack that killed five police officers and wounded seven others.

"His first words to us were, 'I've got to come back,'" Hirsch said.

Abbott held a press conference in Dallas on Friday, but didn't disclose being burned. Hirsch said that his legs were wrapped at the time, but that wasn't evident since they were covered by his pants.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2016/07/10/us/ap-us-governor-burned-texas.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=second-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

[63splitwindow]

1. Weird. Drunk in hot tub maybe?

Last edited Mon Jul 11, 2016, 12:58 AM - Edit history (1)

EDIT- did not realize he was in a wheelchair and could have inadvertently scalded his legs. My bad. Won't hide from my initial mistake though.

[MADem]

5. I thought hot tub, too....

[ericson00]

2. probably self-harm over Trump

lollll

[Archae]

3. Even though he's a jerk, I hope he heals up well.

Besides, do we want the fundy nutcase Dan Patrick as Texas governor? He's far worse that even Dubya or Perry!

[wolfie001]

35. That's nice

I hope he burns in hell for being a hypocritical asshole!

[Mendocino]

4. Some will go to great lengths

to skip that dumpster fire.

[Backwoodsrider]

6. the Gov is in a wheelchair

So am I and I have to watch out or I will scald my legs because I cant feel hot or cold so sometimes I forget the shower is on hot and it might run on my legs for a second and that is enough. Wonder if he burned his legs on accident in a new shower he is unfamiliar with?

Or he does not want to be associated with Trump

[Akbar]

7. Good For Him

Though this was kind of an extreme way to get out of kissing Drumpf's ring.

He could have simply refused to attend the convention. Luckily, he will have the scars to remind him the rest of his life to remind him of his cowardice.

[christx30]

27. Interesting theory. It does have merit though.

"Uh, sir, you're going to have to make an appearance at the convention. The nominee is going to expect you to introduce him."
"Oh... Uh... really? Excuse me for a sec. Just getting some... coffee... AHHHHHHHHHGH! Now... where were we?"

[chillfactor]

8. sounds to me like a hoax....

if he was so badly burned he would not be walking around or wearing shoes....sounds more like an excuse not to go to the cconvention

[tammywammy]

10. Abbott is never walking around, he's in a wheelchair.

[former9thward]

18. A hoax ??

How is someone in a wheelchair "welkin around? Please tell us...

[Judi Lynn]

9. Totally unexpected. My Gosh. He still is an @$$, however. n/t

[840high]

12. Wishing him quick healing.

[liberalla]

11. He wanted to come up with a good excuse, and Flake had already used "mowing the lawn"...

I do wish the Guv a speedy recovery of his injuries...

[Rex]

13. That sounds serious, maybe he should resign.

Take care of himself.

[Paladin]

36. And let Dan Patrick take his place? Fuck that. Fuck that, hard. (nt)

[irisblue]

43. don't hold back Paladin! rofl

[Paladin]

56. Yeah, that felt good.

What you need to understand, Iris, is that Dan Patrick repeatedly sets new lows for political and professional behavior---see his latest headline on the DU Home page, concerning remarks he made about the Dallas shootings. Before he oozed his way into politics, he was a Limbaugh wannabe on AM hate radio, where he proclaimed his desire for government by theocracy, and where he was subject to periodic fits of hysteria and talking in tongues. This is a guy who has made himself a multi-millionaire by pandering for years to the worst instincts of a white racist fan base. And he's probably headed to the Texas governor's office, next.

Don't get me started.....

[Rex]

60. Both are worthless shits, maybe Patrick will have to resign too. ntn

nt

[Paladin]

62. You and I wish.

They can take that drooling idiot Louie Gohmert with them......

[Rex]

63. Did you see Gohmert Piles latest rant? He is scared of NASA creating gay space colonies!

I WISH that was a joke...God we have some really really really really really really really stupid people ruining Texas right now.

And then there is Ted Cruz...

[Paladin]

64. Nothing Gohmert says surprises me anymore.

But that gay space colony thing came close.....

[truthisfreedom]

14. He's permanently in a wheelchair and probably can't feel his legs.

Probably burned them without realizing. Could be threat of infection.

[elleng]

15. 'Abbott has used a wheelchair since a tree fell on him while jogging in 1984,

paralyzing him from the waist down. Hirsch said the governor still has functioning nerve receptors in his legs and feet, however, and that he has felt pain as they react to the shock of being burned.'

[TexasBushwhacker]

37. Regarding his paralysis

He filed and won a personal injury lawsuit. He is currently being paid $170K per year, plus large lump sum payments every 3 years. The last one was $450K. I certainly don't fault him for pursuing compensation for his losses.

However, like most Republicans, he his a big supporter of tort reform. He doesn't see the hypocrisy.

[elleng]

46. Oh yes, TORT reform!

Tort = WRONG, in French!

[rjsquirrel]

19. This

People making fun of this don't realize they are mocking a disability here. A common problem for paraplegics is insensitivity to heat and cold. Dude is wheelchair bound. Be cool.

He's a major league assswipe. But his disability has nothing to do with that.

[cynzke]

31. Or One Could Hope.....

That this is a divine warning. A stern reprimand/rebuke for un-Christian behavior in Abbott's political actions/dealing? Funny how the religious extremists are always pointing to bad things as attributed to God's punishment. Well I am free to look at this the same way. A tree limb and now this?

[hlthe2b]

33. I'm glad someone posted the info above. I had no idea Abott was paralyzed & in wheelchair

I've only seen face shots of him, it would seem. I'm sure others here may similarly not have known, so I think I'd give a little benefit of the doubt to our DU colleagues.

[LanternWaste]

48. People are mocking a "major league asswipe" rather than a disability.

People are mocking a "major league asswipe" rather than a disability.

Read for both context and content-- it helps. A lot.

[rjsquirrel]

53. ''Drunk in a hot tub" strikes me as mocking his disability

But ok, please proceed to condescend and patronize on a matter of opinion as if you were in command of the only factual interpretation and were in charge of determining what counts as "context."

In my interpretation it's not right to mock people because their disability made a particular kind of accident more likely not out of respect only but because other disabled people will experience that as insensitivity. Donald Trump wou;d be no more justified in his physical mockery of the disabled NY Times reporter if that person were Judith Miller or Roger Ailes.

Read for ethics and check your privilege. It helps. A lot.

And by the way the "content" vs. "conetxt" distinction makes no sense in an online discussion. The content IS the only "context" we have.

[cstanleytech]

16. Would be kind of funny if he was lying about the burns or inflicted them on purpose just

to have an excuse for not attending.

[Judi Lynn]

22. It could happen. That would be a choice time to have an excuse. n/t

[okasha]

17. Burns are painful, and I wish him a quick recovery.

Sounds as if he may have dropped a pan of hot water or a pot of coffee.

[whistler162]

44. If you have neuropathy the problem is

burns aren't painful. Boiled my toes once. Not fun but not painful.

[Raine1967]

20. I hope he recovers.

I did not read the other responses in this OO Ellen but Am under the impression that he requires a wheelchair already, right?

I do hope he recovers.

[elleng]

21. Yes, Raine; he does:

'Abbott has used a wheelchair since a tree fell on him while jogging in 1984, paralyzing him from the waist down. Hirsch said the governor still has functioning nerve receptors in his legs and feet, however, and that he has felt pain as they react to the shock of being burned.'

[Feeling the Bern]

23. He can go to a hospital, but hundreds of thousands in Texas are at the mercy of

the GOP trying to gut the ACA in Texas. I feel so little sympathy for this evil little troglodyte.

[cynzke]

32. Good Point!

[Ash_F]

24. Boy some of them will go REALLY far to avoid Trump.

[Night Watchman]

25. Fart-Lighting Gone Wrong?

I'd bet on it!

[BeyondGeography]

26. Ouch

[PDittie]

28. I'm forced to wish him well

Because if he dies, we get Governor Dan Patrick.

[skepticscott]

29. If he wanted to get out of going to the convention that badly

wouldn't it have been easier just to have Dick Cheney shoot him in the face?

[Vinca]

30. What Republicans won't do to get out of that convention.

[sangfroid]

34. Blue Flu

nt

[matt819]

38. What a coward

When even this buffoon doesn't want to be associated with Trump, that's scary. What's pathetic and cowardly is that he could not just come out and say that he didn't want to attend but to either do this or create a cover story for his inability to attend. Talk about all hat, no cattle.

[Javaman]

39. "Could Miss G.O.P. Convention"

How convenient...

[SwankyXomb]

41. Of course! It was obviously Satan

giving Abbott a preview of the lake of fire.

[Javaman]

42. he, unfortunately, is my governor (hard saying that without puking)

I trust nothing he claims or says.

[truthisfreedom]

40. There's a Miss GOP convention?

Why don't we get one of those?

The GOP gets all the good stuff!!!

[Kennah]

45. Is the hooker OK? n/t

[Nac Mac Feegle]

47. I am quite familiar with the area. Jackson Hole is a gateway to Yellowstone.

Last edited Tue Jul 12, 2016, 11:27 AM - Edit history (1)

The articles don't give any details. Could this be a "Dumbass Tourist" incident at a geothermal feature?

Limited mobility plus a geyser or hot pot could be ...problematical...

Although, my experiences in the area DO leave me with a rather serious bias against tourists, especially Texans.


Just asking.

[elleng]

49. Could be anything,

including a 'simple' kitchen accident, keeping in mind he's wheelchair-bound, so his ordinary tasks, like making a pot of coffee, likely incurs added challenges.

[FighttheFuture]

50. The lengths some R's will go to to not show up at the Trump-vention!! Boggles the mind...

[ebbie15644]

54. I just posted

this to mine, lol

[FighttheFuture]

68. Great minds....

[JonathanRackham]

51. Silly people, the GOP is burning everyone.....................

[ebbie15644]

52. See the extent that

Republicans will go to in order to avoid their own convention

[Zambero]

55. Many won't be crawling though broken glass to get there

My guess is that Paul Ryan will be the most reluctant attendee.

[Paladin]

57. I say Abbott is lying about this.

And considering what a bottom-feeder he's proven himself to be, I'll maintain that belief until I see overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

[sofa king]

58. Passed out under a beach umbrella, eh?

[LongtimeAZDem]

59. If he has reduced sensation in his legs, he could have encountered a hot spring and not known

until too late.

Just speculation, but he's in the right part of the country for it.

[Massacure]

67. Abbot is paralyzed from the waste down

From the article:

Abbott has used a wheelchair since a tree fell on him while jogging in 1984, paralyzing him from the waist down. Hirsch said the governor still has functioning nerve receptors in his legs and feet, however, and that he has felt pain as they react to the shock of being burned.

So even if he felt pain, he was likely limited in how he could deal with it.

[hamsterjill]

61. I can't stand the SOB, but I don't wish him harm.

He obviously has physical limitations that would make certain issues more dangerous for him. I hope he recovers quickly.

[alfredo]

65. How convenient

[TexasBushwhacker]

69. I heard he had to have skin grafts on his feet

He's also battling an infection.

I had no idea that hot water could cause third degree burns. It doesn't even have to be boiling. Just 150 degrees.