W-b Area Public Schools Provide Everything Students Need To Succeed

Anthony Doria

Friday, January 17, 2003 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1A 





OPINION 
 Collectively, it's referred to as ``Bushspeak.'' Individually, they're called
``Bushisms.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Generally, they can be described as harmless, even laughable, mistakes that
occur when our president steps up to a microphone. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; You've heard them. ``Weapons of mass production.'' ``United Nations
Senate.'' Stuff like that. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But Thursday, speaking about medical malpractice reform at the University
of Scranton, the president's slip of the tongue cut a Wilkes-Barre widow like
a knife. Or a scalpel. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Bush was busy blaming trial attorneys and juries for what he feels are
excessive awards in medical malpractice cases. And he called for a $250,000
cap on damages for pain and suffering. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Without a cap, Bush said, ``you've got excessive jury awards, like those in
Pennsylvania. One was just described to me today.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Bush was referring to the Frank Thornton case, which he had discussed
briefly during a roundtable discussion with doctors prior to the speech. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 He didn't mention Thornton by name in his speech, but he referenced a full-
page ad that was placed in a Scranton newspaper Thursday by the Committee for
Justice For All, which cited the case of Frank E. Thornton of Wilkes-Barre as
an argument against caps. And Bush said the ad was ``paid for by an excessive
jury award.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Bush could have picked a much better case to illustrate a need to cap
awards. You need a little background to understand why. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Thornton wasn't a good example &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Frank Thornton of Wilkes-Barre, rest his soul, was married to his wife,
Dorothy for 53 years, before doctors took him away from her two years ago last
September. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 He was a retired welder, a veteran and a church deacon, and above all else
a husband, a father, a grandfather, and a child of God. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Prior to surgery at Mercy Hospital in Wilkes-Barre in August 2000, an
anaesthesiologist stupidly placed a ventilation tube down Thornton's esophagus
instead of his windpipe, depriving him of oxygen. He never regained
consciousness, and a few weeks later, he died. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Dorothy was distraught. ``It just broke my heart.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Frank Thornton wasn't supposed to die. And his wife wanted answers. And she
wasn't getting any. So she sued. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 When the truth - about the death, and the cover-up - came out during the
trial last week in Luzerne County Court, the defense threw in the towel. And
they settled the case Monday for $7 million and a public apology. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 It sounds like a lot of money for a 73-year-old man, doesn't it? But ask
yourself, what's your spouse worth? What would you pay for one more day, one
more kiss, one more hug, once they're gone? And what's the value of a broken
heart? &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Dorothy can't place a price tag on her husband, or her heart. She says that
would be impossible. Because to Dorothy, and her six children, and her 14
grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren, Frank Thornton was ``priceless.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``Anybody who knows me knows (the lawsuit) had nothing to do with money,''
Thornton said from her North Sherman Street home Thursday, her voice breaking. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``I was happy with my husband and children. That was enough for me.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Thornton chose not to comment about what Bush said. She didn't want to
disrespect the president of the United States. And she deserved the same
courtesy from him. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But it turns out that Bush wasn't being malicious. Just stupid. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 He learned about the case when it was mentioned, briefly, by doctors
holding a roundtable discussion with the President at Mercy Hospital in
Scranton prior to the speech. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 According to Jennifer Henn of the Scranton papers, the pool reporter
appointed by the White House to cover the closed-door meeting, a doctor, she
doesn't recall which one, waved the newspaper ad in the air. Then the doctors
mentioned that the case was worth $7 million, and whined that the lawyer would
keep 40 percent. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 So Bush, speaking to an audience composed primarily of health care
officials an hour or so later, deviated from his prepared text, and stuck his
foot in his mouth. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 He referred to the case as an example of an excessive jury award, when it
was a settlement. And he said it was paid for with the proceeds of an
excessive jury award, without knowing who paid for the ad. And he caused a
grieving widow to grieve a little more. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Bush thinks lots of people file frivolous medical malpractice lawsuits
hoping to hit the lottery. Maybe some people do. But Dorothy Thornton wasn't
one of them. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Call Jones at 829-7215 or e-mail caseyj@leader.net. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

You'd Think A President Would Have Known Better