Tom Kean Jr. has said something.

That in itself is a positive development, but his statement was not all that forthcoming.

Here it is:

"I want to thank my constituents and my colleagues for their patience as I address a personal medical issue. My doctors continue to assure me that my recovery will be complete and that I will be back to the job I love very soon. I expect to return to a full schedule and be at 100 percent.

I take my responsibilities seriously and have a strong record of showing up and delivering, which makes this absence all the more difficult. I am especially proud of my congressional team, who have kept constituent services and legislative work moving forward.without interruption and my political team for ensuring the campaign continues to run strong.

I also want to thank my friends and colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their patience and understanding during this time. I appreciate your support and look forward to being back in the near future."

The statement is an obvious response to news stories late last week about the absence of the CD-7 congressman.

Clearly, someone on Kean's team realized something had to be said.

Politicians - like everyone else - are human beings first and deserve compassion and understanding when ill. Snide jokes about Kean's illness - just check social media - are really inappropriate.

At the same time, a member of Congress is not like everyone else. There are only 435 of them and in New Jersey, a House member represents about 760,000 people.
It would have been nice if Kean's statement gave a hint as to what's been wrong with him, and also what "very soon" means regarding his return to work.