Could I get some serious theories as to why * is postponing physical??

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

He is postponing his usual physical (all presidents have them yearly) until AFTER the election.

For those of you more up on presidential history than myself, how out of the ordinary is this? Has it been done before?

And what is your BEST guess as to why he is doing this? Do you think it was his decision or his handlers' decision?

I've been googling, not found much. It's bothering me more and more.

[whistle]

1. He's using again.....

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

2. I've heard that joked about

but I'm trying to figure out if anyone is serious about that....do you think he's using cocaine?

If I find a lot of people truly believe that, I am going to be even more disturbed. I mean, I don't put anything past him or below him, but GOD. Even WHEN Kerry spanks him on November 2, he's going to be in the White House until JANUARY.

AAAHHH!!!

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

8. Ok I found this from an Australian newspaper

about last year's physical which apparently took place in July or August. So he's postponing it by months this time.

What would be gained by postponing it, or lost by taking it?

Obviously they report the findings to the media.

I guess it would help to include the link (don't laugh too hard when you read it!)

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/08/03/1059849274554.html?oneclick=true

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

38. Bush does look to me like a man that runs 3 miles every day.

They must be exaggerating a little bit. Of course maybe he doesn't run all that fast either.

[Ariana Celeste]

66. Wouldn't surprise me....

Coke makes you feel damned confident... a *great* anti-depressant for those who can afford it... Would also account for his stuttering, and his other odd speech mannerisms...

All three debates he looked like he had been coming down...

[goodboy]

79. Beta-Blockers cause drooling, incoherence...(nt)

[leftofthedial]

3. he has a medical or substance-abuse issue to hide

if revealed, it would be a negative

since his only campaign strategy is to consolidate and motivate his base, it must be pretty severe if he is afraid disclosure would alienate his base

[Malva Zebrina]

4. If he were in good health, you can be sure he would have been

right out there getting the physical and telling us all what a fine athletic and manly speciman he is. That he did not take advantage of that, especially since Kerry released his own physical record, speaks volumes. The man is hiding something.

[Goldmund]

5. It's a mystery to me.

I'm sure that he could hide whatever's wrong with him and release any BS he wanted to. He wouldn't be the first president to do it -- JFK, for example, had all sorts of health problems that weren't known until recently. So I don't really get it why he's postponing the physical.

[davidinalameda]

6. the batteries haven't run down yet

or maybe Cheney's hand is still stuck up his back

[auburngrad82]

7. I think he's seriously ill

Cancer maybe, or a stroke. If you look at all the photos we've been captioning, he really doesn't look healthy. His face appears thinner than it did even a year ago and his color is bad. I'd feel for him more if he'd take a physical and let everyone know if he's ill.

My theory is the Republicans are so set on holding onto the presidency that they will sacrifice Bush's health by keeping it a secret so they don't risk losing votes for two candidates who are not in the best of health. If he were to win and die in office then Cheney becomes president. Scary thought, isn't it?

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

10. OMG it truly is.

YOu know I wonder if he hasn't had a mini-stroke or two simply because one side of his face (especially in the mouth area) isn't looking right.

And then there's the spit goober in the corner of that side of his mouth half the night last night...

[GiovanniC]

22. And Then What if Crashcart's Ticker Goes?

Denny Hastert as President?

How bad would that suck? (Well, no worse than it is now, probably).

[progdonkey]

27. and Hastert's no paragon of health...

He'd probably choke on a ham sandwich just after taking the oath.

[GiovanniC]

46. Great. So We'll Eventually Have the Motherfucking Sec. of Agriculture

Running the country.

[whistle]

19. An addict/alcoholic who has returned to active addiction can go....

...downhill physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually very fast, perhaps in a matter of just a few weeks. Cross addiction is most devastating and painful to watch. As for Bush's handlers, they will do whatever it takes to keep him appearing and performing normally, but this is clearly something Bush is totally powerless over and if he has returned to being active in his addiction, he needs to get help immediately or he might a well sign his own death warrant.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

23. Yep

I know a bit too much about this from my stepdad and everything whisle is saying is true. It is very devastating. My stepdad has wet brain, irreversible organic brain damage from years of heavy drinking. He used to be high-functioning but is losing his skills rapidly now. He is 58.

[whistle]

29. I'm so sorry to hear that about your step-dad and you then probably...

...also know that alcoholism and addiction are "diseases of denial". Even religious commitments fail to provide permanent recovery if the addict refuses to believe they are addicted and thus surrender their life to a recovery program based on spiritual recovery. I'm not judging George Bush's sincerity to change, but he certainly does not com,e across as someone who can be totally honest with himself or with others, open-minded and open to suggestions for change and who would dedicate his life to love and service to his fellow human beings. He may talk the talk, but can he really walk the walk?

I love the president enough that I plan to walk to the polls on Nov 2, and help George W Bush totally surrender, by voting for the Kerry/Edwards ticket.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

35. Hee hee

Yeah as someone who has been through a 12 step program, without total honesty you CANNOT recover. There is just no chance if you cannot be honest with yourself.

[Cha]

9. They have the most chutzpah of any one..can

you imagine any other president(sic) getting away with that..this should be screaming across the headlines.

Thanks for reminding me of this..I want to tell this to as many people as I know!

After last night's debate..there could be several reasons bush doesn't want his physical..the disease people are saying he has(don't remember), the meds, the drugs, the backbrace(if there is one),..all four!

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

13. Also

remember refusing to take a physical while in the NG caused him all kinds of problems, too. Surely they didn't have drug tests back then.....

Honestly, at this point, I think he has some kind of semi-serious or serious medical problem. I am not ruling out substance abuse at all, but I think it is probably far more likely there is a serious medical problem and they DON'T want people knowing about it.

What the back bulge might have to do with it (if anything), I don't know.

[Cha]

21. It's all speculation because once again..

thanks for pointing that out..he Refuses to take the physical.

This is getting to be a habit and should be pointed out by our media(yeah right).

But since they won't ..we need to ask the tough questions..Why, Why, Why?

[DemsUnited]

11. Medication mention in Bob Woodward's book

Didn't Bob Woodward write about Bush taking medication in his last book and naming what it was? Could have swore I heard that and that the medication was for seizures of some sort.

Or maybe I just picked up an internet rumor.

[sherilocks]

44. It's not a rumor

I read it somewhere, he was having temper tantrums and blowing up at the WH staff. I'm looking through the Woodward book, but I can't find anything in the index. I know I didn't think of it as a rumor. I hope someone has a better memory for the details than I do.

[theorist]

63. It was on CapitolHillBlue dot com.

They pulled the story that he was taking strong anti-depressants because the reporter could not find a substantial second source to verify the claim.

[Tesibria]

72. Story is still up on Capital Hill Blue

at http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/article_4921.shtml

[Qutzupalotl]

64. There were a couple of articles like that in Capitol Hill Blue,

which unfortunately is about as reliable as a rumor.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

12. There hasn't been a published medical report on Bush since 2001

At least, I can't find any. Here's the first and last medical report actually signed by the examining physician that I can find at the White House website. It's dated August 4, 2001.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/08/20010804-2.html

AFTER THAT, all I find are second-hand reports of what Bush's doctors found, issued to the press by Scott McClellan. Again, I do not find any reports of Bush's annual physical for 2002 or 2003 directly written by the doctors themselves but only what Bush's Press Secretary reports that the doctors said. IF ANYONE HAS A LINK TO A 2002 OR 2003 MEDICAL REPORT ACTUALLY ISSUED BY THE EXAMINING PHYSICIAN, LIKE THE 2001 MEDICAL REPORT, I'D APPRECIATE IT.

The above-mentiond August 4, 2001 medical report has an entry regarding an apparent back injury suffered by Bush in 1990 as the result of lifting. The report states that Bush was asymptomatic at the time of the August 4th exam.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

18. I have posted two links in this thread

to newspaper accounts of the 2002 and 2003 physicals.

Here's the 2002

http://www.detnews.com/2002/politics/0208/06/-555184.htm


2003 one is in the third post in this thread.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

28. That's not what I'm saying

I know Bush has had three annual physical exams, in 2001, 2002, and 2003. What I'm saying is that the one in 2001 is at the White House website and it's written in the examining physician's own words. After that, all I can find are second hand references to the exams, such as the links you have provided. I can find Scott McCellan's summaries of what the doctors said. I cannot find the actual medical report written in the words of the examining doctor. The only one I can find like that is the August 4, 2001 report at the White House website. I would like to read the actual doctor's statement, which might include some details regarding any symptoms or pain he was then feeling, whether or not it was related to anything serious. I don't think we're going to find a complete review of Bush's medical history, as that would be considered privileged. But the fact that there's any entry in the August 4, 2001 report of a 1990 back injury that is "asymptomatic" must mean that there were recent symptoms prior to the examination. Otherwise, the doctors would not have gone into Bush's past medical condition of more than 10 years before. What I would like are links to the actual reports, not second hand refernces to what the doctors said. Scott McClellan in describing what the doctors said could be lying his ass off for all we know. He's not a doctor so he doesn't care.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

34. Exactly

I understood what you were saying.

What I am saying is that without an official White House report of it, how do we know he actually HAD a physical in 2002 and 2003? There ARE doctors at Bethesda who will engage in a little wink-wink-nudge-nudge, let's just say he's doing great deception, I'm sure.

I have searched all over and cannot find any other report from the White House like that one in 2001.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

39. My guess is that the actual reports are being supressed

There must be mention of current medication in those reports, even though the President overall got a clean bill of health. I don't think the law requires that the actual reports be released. Probably, the press was satisfied with Scott McClellan's summary and the interviews of the press with the examining doctors. I won't even consider the fact that Bush didn't go for his physicals in 2002 or 2003 as that would mean his doctors are in on the lie. I don't think doctors would go that far, especially ones who value their reputations.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

41. You underestimate the power of the bushies

but that's neither here nor there.

Let's say he DID have physicals in 2002 and 2003. It does look awfully odd that the WH only chose to publish the official report from 2001 and not the other two.

Also, the 2003 report came out in the midst of the Iraq war being only a few months old and the 2002 one came out in the midst of Afghanistan.

Easy to see how it could get overlooked, swept under the rug.

But his recent performances have a lot of people wondering what is up.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

43. There certainly appears to be something physically wrong with him

I think we need to demand to see his medical file, at least the one covering his time in office.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

48. Yep

at the VERY least, I want to see an official WH summary of his 2002 and 2003 physicals like the one that is up for 2001.

AND I want to know why he is postponing this one.

It makes no sense unless he really is suffering from a serious medical problem and/or substance abuse. Short of that, they'd have already done it and bragged on his great physical shape, etc. Sure as shootin'.

[sherilocks]

14. No physical?

Drooling
Droopy, lop-sided mouth
Strange box on his back
Deteriorating ability to concentrate
Deteriorating speech patterns
Erratic behavior
No impulse control

What do you think a doctor would diagnose him with?

Mad cow disease, maybe too much of that good ol' Texas beef.
Senility, alcoholism, addiction to coke. I guess that's why * is doin' so much praying.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

15. This is the report from his 2002 physical

apparently declared in "tip top" shape by himself and Dr. Kenneth Cooper said "incredible" (which could actually have different meanings).

They again mention the skin lesions and they mention he had a colonoscopy. This was also in August. So that seems to be the month for it.

http://www.detnews.com/2002/politics/0208/06/-555184.htm

[democraticinsurgent]

16. they probably watched West Wing

and saw President Bartlett nearly brought down by MS.

[spanone]

17. Odd, you need to pee in a jar for most American jobs yet the presidency

has no requirements.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

20. Something else I found

http://www.doctorzebra.com/prez/t41.htm

"Medical History of President Bush"

but I can't find an official release of the 2002 or 2003 physicals.

Whomever mentioned that above has a good point. The WH only officially released the results of the 2001 physical. The other two have just been casual statements made to the press, no actual report.

HMMMMM.

Edit, that link is for HW, sorry!

[The Wielding Truth]

33. Interesting .....

esp the part about him crying after 9/11. Had not heard that. Maybe more out of guilt, but seems he has feelings for some people. Other wise his medical history seems normal for his age.
Just don't trust him to lead this country after what he has done so far. Get his crowd away from government decision making. I don't want his shaky little hand on the button.

[catmandu57]

24. I thought all federal empoyees were subject to drug testing

They could easily cover up any problems, and after watching him last night it does make one wonder what the hell is up?

[sbj405]

68. Nope. Not all. But since he has clearance, he should be.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

25. After searching the White House website

high and low for evidence of a report like this for 2001:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/08/20010804-2.html

I can find nothing. No other official reports of physicals. I can find newspaper articles on the internet about the 2002 and 2003 physicals, but that is not an official report. (Those two links are in this thread.)

I may have my tin foil hat on today, but I think he hasn't HAD a physical since 2001.

Period.

Now it seems a bit eerier if that is true. That's THREE years.

Going to keep digging.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

30. Here's a dailykos entry

about postponing the physical this year. http://jacksonblogs.dailykos.com/story/2004/10/6/204615/743

Here's why I am pursuing this:

a) it IS worrisome that not only is his physical being postponed this year, but that I cannot find official evidence he has even had one in 2002 OR 2003

b) this postponing didn't get much play or attention when it was first announced, but after seeing his performance at these debates, it has become a big question mark in my mind.

Now, though, this back bulge issue has been raised by more than just DUers, millions of people have seen bush's strange (to say the least) behavior in three debates, add to that the postponing of the physical and the lack of reporting on physicals in 2002 and 2003 and I am smelling something rotten.

[spanone]

26. He doesn't have a heart or a brain. Now how can you spin that?

[Paxdora]

31. This is why:

he is slowly becoming a gollum underneath his fake public image and a physical exam would expose his true physical and mental corruption!

[troubleinwinter]

32. What's up with the blinking??????????

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

36. Gawd, the media, back in 1996

even used to ask Clinton's press secretary whether Clinton had any sexually transmitted diseases!!!

http://latefinal.com/archives/001292.html

Q But, Mike, can you characterize a test that you think would be embarrassing? I mean, what sort of test result do you think would be embarrassing to release? I can't think of one. I'm asking you to --

MR. MCCURRY: Well, I'm not going to do that and provide you the satisfaction. But just think for a minute.

Q I don't get it -- sorry.

Q We can imagine a few, but what --

MR. MCCURRY: I'll explain it to you later.

Q Actually, a transmitted disease is --

Q Yes. Does he have a sexually transmitted disease? I mean, what is --

Q Jesus!

MR. MCCURRY: Good God, do you really want to ask that question?

Q No, I'm just asking what is embarrassing.

MR. MCCURRY: If he had -- we have an obligation to report on the President's medical condition. The President, we reported to you after his May 24th physical exam, is in excellent overall health. That's an astonishing question to have just been posed here at the White House.


GEEZ, can you imagine the media doing that to Scott McClellan???

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

37. Here's Scott McClellan in 2003

telling us about his physical, he says there is a document they passed out to the press, but I looked all over the site and couldn't find anything...

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/08/20030802-1.html#2

[donkeyotay]

70. "we have an obligation to report on the President's medical condition"

The Democratic double standard. EVERYTHING was fair game for the press when Clinton was president. Now, they just tell us to go Cheney ourselves.

You'd think, that we'd have the right to know his medical condition before some people actually vote for him.

[demokatgurrl]

40. Bad back

for which he is wearing a brace or girdle. Would explain why he hasn't been running too. Macho boy can't admit any physical ailments.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

42. How does his back explain

his failing verbal and cognitive skills? Heyyyy, maybe it's because of the serious pain pills they have him on for his back???

He could be addicted to pain pills by now, a la rush.

Ooooo. Interesting theory.

[Oak2004]

55. Pain pills for chronic conditions

neither cause cognitive deficits when properly prescribed and used, nor do they cause addiction. The addiction rate among real pain patients is < 1 in 1000.

This is important. Repeating the above misconceptions about pain management feed the drive to deny real pain patients their urgently needed medications. Thousands of people die each year of the consequences of untreated or undertreated pain. That's an order of magnitude greater than the number who have ever died of oxycontin abuse.

It's also important because, you realize, Rush Limbaugh's excuses for his addiction ("the pills did it to me") are big fat lies that, again, contribute to the deaths of thousands of sick and injured people every year. Not that Rush would care about more blood on his hands, of course.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

58. Sorry

you are correct. My apologies.

So there aren't any pain medications that would alter his verbal or cognitive abilities?

[Qutzupalotl]

65. True, but Bush has a pre-existing addictive history.

If he were taking pain medication, there is a likelihood that he would fall into abuse. Your point that when properly prescribed and used, these medications do not cause addiction, is well-taken. But I suspect Bush's addictions go back many years.

[Oak2004]

77. Actually the statistics on addicts and pain management

show that, with proper supervision, most can be treated for pain without the addict reverting to abuse of the drug.

Of course there is that catch about "proper supervision", given that Bush's interpretation of the presidency is that it means he can do anything he wants to do to whenever he wants to do it.

So he could be abusing opiates, yes, and, obviously, opiates abused will fuzz the brain. At minimum I do think he's altering his mental states with some kind of drugs, though whether it's in the form of drug abuse or in the form of trying to hold together a disintegrating personality, I don't know. But the point stands that it's not pain management drugs that lead to addiction -- it's addiction that leads persons to the abuse of pain drugs.

[Search Party]

45. could it be side effects of the medication: ANTABUSE?

Antabuse is prescribed as an alcohol deterrent.

side effects include:
dizziness (falling off bike)
drowsiness
fatigue
headaches
psychosis
seizures!!!!!!!!
sweating
tremors
anorexia
severe thirst (spittle)
flushing!!!!!!!
confusion!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

49. Hmmm

my stepfather took Antabuse and he certainly acted very much like bush does.

Have to do some research on that.....you know on the flushing thing...I noticed in all three debates that bush looks normal one moment, then seems BEET red the next and it doesn't seem connected to his yelling, either.

Anyone else notice that???

[Search Party]

51. yes, my wife did, that's why we posted this

it triggered the thought of the meds. looked up the side effects and yikes!!! explains several of *'s abnormalities lately.

[Search Party]

54. uhhhh, i left out one.............STROKE!

[WilmywoodNCparalegal]

47. Would it be possible for someone to file a FOIA request?

FOIA - Freedom of Information Act

Obviously, this would all be moot post-election, but still... isn't it our right to know? I know that the press kept it all hushed up for JFK, but at least they knew about it....

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

50. I don't know

but I wish someone in the mainstream media would start asking this question.

When I get home today (can't do it from here) I am going to email these questions to a lot of media sources, see if it goes anywhere.

It ties in a lot of things we've seen and wondered about lately.....

[IChing]

52. On the plane today

On msnbc.Smirky was on the plane headed to Las Vegas he had this shit eating grin and was hugging john McCain talking to reporters, and said "come on people smile we have only 19 days left", it look like he was on "mother's little helper". The reporters said it was unusually that he came back, hasn't been doing it for a long,long time. There is also reports that he has developed a twitch in his right cheek and is treated for this. His falling down over the last year has increased. Last night his left brow looked like it was twitching watching on C-span. I taught special ed and observe physical behaviors.

[cynatnite]

53. I agree with everyone

Something is definitely up with his health. I can't figure why the press won't say anything considering how obvious it was. He looked physically worse than the last two debates.

I was thinking mini-stroke or something similar. I also thought he may have really injured himself at one point and is on some type of narcotic. I also wondered if his mental state is so off that it's possible he is on medication which produces the symptoms we've seen.

It's disturbing to say the least.

[TrogL]

56. Wouldn't it be really, really ironic if he had MS?

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

57. I am looking up symptoms of MS

I think it is plausible there is a back problem and the mood/behavior/verbal/cognitive problems are a result of heavy-duty painkillers he might be taking as a result of back problem.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

60. ...

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Symptoms.asp

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Brochures-But%20You%20Look.asp

[Synnical]

59. He has sinus bradycardia

Remember after the pretzel incident they finally admitted this . . . maybe it's gotten worse.

Sinus bradycardia: A regular but unusually slow heart beat (60 beats/minute or less at rest). Sinus bradycardia can be the result of many things including good physical fitness, medications, and some forms of heart block. "Sinus" refers to the sinus node, the heart's natural pacemaker which creates the normal regular heartbeat. "Bradycardia" means that the heart rate is slower than normal.

Fainting can occur with sinus bradycardia if the heart slows down even more. This can occur, for example, when the vagus nerve sends a signal to the heart that suddenly drops the heart rate. Choking or gagging can trigger this response which is called the vasovagal reflex. US President George W. Bush has sinus bradycardia and had an episode of fainting due to a vasovagal response after choking on a pretzel.


http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=19707

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

62. Interesting

As it appears that Bush's own doctors admit he suffers from bradycardia, they must surely be prescribing medication for it. They couldn't afford to let him have an other fainting spell (like the pretzel incident), which could be fatal depending on the circumstances. The two most commonly prescribed compounds for a slow-paced heart are atropine and isoproterenol.

Atropine increases the heart rate and inhibits secretions causing a dry mouth. Large doses of atropine can cause amnesia, confusion and excitation, as well as intraocular pressure in the eye, blurred vision, and eye paralysis.

Isoproterenol hydrocloride is a compound that, if abused, can cause trembling, sweating, headaches, nausea or vomiting, flushing or redness to cheeks or other skin surfaces, dry mouth, swelling of the face, nervousness, and restlessness.

Other than that, sinus bradycardia can be treated with a pacemaker, but I don't believe that's what Bush has on his back. There are external transcutaneous non-invasive pacemakers but I believe that they are not practical and an implanted pacemaker is safer and more practical. Bush hasn't taken off enough time to assume he's had a pacemaker implanted.

[demokatgurrl]

67. If "sinus bradychardia" is as you defined it-

then I have it: my heart rate is 60 beats per minute or lower at rest. In my case, it is due to many years of long distance running.
It does not make me faint, or choke, or act confused. Well maybe I'm not so sure about the confused part...:eyes:

[harpo]

61. he's on drugs of course

[Bucky]

69. The reason for Bush avoiding the physican is that Cheney couldn't win

...and Jeb's brain is still operational.

[Tesibria]

71. Do they have to reveal use of prescription drugs??

see http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/article_4921.shtml --
Bush Taking Anti-Depressants to Control Mood Swings
By CHB Staff
Jul 28, 2004, 06:13

[sherilocks]

75. Thank you, I've been looking for that information all

day. I couldn't remember where I read about the anti-depressant usage.

But this excerpt from the article reminded me:

<smip>

Although GOP loyalists dismissed the reports an anti-Bush propaganda, the reports were later confirmed by prominent George Washington University psychiatrist Dr. Justin Frank in his book Bush on the Couch: Inside the Mind of the President. Dr. Frank diagnosed the President as a “paranoid meglomaniac” and “untreated alcoholic” whose “lifelong streak of sadism, ranging from childhood pranks (using firecrackers to explode frogs) to insulting journalists, gloating over state executions and pumping his hand gleefully before the bombing of Baghdad” showcase Bush’s instabilities.

<snip>

[evilqueen]

73. the bulge on the back

it's possible that he is in chronic pain, in which case, it could be an electronic pain blocker,

or

it's possible that he is receiving self-administered drugs, and that's the unit that pumps the meds into his system.

[sherilocks]

76. Wonderful and this is the man with his finger on

the red switch that could annihilate the world. Doped up all day on pain killers.

[arwalden]

74. Suspects He Has Alzheimers, Dementia, VD, or some other

easily diagnosed psychosis or mental illness.

[seabeyond]

78. this is what it feels with me n/t