with all due respect to Sen McCain's age: Is he going senile? (not kidding)

[npincus]

I am not kidding. McCain has repeated a false assertion that Al Qaeda (Sunnis) are being trained in Iran (Shi'ite state) THREE TIMES after being corrected- in a 2 day period! This is serious, people! If he isn't doing it on purpose, then he keeps FORGETTING an elementary fact on a subject of war and the American occupatin of Iraq, supposedly his "specialty".


This is a VALID issue in our campaign; has McCain displayed a pattern of mental dysfuntion normally associated with advanced age???? Can he realy handle (or remember) his duties of office? THIS is what Democrats had BETTER start talking about, and STOP ripping each other apart as McCain's polls climb. After 8 years of an incompetent chimpanzee, can we allow a senile man with his finger on the neclear button, one who sees imaginary al Qaeda teaming up with Iran to become president?

Wake the f*ck up, people! Now, to the question: is McCain going senile?




http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/19/mccain-repeats-iranal-qa_n_92349.html

Sen. John McCain has done it again.

For the third time in two days, the Arizona Republican has pushed the definitively false statement that the terrorist group Al-Qaeda was getting assistance from Iran, even though he was publicly ridiculed for the same false assertion on Tuesday.

This time, in a statement from his campaign honoring the fifth year anniversary of the war, McCain wrote:

"Today in Iraq, America and our allies stand on the precipice of winning a major victory against radical Islamic extremism. The security gains over the past year have been dramatic and undeniable. Al Qaeda and Shia extremists -- with support from external powers such as Iran -- are on the run but not defeated."

On Tuesday, the senator, appearing in Israel, made a nearly identical assertion that al-Qaeda was leaving Iraq to retool and regroup in Iran.

It was," he said, "common knowledge and has been reported in the media that al-Qaeda is going back into Iran and receiving training and are coming back into Iraq from Iran, that's well known. And it's unfortunate."

Sen. Joseph Lieberman, who was accompanying McCain on the trip, was forced to lean over and whisper in McCain's ear that it was Shiite extremists, not Sunni al-Qaeda, that was going to predominantly Shiite Iran.

The repeated gaffes, which now appear to becoming something of a pattern, have already become fodder for McCain's Democratic opponents. Speaking today, Sen. Barack Obama, used the misstatements as evidence that McCain's claims of foreign policy experience do not give him a superior understanding or judgment of the terrorist threat or Iraq policy.

[redqueen]

1. I don't know, but I think this is certainly an issue.

I think someone on here scolded me for talking bad about McSame for this earlier today. I'm still scratchin my head over that one.

[npincus]

2. I've been scolded about "ageism" here as well- f*ck that! This is too important

an issue- I dont want a doddering, senile WAR HAWK as POTUS! No frickin' way!!! It is as horrible as having a chimp in the Oval Office- been there done that, never again if we can help it.

It is a FAIR question.

[goclark]

21. It certainly is a fair question

and I am a Senior.

My memory is not nearly what it was before I got my SS card.

:(

And when I am tired, after a long plane trip, the jet lag is really different.

I remember the day when I would fly 5 hours on the red eye and go straight to work, I would be a little off my stride but not like now.

As a senior, I can say this: He looks old,he is going to be competing with a much younger man or woman and it counts! Add this Reagan like "word Assistance" and you have a man entirely too old to be President.

Get the visual ~ McCain debating Obama.
He doesn't have the communication skills nor the appearance of a vibrant candidate.

Standing with his Word Assistants, he is still not able to put his thoughts together.

On a stage with Obama, or Hillary, he would really look old.
But if they believe that he can win,I'm all for it--- I have more faith in America than electing McCain.

[npincus]

28. thanks, and I certainly do respect our seniors!

But a guy who kepts mumbling about imaginary al Qaeda in Iraq and has hot-pants for combat, scares the living crap out of me!

And all this GOP preoccupation with "unfinished business" that's decades old... Junior invading Iraq to finish Daddy's war and stuffing his Cabinet with Daddy's leftovers ... McCain riding aound on the "Straight Talk Express" II, trying a positive finish for the 2000 election... UGH... the country is so fed up with that crap it's astonishing that they wouldgo for McCain, but Dem infighting is making it happen!

Obama & McCain suporters can unite on this one. No (more) senile Republican presidents.

[CTyankee]

26. I agree and I am old (not as old as McCain, but not far from his age either).

My memory is definitely not what it used to be. I am retired and frankly, I don't think I could do what I did going to work day in and day out at this point.

We don't need an old, pink faced man with his finger on the trigger and mind clouded. It scares me...

[my3boyz]

3. I will admit that Obama

is not the strongest debater. However, he will clean McCain's clock during a debate. LOL Oh and my mom (approaching 60) keeps saying how old McCain looks. She asked me why doesn't he go sit down somewhere. LOL

[npincus]

6. Dems CANNOT politely dance around his issue... we need to put it out there NOW

plant the question, let McCain submit all of his medical reports and all "evidence" ofr his mental accuity... why the hell are Dems debating each other NOW... we will be opposing McCain with 100% certainty. That is THE subject.

[tpsbmam]

38. This is something that has to come from outside the party.....

Going after this can't be associated with the party or with the Dem candidates. This has to come essentially from people bring it up and throwing it out there and pushing it into the public eye. Want to piss off all of the voting seniors? Let our Dem candidates push this issue -- it'll do just that. As the campaign progresses and assuming he continues to make gaffes like these, I will certainly be bringing it up with everyone I think might even hint at a possibility of voting for McCain.

[latebloomer]

4. It does not bode well

that, after being corrected repeatedly, he continues to make the same mistake.

Here's hoping that his incapacity will become more and more plain.

[tblue37]

25. You mean like Cheney, who keeps conencting Iraq and 9/11,

Sadam and Al-Quaeda, no matter how often he is told it's not true? I don't know that it is senility--it could just be that they are lying f**ks, and they know their brain-dead base beleives that crap.

[GodlessBiker]

5. Yes, it's quite possible he's going senile.

[Blu Dahlia]

7. and before any prudes respond, what do you have against SCIENCE

Science has found that dementia can set in, starting in one's 60s.

It is a valid issue, and America cannot afford to be politically correct on this.

[JenniferJuniper]

8. I am,

so he must be.

Seriously, I thought the same thing when I saw that on KO last night. He's had an intense life; we should all do our part to allow him some peace in his twilight years.

[krawhitham]

9. at least his VP was there to correct him

[rucky]

10. I'd never considered him to be stable.

:shrug:

[spinbaby]

11. I think so

He's done some great things in his time, but now he's just a sad, senile old guy being used by his own party.

[TooBigaTent]

23. Name one. Losing a multi-million dollar aircraft and betraying your comrades

is not "great." Neither are corruption (Keating), moral hypocrisy (his marital history), war-mongering (pick an example), or ass-kissing (post 2000 in SC campaign).

The guy is pure shit. Period.

[RaleighNCDUer]

12. It's irrelevant.

Just as it is irrelevant if Bush is sane or not.

The real power will be behind the throne - currently it's Cheney. I'm very curious to see who his 1)VP, 2) SoS and 3)SoHS would be - because one of them will be the REAL president if he is elected.

[global1]

15. One Of Two Things Is Happening........

1. repeat something often enough and people will begin to believe - especially the ones that have fallen for the same stuff from GWB.

2. The Repugs like a figurehead at the helm - Reagan wasn't all too with it - especially in his waning years as president and GWB is just a complete idiot. What's important is the people behind the scenes pulling the strings. McCain is just a means to an end. The more senile the better for the Repugs - because he won't question those pulling the strings. In GWB's case - the more idiotic he is the better.

[ericgtr]

13. Keep in mind that November is still a ways off

If this is just now becoming evident it will snowball, it's already all over the news. Though I don't stand for his policies I do think that he is a genuinely good guy. In some ways I feel sorry for him, he is clearly having mental issues and I don't mean that at all in a demeaning way.

[frogcycle]

14. Either senile or just 'way over his head

He seems to me like someone who is trying to bluff through a presentation, interview, whatever when he just does not know the material.

This particular gaffe is because he picked up somewhere along the way that "bad guys" = "al queda".

So he started using the terms interchangeably, thinking that by using the right buzzword/catchphrase he'd appear erudite. Like someone who peppers their presentation with "paradigm shift", "mindshare", others of the like.

But his grasp of the issues is so shallow that he thinks muttering the right phrase is all that is needed. He has no idea of the depth and breadth of the job, any more than gwb did/does.

His remark that he doesn't understand the economy shows how far over his head he is - he didn't even realize that was an appalling admission. Oh, I know, presidents don't have to be professional econmists; that is what advisors are for, but thay have to at least know how to phrase the sentence when they demur. He is like a child.

I don't know if this is a recent deterioration or if he's always been this way. If the latter, then we can hope it won't get worse. If the former, then there should be alarm bells all over the place.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

16. "My friends. . . . where am I?"

[Georgie_92]

20. awwww lol.

[greyghost]

17. I spent enough years working in the mental health field to recognize

the symptoms of senility in my sleep. I would not venture to make a diagnosis over TV, however, he's presenting symptoms that bears CLOSE scrutiny

[Georgie_92]

18. Bless is heart, but yes it happens to best of us.

[angie_love]

19. Yes I sincerely think he is and I hope the media brings it up

How is he going to make important decisions if hes going senile?

[greyghost]

22. KO reported as much last night, lets see if the reporting snowballs.

I know his symptoms will.

[reggie the dog]

24. sorry to be crass

but he probably does this for his base, or perhaps he thinks like his voting base does, at any rate most of his base considers that a sand nigger is a sand nigger and they see no difference between Sunni and Shi'ite. To most of the Republican base they are just dune coons, towelheads, insert your racist word. He is repeating the lie to please his base.

[CTyankee]

27. Yep, that little band of idiots will be fine with McCain...n/t

[shraby]

29. I certainly noticed it some time ago. He is another

"bush" for them to run and control

[zulchzulu]

30. I still think the Repugs will take McCain down before the convention

Rumors that his cancer is returning as well as his slip up yesterday may be a reason he takes one for the Team. Their convention is in 9 months.

[npincus]

31. well, what then? Mitt returns?

I haven't heard the cancer rumor- where's that coming from?

[zulchzulu]

33. The cancer rumor is around some circles...could come out more later this year

As for Mitt, perhaps. As bizarre as it sounds right now, it might be DICK CHENEY or Jeb Bush... never underestimate these people...

[greyghost]

35. He's going to continue to faulter, it's the nature of the beast. The

more one watches him the more obivous it's going to become.

[depakid]

32. Observe his speech patterns and his pronunciation

which on occasion seems a little slurred.

It's not simply his increasingly questionable mental acuity and memory that give some this impression.

[greyghost]

34. Exactly

[ORDem]

36. Hey, c'mon, this isn't fair. I mean he's only like 10 in dog years. n/t

:rofl:

[meow mix]

37. I think that a Senilty Test should be asked for.. before he is allowed to take the Presidency.

i mean cmon...
that sort of problem is information voters need to know.

[Eurobabe]

41. I completely agree with you.

If the synapses are gummed up, we should know.

[Pachamama]

39. He reminded me of Reagan...Alzheimers?

Seriously...as he spoke...both in terms of the slowness and pace at his pronounciation of words, I thought how similar to Reagan he sounded.

Guess ole McCain is getting his wish and that he is becoming like Reagan....I think that senility or Alzheimers might be a serious issue to look at with this guy.

[Eurobabe]

40. If anyone is really paying attention, they will notice that

McLame is out of his mind. And he's not in the White House yet!!

Imagine for a second, and then vote for a Democrat. I pledge to. I was mad at HRC earlier, but I will be damned if I am going to let McHitler take 1600 Penna Ave.!!

[better tomorrow]

42. McBush Dementia....

[McCamy Taylor]

43. It could be related to his melanoma. He said he had no chemo or radiation, but still....

His behavior seemed to change after he was treated for his facial melanoma. Although they never specified the treatment he received, based upon what was disclosed in this, the most informative article I can find

http://www.cancerpage.com/news/article.asp?id=1529

Surgeons removed two melanomas in a five-and-a-half-hour operation Saturday (8/19/00) and preliminary evaluation of lymph nodes removed from around the primary melanoma showed they did not contain any melanoma cells.

The hospital said the primary melanoma, on McCain’s left temple, was removed with a two-centimeter wide margin. Then surgeons removed lymph nodes within the drainage pattern of the lesion, as shown by a nuclear tracer injected into the lesion in a procedure called sentinel lymphoscintigraphy performed prior to the operation. Removal of the lymph nodes entailed removal of the superficial portion of the left parotid gland, which contributes to saliva production.

The NYT recently did an article suggesting that some surgeons think the scar is too big to be the result of a stage II tumor (which is what the above surgery implies)

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/09/us/politics/09mccain.html?adxnnl=1&fta=y&pagewanted=all&adxnnlx=1206000319-mt+U9/leo6HMKANPN+qihQ

Since the 2008 campaign began, doctors not connected with Mr. McCain’s case have expressed intense interest in the extent of the face and neck surgery that he underwent on Aug. 19, 2000, at the Mayo Clinic Scottsdale in Arizona.

Some of these doctors have noted in e-mail messages and in comments to reporters that the surgery appeared to be so extensive that they were surprised his melanoma was not more serious — perhaps Stage III, which would give him a bleaker prognosis. These doctors said they would be surprised to learn that such an operation would be performed without evidence that the melanoma had spread.

Chemo Brain is unlikely since interferon is the only form of chemo usually given for melanoma and its side effects go away when you stop taking it. It is possible that he was put on an experimental protocol and no one was told about it, I guess, but it seems unlikely.

However, radiation induced brain damage is a possibility. If his melanoma was borderline between II and III the doctors might have gone ahead and done some radiation therapy that McCain did not want to talk about (since this would have indicated a worse prognosis tumor). XRAY therapy to the temple would have affected some important portions of the brain. Here are some possible side effects of radiation therapy.

http://her2support.org/a/wbrt.htm

Side effects of radiation therapy will depend on the type of radiation received, the amount of the surface of the brain targeted, the site targeted, and the total dose of radiation. In general, there will be hair loss, skin irritation, possible hearing problems, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and neurological effects. The most prevalent side effect is fatigue which is may last through treatment and for many months afterwards. The neurological effects most affecting quality of life are eventual permanent memory and speech problems. These are just a few of the problems that can develop.

I do not know if a problem like this is static (stays the same) or gets worse with time.

So, I would say that you need to add radiation injury to the brain as another possible reason for some speech and memory difficulty. Esp. that weird slurred speech that is new for him since 2000.

[npincus]

44. Randi talking about crazy, senile McCain now!

[Texas Hill Country]

45. no, they just buy into their own spin that extremists and al qaeda are all the same thing