Is McCain Getting Senile?

[qwlauren35]

Not all "seniors" are senile. I have no doubt that there are some people in their 70's who are frighteningly competent, astute, well spoken and completely in command of their lives, their businesses, and probably their constituencies.

But I'm not sure that the same can be said of McCain.

This isn't about AGE. It's about his cognitive abilities. And I think it's a question that needs to be on the table.

Heck, even the answer... "No, McCain is NOT Senile" - IF it's true, would be equally damning!
;-)

[Triana]

1. No..

...he's been that way for a while now.

[backscatter712]

2. Time to make signs with faux advertisements...

for anti-Alzheimers medication.

"Have you forgotten how many houses you own?"

"Did you forget the difference between Sunni and Shi'a Islam?"

"Are you no longer aware that the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia no longer exist?"

"Talk to your doctor about Seniligon!"

"(Side effects may include prostate enlargement, menstrual cramps, liberal ideas, critical thinking and demonic possession. Ask your doctor if Seniligon is right for you.)"

[LaStrega]

7. And Putin isn't 'President' of Germany. n/t

[backscatter712]

16. And the Miss Buffalo Chip contest is topless (and bottomless)

[LaStrega]

26. but[t] she's on her way to Georgia dagnabbit!

Mayhap she'll take lots of beer. :9 :P

[Radical Activist]

3. Running for President is taxing even for a young person.

I'm sure fatigue will set in even if he isn't going senile.

[thoughtcrime1984]

4. I find him to be something of a dullard. nt

[Kire]

5. What are the symptoms of senility?

Do you see any of them in McCain?

what does the last sentence even mean?

[qwlauren35]

9. I looked up some references.

Misplacing car keys. Not remembering a familiar name. Some people do become more forgetful as they get older. That's a normal part of aging. Alzheimer's disease is not.

Alzheimer's disease affects approximately 5 million people in the U.S. Over time, Alzheimer's disease gradually destroys a person's memory and ability to learn and carry out daily activities such as talking, eating, and going to the bathroom. As the disease progresses, individuals may also experience changes in personality and behavior. Unfortunately, there are no cures for Alzheimer's disease and there is no way to predict how fast someone will progress through the stages of the disease.9

Alzheimer's Disease: Progressing through Three Stages
In people with Alzheimer's disease, changes in the brain may begin 10 to 20 years before any visible signs or symptoms appear. Some regions of the brain may begin to shrink, resulting in memory loss, the first visible sign of Alzheimer's disease.

Over time, Alzheimer's disease progresses through three main stages: mild, moderate, and severe. Because it is not easy to look inside a living brain to see the damage Alzheimer's disease causes, these stages are characterized by a collection of signs and symptoms and behaviors the people with Alzheimer's disease experience.

Mild Alzheimer's Disease
People with mild symptoms of Alzheimer's disease often seem healthy, but they are actually having trouble making sense of the world around them. It often takes time for an observer to realize that something is wrong because the initial symptoms are often confused with changes that take place in normal aging. Symptoms and early signs of Alzheimer's disease may include:

Difficulty learning and remembering new information
Difficulty managing finances, planning meals, taking medication on schedule
Depression symptoms (sadness, decreased interest in usual activities, loss of energy)
Still able to do most activities such as driving a car
Gets lost going to familiar places

(from www.namenda.com)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here's my thought.

There is a misperception about the "normal forgetfulness that comes with age" and true cognitive deterioration from Alzheimers. However, the question "Does McCain have Alzheimers" is akin to "Are you still beating your wife." Just asking the question puts it in the headlines.

It's an ugly thing to do... something the "other side" might do. But given that they've asked if Obama is: patriotic, American, Muslim, married to a "bitter, angry black woman" and all the other things, I think it's quite fair to "ask" if McCain is senile, or has Alzheimers.

This is war.

[elleng]

15. Senility? Alzheimer's? Dementia?

Should we be 'careful' with our terms, 'nice' like dems like to think of ourselves, or nasty like reps? imo, go for it, this IS war.

senile = 1. showing a decline or deterioration of physical strength or mental functioning, esp. short-term memory and alertness, as a result of old age or disease.

2. of or belonging to old age or aged persons; gerontological; geriatric

[Kire]

24. well, it's a free country

but don't count on me to support this type of campaign.

[Ashy Larry]

6. McCain has always been a dumbass.

[mckara]

8. Hmmm... Ask Him a Simple Question, like...

How many houses do you own?

If he can't answer that, then he's probably senile.

:rofl:

[PatSeg]

10. I don't think he is all that healthy

and he's probably on quite a bit of medication. There are other people in their seventies who are sharp and active - Bill Moyers is 76 and I'd trust him with major decisions. Can't say I'd trust McCain. He really looks confused and frail.

[opihimoimoi]

11. Bullies usually fool peeps into believing the stories they tell

Gauge the stories and ya will know him

He tells dull stories and worse...dubious ones at that...

He is beyond senile''''he is hopelessly outta touch....never was in touch...locked in a time warp...always goes back to stories of his POW days...redundent level....overplayed to the point that I see McPOW used....7 months ago...ya never saw this...he has lost respect...

[BlooInBloo]

12. "getting"?

[Sherman A1]

20. Agreed and Well Said.

Me thinks you hit the nail on the head.

[Jennicut]

13. My Grandmother has the early signs of Alzheimer's

She forgets that she has taken medication, if she has eaten a meal, where she was earlier in the day. She forgets most of what happened in the day by the time night comes. She sometimes thinks I'm my cousin. Its not just old age. She is deteriorating fast at the age of 87. It is sad to watch. As for John McCain, perhaps he is senile but it seems to be getting worse. He just is not sharp at all, reminds me a bit of Reagan in his second term and we all know what happened there. McCain's pow injuries don't help him and I find it hard to watch him talk with that cancer growth thing on his face, he's a mess.

[elleng]

14. The question should be asked,

and probably will be, especialy if dems use his gaffes, as reps say they'll use Biden's gaffes, in ads.

[lutherj]

17. How dare you imply that McCain, a former POW, could somehow

be mentally unfit for command. This kind of speculation, McCain being a former POW, is simply outrageous, and should not be countenanced, when raised in regards to former POW's.

[qwlauren35]

18. Um.. in that case...

Can I pull out the PTSS issue? Maybe McCain has Post Traumatic Shock Syndrome. I hear it occurs to many Veterans, and even though they usually function rationally, at times, they have flashbacks and irrational responses.

I think it might be dangerous to have such a man in office.

Does McCain, a world famous POW, have flashbacks?
Does McCain, a known, courageous, well respected POW, have PTSS?

All that and more on Fox News at 11.

:-)

[backscatter712]

23. We dare well, thank you.

:evilgrin:

[Eurobabe]

19. getting?

already HAS BEEN for while showing signs of dementia. Just what this country needs another Raygun.

Cindy can read the astrology pages to determine who to bomb next.

[demwing]

21. If by "senile" you mean

"forgetting basic things" like his address, or whether stuff that he claims happened to him actually happened, or was taken from a famous novel, then perhaps. But if you also say "getting" when you really mean "For at least a year, McCain has been..." then yes. Absolutely.

McCain is "getting senile."

[Orsino]

22. We will never know.

Bubble Boy II's mental faculties are never taxed in his current job, and if he is installed in the White House he will receive the best care. They're well-practiced there at propping up spoiled rich boys.

[Bobbie Jo]

25. Perfect frame to hang on his VP pick....

Picture (insert loser of choice) as POTUS. :scared:

[davidpdx]

27. Many people have said he probably is suffering from PTSD

and/or Alzheimer's Disease which is sad. The truth his his mental and physical abilities SHOULD be an issue. If someone is not up to the task running in a campaign for president, then they don't deserve to win. McCain falls into this category.

[TexasObserver]

28. he's stripped a couple of gears

He's definitely flying impaired.