On the basis that we are actually paying for the health care of candidates for office we should demand to know if there is anything fragile about their health, especially their mental health.

Republicans made sure that a vice presidential candidate was removed from the running because he had once been under care for a mental illness.

But now that their candidate is under scrutiny, they think it is unfair or too nosy to ask about his current case of a dangerous cancer?

Well, isn't that special!

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GET IT!

SO WHEN YOU HAVE A CHOICE BETEEN YOUNG AND BRILLIANT AND OLD WITH ONE FOOT ON THE BANANNA PEEL WHICH ONE SHOULD WE PICK?

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It is common knowledge that medical information is a private mattter between a patient and their doctor. I don't think it's any business of the American people to know the health condition of a presidential candidate. The primary reason you folks want to know about McCain's health is because we're freaked out at the prospect of Sarah Palin having her finger on the atomic bomb button. If McCain dies in office, he dies in office.

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All these presidential physical exams are just more junk-food for the American electorate. They are released at carefully chosen times in the selection process and usually by their own family doctors. John McCain even went so far as to restrict access to his records to a few people who could not record the information they saw, and they could only see the documents which were presented, and that release was only for one three hour period, the day before a major summer holiday.

It’s not like we haven’t had problems with presidents that physical exams might have detected before the voters were asked to cast their ballots. That’s been a fairly common occurrence over the past several occupants of the White House.

This is not a problem unique to politics. Any one aspiring to military service is required to pass a standardized physical exam. So are our policemen and firefighters. Bus drivers and airplane pilots are other jobs requiring standardized physical exams before the aspirant can even qualify to apply for those positions.

Being president of the United Sates is arguably at least as important as being a policeman, firefighter, bus driver or airplane pilot. It seems amazing that our country doesn’t have proper requirements already in place and require all candidates to submit themselves to such examination by qualified and INDEPENDENT physicians.

Dare we go further and suggest mental and emotional examinations? Why not? The military requires comprehensive physical, mental and emotional examinations (and passing them!) for any officer whose job will be connected with the delivery of nuclear weapons. All that “delivery”, by the way, is totally dependent upon an order from the ONLY member of that chain of command who has not passed such examinations.

Obviously we can’t put this is place before this election, not now, but we could begin such a national interest safeguard and require that it be in place some time in the future. The year 2012 might be good, or even 2010 as a trial run. We could even grandfather those already in office, but we do need to begin the process. Finally, should this be extended to members of congress and Supreme Court Justices? Why not? I like the idea.

PrettyPenny

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John McCain is a loose cannon who is UNFIT to fly and UNFIT to command. For proof, consider the following news report that was published yesterday by the Los Angeles Times.

Three crashes early in his career led Navy officials to question or fault his judgment.

By Ralph Vartabedian and Richard A. Serrano, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers

October 6, 2008

John McCain was training in his AD-6 Skyraider on an overcast Texas morning in 1960 when he slammed into Corpus Christi Bay and sheared the skin off his plane's wings.

McCain recounted the accident decades later in his autobiography. "The engine quit while I was practicing landings," he wrote. But an investigation board at the Naval Aviation Safety Center found no evidence of engine failure.

The 23-year-old junior lieutenant wasn't paying attention and erred in using "a power setting too low to maintain level flight in a turn," investigators concluded.

The crash was one of three early in McCain's aviation career in which his flying skills and judgment were faulted or questioned by Navy officials.

In his most serious lapse, McCain was "clowning" around in a Skyraider over southern Spain about December 1961 and flew into electrical wires, causing a blackout, according to McCain's own account as well as those of naval officers and enlistees aboard the carrier Intrepid. In another incident, in 1965, McCain crashed a T-2 trainer jet in Virginia.

After McCain was sent to Vietnam, his plane was destroyed in an explosion on the deck of an aircraft carrier in 1967. Three months later, he was shot down during a bombing mission over Hanoi and taken prisoner. He was not faulted in either of those cases and was later lauded for his heroism as a prisoner of war.

As a presidential candidate, McCain has cited his military service -- particularly his 5 1/2 years as a POW. But he has been less forthcoming about his mistakes in the cockpit.

The Times interviewed men who served with McCain and located once-confidential 1960s-era accident reports and formerly classified evaluations of his squadrons during the Vietnam War. This examination of his record revealed a pilot who early in his career was cocky, occasionally cavalier and prone to testing limits.

In today's military, a lapse in judgment that causes a crash can end a pilot's career. Though standards were looser and crashes more frequent in the 1960s, McCain's record stands out.

"Three mishaps are unusual," said Michael L. Barr, a former Air Force pilot with 137 combat missions in Vietnam and an internationally known aviation safety expert who teaches in USC's Aviation Safety and Security Program. "After the third accident, you would say: Is there a trend here in terms of his flying skills and his judgment?"

Naval aviation experts say the three accidents before McCain's deployment to Vietnam probably triggered a review to determine whether he should be allowed to continue flying. The results of the review would have been confidential.

The Times asked McCain's campaign to release any military personnel records in the candidate's possession showing how the Navy handled the three incidents. The campaign said it would have no comment.

End of L.A Times extract.

One more thing for NEW AlterNet visitors. If you are an undecided voter, learn the truth about Unfit McCain and his so-called "heroic" war record by clicking on: Vote Against McCain (one of the HOTTEST anti-McCain sites on the Web)

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When I was screened to be considered to become a US Peace Corps Volunteer in 1985 I had to prove my technical capacity, pass a medical exam as well as endure several queries about my relationships and my close friends were questioned. This was to spend 2 years in Africa volunteering for under 80 dollars per month! To ask them same of the US president is not too much is it? I mean 1 in 7 volunteers at that time did not make it--and most were in their 20s--who is to say if McSame could pass such a test???

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My wife, a breast cancer survivor, thinks she sees in McCain certain cognitive/affect traits characteristic of a residual consequence of chemotherapy with which she has personal experience such as forgetfulness, stumbling over words, multitasking, and emotional lability. Here's what Google turned up this morning on the subject:

WebMD Oct. 7, 2008

April 21, 2008 -- Scientists have discovered that a popular chemotherapy drug affects healthy brain cells long after treatment ends. It's a finding that provides further validation to the millions of Americans who develop long-term cognitive problems after receiving the cancer-killing medication.

Many cancer survivors report short-term memory loss and difficulty concentrating during and shortly after treatment, but for some the problems linger.

Until recently, doctors told cancer patients who developed memory loss, seizures, vision problems, and dementia that their ailments -- collectively dubbed "chemo brain" -- resulted from treatment-related fatigue, depression, and anxiety.

Reporting in the April 22 issue of Journal of Biology, researcher Mark Noble, PhD, director of the University of Rochester Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Institute, links the drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) to extensive damage among specific groups of cells in the central nervous system; 5-FU is a widely used chemotherapy drug that has been a part of America's cancer-killing arsenal for more than 40 years. It is prescribed for those with a variety of cancers [cut].

After months of exposure, the drug caused considerable damage to central nervous system cells called oligodendrocytes and the dividing stem cells from which they developed.

The findings suggest that the drug directly targets oligodendrocytes. Oligodendrocytes produce myelin, the fatty substance that helps insulate and protect nerve-conducting fibers. Without adequate myelin, normal nerve signaling is disrupted.

The team's findings parallel observations of earlier studies involving cancer survivors with cognitive difficulties in which brain scans revealed a loss of myelination.

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Not really understanding the enfatuation with rifling through his medical records. Eight years post therapy--in general--means they had it out of him before it spread.

I think you can make a far better argument against McCain based on his temperament, voting record, platform and policies versus his decision not to post his medical file on the googles for your personal pleasure. I mean, I get it--you don't like McCain (neither do I) and everything he does is wrong. I humbly suggest he does somethings more wrong than others, and you're misplacing your fervor going after his medical records.

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Watch the video:

http://www.bankingonheaven.com/

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There is a lot of talk about McCain's melanoma. All of us- but especially leaders- need to have at least some mental status eval in our perioidic exams.. Is the CNS not part of us?

I wrote a blog last March on this topic- Scroll down to March 7, 2007

Thanks!

Dr. Rick Lippin
Southampron,Pa
ralippin@aol.com

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It can spread to lungs, liver and brain. It obviously bipassed the first two judging by John McCains actions.

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Ever wonder why these sleezbag corporate right wing lunatics, handlers and groomers want to run old empty skulls full of mush candidates (Reagan, Bush jr, McCain)? Empty, vacant, hollow conduit pipes or psycho channelers to do all the "corporate massas" evil bidding via a dumb zombie lacky "Executive".

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McCain's melanoma is probably going to kill him before his Parkinson's Disease does. I don't believe he has Alzheimer's, but given the lags in his speech and limited body mobility he looks like someone with Parkinson's. Yes, I know he was a POW, but he was perfectly capable of normal arm and hand movements until the past few years.

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How about giving McCain and Palin a written test (no filling in the bubbles) on Our Constitution and publishing their answers for all to see and evaluate? They would have no prep time, they would be timed, and they would have to write their responses using pen and paper while being proctored to make sure they don't cheat.

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what is the truth to the rumor that mccain is sufferring advanced phases of syphlis?

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Brothers & Sisters:

“It’s a no brainer… FAMILY 1ST , - then the nation, I‘m talking from first hand experience!“. My big brother made perfectly clear on our way home after watching Religuous & Eagle Eye.
On the other hand, is Eagle Eye, a movie about an evil eye (computer) out to blow up our congressional House with a “crystal bomb” that can only be activated by a sweetart (kid with trumpet) hitting the right shrill note. Without giving the PLOT (F.I.S.A. - Freedom of Information Surveillance Act} ) of the movies away, I will return to my down to earth big brother who is more concerned about smelling the blossoms along the way, than seeing where they came from.
Wow what a family intervention, that constant angry/evil left blinking eye and that contentious tone of hate for his opponent from the presidential debate as I tuned in, and turned on to what was being said as I got home - mixed with those emotional movies of the reality of our present circumstances that we are currently buried in - deciding on what political party to choose for a secure economic/political future. I made my decision after watching that “pit bull with lipstick” gold digging to become the first female prez after Mc’Pain goes to the promised land from the CANCER of HATE now consuming him.
This guy, who was never my LEGISLATIVE friend, wants his pension and title in our history knowing full well he won’t outlive the next four years all the while leaving us with his vengeful poison pill, that cheerleading sweetart for oil. I guess he thinks its FUNNY as did “that” other eight year BUSHwacker who selected Darth Cheney (always ready - shotgun in his bunker manipulator) as a toxic afterthought (like another never ending war).
However, McPain really got my attention when he said “that one” it reminded me of the GoOP code word/language for “dem” (“civil right” democratic troublemakers) and that condescending tone directed at someone fully capable but despised due to less seniority (Drucker‘s “Peter Principle“) and color .
Yes, we & McPain have something in common, only in that we watched that old 70’s sitcom “That Girl”, of an aspiring ditsy actress making altruistic waves in youthful exuberance for a funnier brighter future! I would vote for my older brother or her before I would vote for more pain/gold digging and luckily I have a better choice with an educated half white man! Something we don’t really know about Barack!
Yes, a white man - half African. I was made in the US Army and born in a military base called Camp Zama with a white dad from Indiana and an Asian mother from Japan. I’m white with Asian overtones - an American/Japanese. Just as he sounds white with African overtones - White/African! This is the 21st Century where we can communicate on that black box that can store info forever, transported over the wire at the speed of light in our World Wide MONITORED Web with no reference to race or cute looks (N.S.A. - WINK that evil eye)!
Last of all , this takes me to our gutsy gay mistress Cher and her song “Half Breed” and that never ending struggle to justify pedigree or social status. Just ponder when you mix two sub species and you get a Hybrid and what these breeds can do for your gas mileage! Don’t mix your personal prejudicial preferences with your projecting hateful discrimination - this is AMERICA, the land of the free -
for truth, justice & the American Way (Superman another extraterrestrial hybrid! ). Let’s now go to Cheryl Crow and her song “Change will do ya good”). Is there a happy tone to our future bleakness (singing that eight year old - Same old Gobbledygoop terrorizing song?) or can we really enjoy the fresh oncoming change/smell of happiness blooming?
Just ask my big brother, he always knows what it‘s like - before I do!

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