New Questions Over McCain's Health, Times Set To Report

[Faygo Kid]

Source: The Huffington Post

The New York Times will break new ground on the health of the presidential candidates and their running mates in a major expose set to be published in Monday's print edition.

Lawrence Altman -- the veteran Times reporter, George Polk Award winner, and one of the few medical doctors working as a full-time journalist -- has spent weeks working with the campaigns and medical professionals on the piece, sources say.

Much of the speculation centers on new questions about the status of John McCain's cancer raised by the story. The Washington Post reported last week that a growing number of doctors believe that McCain's melanoma is "more advanced than his physicians concluded and that the chance of recurrence is consequently higher."

But another peculiar facet of the Times story involves the McCain campaign's refusal, as of this weekend, to turn over Sarah Palin's medical information. . . .

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/19/new-york-times-publishing_n_136002.html

---

A reason to wake up on Monday besides DU's "Top 10 Conservative Idiots."

[bluestateguy]

1. There is a long history of presidents covering up serious health problems to voters

This goes back as far as Grover Cleveland secretly having a cancer tumor removed; Wilson's stroke; FDR's paralysis; JFK's Addison's disease and Reagan's failing memory leading to Alzheimer's in his second term.

[olddad56]

22. not to mention the labotomy that W had to have had.

[faulknercindy]

27. You know what the sad fact of that is

the idiot hasn't had a lobotomy.. ain't that scary... when it is so obvious that he needs one....it could't make him any dumber...

[HopeHoops]

47. And his booze-soaked liver - does anyone really believe he isn't drunk 24x7?

[alfredo]

63. He also has Anal/Cranial Adhesion.

[stlsaxman]

2. I keep looking at that lump on his left jaw... a tumor perhaps?

for his sake i pray to God it's not.

[Warpy]

5. Scar tissue, apparently

He has a scar adjacent to it that goes from his hairline down into his neck. It wasn't just a little local operation, it was a big deal.

[DianeG5385]

12. It's partially due to Edema (accumulation of fluids) due to removal of lymph nodes

actually around 30 around the cancer site. He had a pretty aggressive surgery to make sure of no recurrence and since the lymph nodes act as the bodies "cleaning system" it's harder for fluids to dissipate. My sister has this issue in her left arm, it's common in cancer patients.

[AndyTiedye]

21. It is an Alien LIfe Form

Have you seen Babylon 5? It's one of those Shadow minions.

[Gore1FL]

32. Hahahahha

John McCain has a "Keeper" alright. It's name is Steve Schmidt!

[Posteritatis]

64. ... Now I want someone to ask McCain who he is and what he wants at a press conference (nt)

[jimshoes]

3. I find this interesting...

"But another peculiar facet of the Times story involves the McCain campaign's refusal, as of this weekend, to turn over Sarah Palin's medical information. . . ."

What could she be hiding?

[Trajan]

6. Personally: I still dont buy her baby story ... I dont believe she is the mother ....

And I think her medical records would expose that fact ....

My opinion ....

[kestrel91316]

10. My money is on an abortion somewhere in there, too. LOL

[jberryhill]

37. Not funny, and we don't need to know...

Yes, she went to college in Hawaii, and then left because she didn't like "the weather". Ummmm... yeah, in Hawaii... coming from Alaska.

That said, if she had an abortion when she was younger, it's not anything that anyone needs to know about.

[depakid]

50. Under the circumstances, we certainly DO need to know

it goes directly to credibility and character, since this is a person who would force EVERY woamn to carry a fetus to term- no matter what the circumstances of its conception- and no matter how severely disabled it might be.

Her position is so extreme, that while mayor of Wasilla, she made victims pay for their own rape kits (which one might speculate has something to do with the morning after pill).

Given everything else that's turned up, my bet is that this petty, vindictive fundamentalist has something more to hide.

[jberryhill]

51. Yes, her position is extreme - which is enough

You either believe that abortion is a confidential choice or you don't.

I believe it is a private choice and, in your view, only one that can hurt women politically, but not men.

It is no more relevant that Obama's experimentation with drugs when he was young.

One need not search far to find a character issue with Governor Palin, and one certainly need not search between her legs for one.

[jb5150]

14. 666...

on her scalp?

[subchicagogal]

17. Trajan - I agree with you 100% n/t

[Raschel]

19. That story is way too weird. Something not right there.

[glinda]

28. I agree

[sueh]

31. I'm in complete agreement, Trajan.

[CoffeeCat]

35. I have never bought that baby story, either...

...and I never will.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

40. I've heard people say that same thing about Obama claiming to be a Christian.

They just don't believe him. I really wish we would take the high road here.

David

[Trajan]

46. Hey .... We are all human ....

When it comes to matters of paternity and even maternity, one might be allowed a little latitude, considering human weakness tends to show itself often here ...

What can I say : I dont believe it ..... You want to believe her ? ... fine .. go ahead ...

And what the hell ... Do you REALLY want me to believe her, even if I am inclined NOT to ?

Just say the word: And I will believe her .... just for you ....

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

53. I guess that's what I'll tell the repugs.

[mitchum]

52. Your concern is noted

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

54. Thank you for your support.

[Trajan]

58. YOUR concern is noted ...

My opinion isnt necessarily a concern ... but just an opinion ...

In fact: I would now ask that you define my 'concern' ... and make it clear that I'm 'concerned' about anything ....

I am also of the opinion that chocolate ice cream is the best, and vanilla ice cream is not as good : is that also a 'concern' ?

Will you note THAT concern ?

[mitchum]

59. I wasn't replying to you..

I believe that you and I share suspicions (not concerns)

peace,
mitchum

[Trajan]

60. Oops .... a THOUSANDS pardons, Maestro ....

I misread the post level .....

Peace Indeed .....

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

66. Your suspicions are duly noted.

[HopeHoops]

48. Water breaks - solution? Fly to Alaska from Dallas - Riiiiiggghhhhtttt!

[Barrett808]

56. Did she fly commercial? I thought airlines wouldn't let near-term women fly...

Her story seems quite unlikely.

[Kalifornia.Kid]

11. "Palin Pregnancy Cover-up Rumors Resurfaces"

Daughter Bristol is really carrying baby #2.

[jacobfloyd]

13. cosign

[tavalon]

36. Bingo!

You are smart!

[napi21]

4. Does that mean none of the article will be available online?

I can't dive anymore, and in Gainesville, Ga. I have no idea where I'd find a copy of the NYT? I know cspan has links to various MYT articles via their web site. I wonder if it will be there?

[Faygo Kid]

7. No, everything in the Times is now online.

They charged for much of their stuff for about two years, but it didn't work out.

It will be on line.

[napi21]

9. OH GOOD! When do they usually post their info? Some online

sites posts shortly after midnight in THEIR time zone, but I never chacked newspapers.

[elleng]

23. Usually around midnight

EDT.

[napi21]

34. Thanks a lot. I usually stay up pretty late so I'll check it out. n/t

[elleng]

38. Here 'tis:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/20/us/politics/20health.html?hp

[zelta gaisma]

8. Rumours?

I had heard something the other day that I was wondering if anyone had heard officially. Is McCain having mini-strokes due to stress? If he were would he still be eligible to run? Is this why they keep emphasizing Palin as President?

[glinda]

29. I have thought that mini-strokes

was a strong possibility or Alzheimer's or Dementia. The reason being his statements that are so absurd, his jumping up and down in crowds to look at cameras which is totally immature and his word goof ups. I also think the face making and tongue sticking out times should be a heads up.

[rocktivity]

15. Bad news, Faygokid--no Idiots this week

From the current Idiot's list:

Due to the imminent arrival of my first child - he's expected in just a few days time - the Top 10 is going on hiatus next week, and will likely not return until after the election. If all goes well then the next time I write the list we'll be just a few weeks away from the end of this eight-year-long Republican nightmare, and looking towards a brighter future.

:(
rocknation

[Faygo Kid]

16. Oh yeah, I forgot. There will still be idiots, but they won't be called out here.

That's OK. I guess the birth of a first child is a somewhat decent excuse.

No more of that for the second one, though!

[Olney Blue]

18. His age alone is cause for concern IMHO.

And I say this as a non-Spring chicken myself.

[central scrutinizer]

20. they've got some "splaining to do

and when you're 'splainin', you're losin'

[Amerigo Vespucci]

24. "...three hours to go over 1,200 pages of records, the pages weren't numbered..."

From your link:

McCain's campaign says it has released all of the information needed to make a thorough assessment of his health, and then some. In late May, the Senator allowed the vetting of over 1,000 pages of his records that showed him in generally good condition despite having skin cancer eight years ago. But the process was far from transparent.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN's medical correspondent who was one of only a handful of reporters allowed into the review, summarized the problems recently to the Huffington Post:

"We were given three hours to go over 1,200 pages of records. That is a lot to go through. It was very sort of cloak and dagger and I'm sure they had their reasons. Given that I had my medical training, I was able to hone in on what it thought was important more quickly. But the pages weren't numbered, so I had no way of knowing what was missing... As a reporter I can only comment on what I saw but I can't say by any means that this was complete... As far as the secretiveness of it, what they said to us is that you can't take anything out of the room, but you could make notes. So it was a lot to go through in a short period of time."

The Washington Post reported last week that McCain's campaign refused to turn over additional documents for its story.

[GardeningGal]

25. I find it very odd that they won't/haven't released Palin's health

records. It begs the question, "why not"? To me, it only fuels the speculation about her 6 month old son.

She's only 44 and would presumably be in good health since she clearly takes care of herself and is a runner. It's very odd.

[zelta gaisma]

26. maybe not...

Maybe not so odd, taking a look at the time line around the birth of "her" 6 month old son any mother will tell you it looks VERY fishy. So the question it's begging to you is the right one (IMHO) the whole thing SCREAMS funny business.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

41. Repubs say the same thing.

About Obama's trip to Indonesia and Pakistan during his college years. It just screams Muslim funny business. Aren't we above this behavior?

David

[zelta gaisma]

45. naaah

naaaah it keeps the pre-election boredom away and unlike the Obama = Muslim thing. Palin would have actually had to have been pregnant for the kid to have been hers. You don't stand there at 6 months + pregnant with a flat tummy.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

55. Nothing quite like the low road, eh.

[zelta gaisma]

61. YUP! I'm thinking a new SNL skit here!

[Gap Spanner]

30. Cover Up for Sarah?

Why not release those records? The other three did, Obama, Biden and McCain (though McCain rushed people through them quickly through some 1,200 pages of unorganized material). The only reason at this point to refuse is to hide something.

There have been a lot of rumors about her baby, about it not being hers, about her decision to fly home to Alaska while in labor, etc. Whatever they're hiding, it's sure to be more damaging than the speculation that keeping it secret will cause.

Personally, I don't think it's her baby. I met Palin in her Anchorage office building in January, when she was supposed to be 5 months pregnant. She sure looked thin to me then. I could be wrong, but I've seen a lot of women at the 5-month stage and they're all showing signs - bumps, water retention, something.

Maybe I'm just suspicious by nature and I KNOW I don't trust politicians, but Sarah is at the bottom of a rotten barrel.

[karynnj]

65. It depends

My mom never looked pregnant until near the 7th month and looked slender a month or two after each of us. People knew I was pregnant at about 3 months. It varies

[Gore1FL]

33. I agree this needs further investigation

But I have to admit I am skeptical about a long distance evaluation of this as much as I was of Sen Frist's video evaluation of Terri Schiavo.

[beac]

39. Article is up online!

Many Holes in Disclosure of Nominees’ Health

By LAWRENCE K. ALTMAN, M.D.
Published: October 19, 2008

Fifteen days before the election, serious gaps remain in the public’s knowledge about the health of the presidential and vice-presidential nominees. The limited information provided by the candidates is a striking departure from recent campaigns, in which many candidates and their doctors were more forthcoming.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/20/us/politics/20health.html?pagewanted=1&_r=3&hp

[bertman]

42. They won't release Palin's records because they'll show that she's the host for an ALIEN.

Sorry Sigourney, you're out of a job.

[olddad56]

43. they won't turn over Sarah Palin's medical records because she...

had gender reassigment surgery in the 80s and is really Sirhan Palin, an son that John McCain had out of wedlock in between his first wife and Cindy.

[rcrush]

44. Remember when President Bartlett tried to hide his MS?

[Maeve]

49. That would probably be THIS article

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/20/us/politics/20health.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
The Doctor’s World
Many Holes in Disclosure of Nominees’ Health
By LAWRENCE K. ALTMAN, M.D.
Published: October 19, 2008

Fifteen days before the election, serious gaps remain in the public’s knowledge about the health of the presidential and vice-presidential nominees. The limited information provided by the candidates is a striking departure from recent campaigns, in which many candidates and their doctors were more forthcoming.

In past elections, the decisions of some candidates for the nation’s top elected offices to withhold health information turned out to have a significant impact after the information came to light. This year, the health issue carries extraordinary significance because two of the four nominees have survived potentially fatal medical problems that could recur.
<more>

[machI]

57. They're concerned about his cancer coming back? The old goat is a heartbeat away from Alzheimer's

McCain's 'senior moments' are more than just a concern, they could have serious consequences if he has one at the wrong time during an international crises.

Vote Obama.

[paparush]

62. I think McCain is on anti-psychotic meds. I think he has Tardive Dyskinesia

The eye twitch (blinking), the tongue rolling, the jerky-jittery shoulders/head/neck.

I think his nervous system has been damaged by anti-psychotic meds.