Reagan exhibited signs of Alzheimer’s while still in White House, son claims

[Turborama]

Source: Raw Story

By Stephen C. Webster
Friday, January 14th, 2011 -- 2:19 pm

The son of President Ronald Reagan suggests in an as-yet-unpublished book that his father was exhibiting the tell-tale signs of Alzheimer's disease while still serving as President of the United States.

Alzheimer's disease is a brain condition that interferes with memory and behavior, which usually starts small and develops into a debilitating form of dementia.

Ron Reagan's book, titled "My Father at 100," was to mark what would have been President Reagan's 100th birthday on Feb. 6, 2011. President Reagan died in June 2004.

But his son, who's identified himself as a liberal and an atheist, wrote that in 1984, as his father went on to become the oldest president ever reelected at age 74, the younger Reagan began to "experience the nausea of a bad dream coming true" with regards to his father's mental condition.

He'd already suspected "something beyond mellowing" had begun to affect President Reagan and characterized his debate performance against Democratic nominee Walter Mondale as "fumbling," "lost," "tired and bewildered."

Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/01/president-reagan-exhibited-signs-alzheimers-white-house-son-claims/

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Something that had been suspected for a long time, interesting to hear it from a member of his own family, though.

[Peregrine Took]

1. I heard or read that in 1983 he started showing symptoms. n/t

[sinkingfeeling]

2. Really? I said that in 1986!

[rurallib]

11. I remember stories of his sleeping through cabinet meetings

in the '83 frame. Most of my friends had concluded Alzheimer's before the election of '84.

[Frustratedlady]

3. I thought it was pretty obvious he was either into dementia or Alzheimer's

quite a while before he left office.

Nancy had to help him with answers, for one.

[elocs]

4. Yes, I read about that here this morning:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x591941

[niyad]

5. when it was finally confirmed, I called a friend in CA to ask, "are you and I the only ones who knew

he had it when he was governor?"

[ElsewheresDaughter]

6. his son isn't they only saying this

[Skittles]

7. hardly a revelation

[Gormy Cuss]

8. Actually, it is a revelation to have someone who knew him so well make that admission.

If it was obvious to his son, it was obvious to his inner circle. When are any of those cowards going to admit it? Once they admit it, they'll have to fess up about who was really running the show.

[LibDemAlways]

10. I think Reagan was pretty much a figurehead from the day he first took

office - a genial know nothing who let others run the show for him behind the scenes.

[supernova]

12. Isn't that what all good repub prezes are?

Convenient figureheads.

[Ernesto]

18. Don't forget the chimp.... nt

[Golden Raisin]

20. I don't think he was so "genial".

He union-busted (among other things) with relish and zest that seemed genuine. His B-movie career experience made him very good at acting and projecting avuncular and grandfatherly geniality. Underneath he was an SOB.

[LibDemAlways]

28. I should have qualified that. Yes, the genial persona was fake. He

was an actor, after all. But you are right. He was responsible for some nasty shit. I still think he was largely a feeble guy who let others take the reins of power while he napped.

[WatchWhatISay]

27. And the experiment worked so well they tried it again in 2000

With W

[Jefferson23]

9. Validation...I always liked this guy Ron..intelligent fellow. n/t

[supernova]

13. Many of us thought so at the time

But it is nice to have validation from a family member, nonetheless.

I applaud Ron Reagan for his truth.

[ehrnst]

14. A family member that worked in the WH said as much back then. (nt)

[rurallib]

15. You won't hear it from right-wing boy Michael

IIRC Michael and the Prez weren't speaking in those days

[defendandprotect]

31. Isn't he a right winger?

[rurallib]

41. very much so.

Ron Jr. is a lib. Michael is trading on the Reagan name and a real extreme righty.

[unblock]

16. in a related story, the sun rose in the east.

interesting how republicans can diagnose and give prognoses for comatose patients based on a brief videotape, and can evaluate the mental status of mass murderers based on conflicting news reports, but they can't identify flagrantly obvious age-related mental deterioration in a president.

reagan's most obvious signs of diminished capacity was that his public appearances became fewer, further between, shorter, and more tightly controlled. if the "great communicator" isn't communicating, it's because his handlers know he's not up to it.

[Kip Humphrey]

17. and who didn't know this? ...certainly by '86 it was pretty obvious

as was that good ol' GHW bush was running things behind the scenes. Still, its good to have it out in the open now. Maybe now some critical thinker will ask the question, "Who was running things, then?".

[Iliyah]

19. Lord have mercy

everybody and their mother knew this.

[Bigmack]

21. My favorite joke at that time...

Ron and Nancy go into their favorite restaurant for dinner.

When the waiter comes, he asks for her order... "Cordon Bleu Chicken, please, with a small garden salad."

The waiter says... "...and the vegetable?"

Nancy: "Oh, he'll just have his usual steak and mashed potatoes."

[Altoid_Cyclist]

22. I've mentioned this story before, but since it pertains to this OP....

My Dad was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimers while RR was in his first term as President.

We were visiting Dad at the Nursing Home one day and St. Ronny was on the TV. My Dad looked at the screen and said: I know that my mind is getting worse, but I'm still in better shape than that stupid SOB!

Last time that we ever smiled when we saw Dad....

[Tempest]

23. The worst kept secret in the world

Everybody in the world knew he was senile and that Nancy and his inner circle were running the show.

[jorno67]

24. I always thought

that his memory loss was due to Iran-Contra

[KamaAina]

25. Didn't Nancy et al. basically admit that some time before he died?

:shrug:

[greyghost]

26. If anyone doubts it, then why was Howard Baker running the country...

throughout Reagans entire second term?

[defendandprotect]

30. Actually, after the shooting, many say Poppy Bush became president.....

[hamerfan]

34. I always thought

Donald Regan was the power behind the throne. After Al Haig, that is.

[defendandprotect]

38. Can see you point ... but I'm sticking with CIA as the "power behind the throne" .... ??? !!!

:)

[defendandprotect]

29. Others have also reported that ... Dr. Helen Caldicott, for one .... in speaking with Reagan

trying to warn him of environmental dangers --

don't recall specifically -- atomic weapons? -- but she commented

that he was so "ungetting" that she felt very weird.



Helen Caldicott
Dr Helen Caldicott leads an international campaign to educate the public about the medical hazards of the nuclear age, and the changes in human behavior necessary to stop ...
helencaldicott.com - Cached

[SoapBox]

32. Did Bush and Cheney have the same thing going on before they left?

...does that explain the toilet they left America in?

[Lil Missy]

33. file that under "No Shit"

[demigoddess]

35. a lot of us noticed it while he was in office and wished

that his people would have done something. But then of course, they would have been out of the jobs as '___ to the president'.

[devilgrrl]

36. Yes Ron - we already knew!!!

No mystery there.

[lfairban]

37. I read "Landslide" years ago

". . . he was so out of touch that incoming Chief of Staff Howard Baker actually considered whether the constitutional provision for removing an incapacitated President might have to be invoked!"

From a review found here:

http://www.amazon.com/LANDSLIDE-PA-Jane-Mayer/dp/0395517575

IIRC, Reagan spent most of his second term in the residential wing of the WH watching football games.

[jobycom]

39. He also exhibited signs of being a racist dungball and stupid as a stump. I don't need his son

to confirm those facts, either.

[rooboy]

40. If Thom Hartmann reads this thread he can comment...

but I recall him mentioning on his show a few years ago that he knew a lawyer who deposed Reagan during the Iran-Contra scandal. According to Thom, the lawyer said that when Reagan answered (I think it was 140 times) \'I can\'t remember\', he was being serious. It was quite apparent to the deposing lawyer that the lights were on but nobody was home.