GWB pre-senile dementia?

[jerryvov]

A fascinating column by Alex Beam in today's Boston Globe speculates about Dubya's deteriorating speech patterns and the possibilty it may trace to the onset of early Alzheimers...Beam ran the theory by a couple of physicians and the theory appears to have credible possibilities. What is it with republican presidents & senility, anyhow...? First Reagan, now Bush...?

check it out at:http://www.boston.com/news/globe/living/articles/2004/09/14/a_medical_cause_for_bushisms/

[alonso_quijano]

1. A doctor wrote in to the ATLANTIC speculating the same thing

Reprinted and discussed here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=103&topic_id=72823

[Nordic]

3. I just saw that in the Atlantic yesterday!

pretty damning stuff!

[Warpy]

2. It's Wernicke-Korsakoff

a neurological deterioration that shows up after years of heavy alcohol abuse. I don't see any signs of Alzheimer's, either. Alzheimer's is when you go out your front door to pick up the paper and forget where you live, even though you may be able to express yourself quite clearly when somebody asks you what is wrong.

Let's face it, the GOP loves them rich and stupid and unconcerned with the nitty gritty of running the country and not terribly curious about what their underlings are doing. Bush may possess normal intelligence, but he has never had to use it and isn't about to begin doing so now.

[maxsolomon]

4. see how broad minded the GOP is?

its you anti-senile liberal bigots who are the problem.

[Vickers]

8. lmao!

:toast:

[Eloriel]

5. Oh, he's demented all right

personally, I'm loathe to support any "excuses" for his depravity (other than his evil nature), but that's just me.

[lapislzi]

7. Thank you! Don't give the little fuckwit a bye!

It's just a step away from "awww...he can't help himself." People have been giving him byes his whole life.

[nuxvomica]

6. I think Mark Crispin Miller has it right

He suggests that Bush has an emotional block for expressions of compassion but no such problem with expressions of cruelty or punishment. Such a mindset may make him appear "strong" to voters but it may also be his Achille's heel in the debates if he is forced to discuss compassionate matters.

[maxsolomon]

9. well that better be kerry's plan

of course, exposing bush as the fraud he is will be spun as beating up on an alzheimer's sufferer.

he is a christian so no fair criticizing him!

[A_Possum]

10. There's definitely something off about Bush

Possibly he's sedated or something. It must be really frightening for him to realize that this time there's no safety net for his screw-ups.

However, the Globe guy ain't so hot with his vocabulary either. "Bootless" when he means "fruitless?"

And the snipe in the last sentence at Democrats seems...uncalled for.