So if McCain has Alzheimers, here's what my partnerjust said

[crappyjazz]

I'm Canadian and my partner who moved up here to be with me from the US said this:

"But hon, you don't understand how dumb we are, all the republicans have to do is say that he can remember most things, that Palin can help him with what he doesn't remember, that his POW days caused the alzheimers and that OMG Reagan had Alzheimers too" .... and the American public will be saying "awww what a trooper! what a maverich! running with Alzheimers! go get 'em Mac!"

Why do I fear that she is right?

:puke:

[zanne]

1. I wouldn't go that far.

I think alot of Republicans put up with his anger problem by calling him "feisty", but you can't put a good spin on Alzheimer's. We're stupid, yes, but not that stupid.

[qanda]

2. I can sense that there would be an immense amount of sympathy for McCain

Gosh, I feel sympathy for him and I hate him.

[TwilightGardener]

3. I don't know, I think this time people will think twice about putting

yet another brain-addled son of a bitch in office, but you never can tell.

[SmokingJacket]

4. I don't think she's right.

Americans are scared of Alzheimers. It's one thing to be old, if you don't really act like it. Then it's charming and hopeful -- we think, Hey, maybe i'll be a cool oldie like that too!

But Alzheimers is terrifying. Americans won't want anything to do with someone who has it. We think they should all be locked away in nursing homes. Sad commentary on the intolerance of Americans, but I think it's true.

[Love Bug]

15. Theres is a good reason why Alzheimer's patients are locked up in nursing homes

It's for their own protection. My mother died from Alzheimer's in 2002. Before she went into the nursing home she tried to do things like cook meals on the stove in plastic. She would also try to heat her meals on wheels lunch, which came wrapped in foil, in the microwave. Thank God she never decided to take a walk at 3 a.m. in her nightgown in the middle of Winter, but those things have happened. It's all part of the sad deterioration of judgment for people who basically become like toddlers.

Believe me, putting Mom in the nursing home was one of the hardest things we ever had to do, but we knew it was the only way to keep her safe. Even living with her and having someone stay with her during the day was no guarantee because it's not possible to "adult-proof" a home.

[SmokingJacket]

18. Oh, I'm sorry you had to go through that.

I actually worked in a nursing home, so I know what you mean. It's hard to imagine people doing what we did without help, at home.

I'm just saying, the very *hint* of Alzheimers scares people, I think. They don't want to think about it, or be reminded of their mortality. I meant there's a real out-of-sight, out-of-mind attitude out there.

After a certain point, a good, well-run nursing home is the best place for most Alzheimer's patients.

[Love Bug]

24. You are right about people's attitudes towards Alzheimer's

It scares the shit out of them because there is little you can do about it. No one wants to think about getting it.

If it turns out that McCain is on aracept (and I'm not saying he is) I can only imagine the spin that will be put on it. I think he'll lose any seniors who were planning to vote for him because too many of them know people their age who have Alzheimer's

Here's a question: What would happen if for some reason a candidate needs to drop out of the race after the convention where they have already been officially nominated. How would their party go about replacing him/her?

[crappyjazz]

23. My grandfather as well was put in a home

It was one of the saddest and hardest things we've ever done

[La Lioness Priyanka]

5. because she is. nt

[WeDidIt]

6. Nope, he'd be forced to drop out if he has Alzheimers

and it goes public.

[MadHound]

7. Alzheimer's effects are too well known,

I doubt that's what is going on, the public wouldn't stand for it and McCain would step down. Sadly, what the 'Pugs would do is bump Palin to the top of the ticket and have a more experienced "handler" come in as the veep, much like they did with Bushboy.

[glitch]

11. That's what I was thinking. Do you think they'd try Cheney?

Just until they find the "right" handler, of course. It may take a few years, of course. The only way they can maintain their status quo (without violence) is with a huge infusion of sympathy. This might be enough to do it.

From their perspective, no real change = double plus good.

[jakem]

8. he would be out with Alzheimers. But a new one would spring up in his place.

THAT may be the 'fight' alluded to.

[AldebTX]

9. What's Odd

My Republican co-worker in a similar conversation actually did say much the same thing. He said the President does very little running of the country. It's who he surrounds himself with and McCain has great advisers. He also pointed out that if he is taking an Alzheimer's drug, then he is obviously getting treatment for it. After all Reagan had Alzheimer's and he was our greatest president.

After explaining that there is no cure I just had to walk away shaking my head.

[aquart]

10. "Great advisors" was the Bush excuse.

Reagan was NOT our greatest president. You MUST ask what Reagan did for the people of America. You must.

[lapislzi]

12. Aricept is no miracle drug, either

It made my grandmother downright unglued. It is not for everyone. I would be very concerned about someone who is known to have a hair-trigger temper taking a drug like that. It "sharpens" you, but not always in a good way.

[treestar]

13. Great advisors like Rumsfeld and Cheney and Ashcroft

:sarcasm:

Obama would pick better advisors. Whoops, there goes their inexperience argument.

[TxBlue]

20. The 28% Kool Aid Drinkers

just can't be reasoned with although I would go up and commend this coworker for being so loyal that they want to pay MORE in taxes under M/P administration. I assume your coworker is middle class since working in office. All in middle class are going to pay 1-2 thousand more a yr in taxes under repugs.

[guitar man]

14. well, he can't be allowed

to have the "football" if he has Alzheimers. Period.

If we don't understand that simple fact, we don't deserve to continue as a nation.

[flvegan]

16. Wasn't Reagan diagnosed long after he left office?

[crappyjazz]

19. Yep, but that would be one of those clarification points

the media doesn't dwell on, and the rethugs love to ignore

all in all, her hyperbole was intentional ... but still

[crimsonblue]

17. this is why we need a mental competence requirement

make it an Amendment. Somebody will a debilitating mental illness should not be allowed to be president

[TheZug]

21. No way. Members of my family had Alzheimer's . . .

. . . and there's NO WAY that my mother, despite being a staunch Republican, would pull the lever for someone with Alzheimer's.

No way.

If he has Alzheimer's, and he's been keeping it a secret, he's toast.

[Sebastian Doyle]

22. Reagan's Alzheimers didn't interfere with anything

Because all he did was deliver speeches in front of the camera anyway. Poppy was clearly in charge (except the day Reagan got shot, when Bush was out of town for alibi reasons, and then Alexander Haig thought he was "in control") and pretty much the whole cabinet was Poppy's anyway, so they worked for him anyway.

McFart can't even deliver the speeches, and Moosealini ain't no Poppy Bush. I'm no fan of the Bush Crime Family, but one thing you could never call Poppy is "stupid".