Comments on: McCain: Release Your Health Records

By: arthur L Stein

arthur L Stein — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 01:43:13 +0000

This is SERIOUS—qualified medical personnel should be able to review and publish the facts on McCains health status. I'm 79 and know my health puts me at risk in many situations much less demanding than that of POTUS.

By: arthur L Stein

arthur L Stein — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 21:43:13 +0000

By: arthur L Stein

arthur L Stein — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 18:43:13 +0000

By: Arlene

Arlene — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 16:30:39 +0000

Thank you Jill. I signed the letter. I posted earlier that I suspect Mcshame is either experiencing TIA's or has had a stroke of some kind, not to mention a host of other symptoms he's not disclosing. I'm a registered nurse and specialized in Geriatrics.

Half of my 30 years in nursing have been devoted to the elderly patient. So, for me, it's not about age. It's about the physically, mentally, emotionally, and I'll even add spiritually, capability of a candidate running for office of POTUS.

By: Jackie

Jackie — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 13:31:47 +0000

Just a quick follow-up…I absolutely think McCain should disclose his health records, and that ALL domains (including age) of a candidate's “fitness” are fair game to discuss and consider. I admit I'm losing sleep over fears of McCain taking office, becoming unfit to serve, and that we'd end up with Palin…a young, healthy woman…who is also unfit to serve, in my opinion, on multiple levels. So while age is fair to consider, simply being 70 shouldn't automatically cast a higher level of suspicion that a candidate is less able to serve than a younger person (taking McCain out of the equation). Our current president was considerably younger than 70 when he took office, and look where that got us, as physically fit or otherwise healthy as he may be. And looking beyond our own shores, Nelson Mandela was 76 when he took office, and 81 when he left. I certainly can't assess how “good” Mandela was while in office–my only point (and discomfort) was whether any of us would be similarly disturbed by an equally mild, one-line barb on another site that referred to race, instead of age.

Beyond all that, I'm loving this site, and the discussion. So glad to have discovered it (through a friend). Job well done!

By: motherof4

motherof4 — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 03:15:22 +0000

He really does not look well and again, what is that bulge on the side of his face? I don't think that age discrimination is really the issue with him as he does have the history to warrant concern. He also has the running mate to warrant concern. I am absolutely politically incorrect in this stand but I have to say it. If Sarah Palin could somehow convince me face to face that she would be able to step into the presidency and
a) act as an objective commander in chief with her own family in the military and
b) put her job above her family at all times
I would think less of her, not more. Ii also don't know how she could possibly convince me of that. I know that people think it unfair to say anything about her family obligations because “men are never asked those questions”.
I just can't buy it. I have four daughters and I want them to have and be all that they can but I do believe that children have different needs from a mother than from a father. I am so not with the times……

By: Sepia

Sepia — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 21:19:45 +0000

I agree. For me, it's not that McCain is 72. It's that he's an obviously physically fragile 72. The man is clearly not healthy.

By: Mary Emma Allen

Mary Emma Allen — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 21:01:11 +0000

Didn't Bill Clinton refuse to release any of his health records the entire time he was in office, and set a precedent?

By: Miranda

Miranda — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 20:34:41 +0000

There are undeniable physical and mental changes that people go through as they age. Its just the circle of life…its not ageism to have reasonable reservations about the age of a candidate. The constitution mandates a minimum age for a reason, why then would it be such a leap to take into consideration the ability of a person over 70 for a position as stressful and taxing as POTUS? There is no denying that our reflexes, memory,energy levels, decrease as we age. Its just a fact of life, why shouldn't we take McCain's age into consideration?

By: Jackie

Jackie — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 18:16:34 +0000

I agree completely that McCain should be forthcoming about his fitness and sustainability to serve as president. Of course, I do not believe McCain is fit to be president, and those feelings are not based on either his age or his health.

I confess, however, I am uncomfortable with the tinge of ageism I perceive present in this posting. The tv show reference is funny and clever, but as a matter of principle, I feel I have to object, just as I would hope people would object to other blog sites with postings that may have a racist overtone. I believe as African-Americans we need to walk the talk when it comes to shining a light on “isms” and rejecting them when we see them. Surely we'll have a black man or woman running for President in a future election who happens to be in their 70s. Or perhaps just older than 50 or 60. I'd want that candidate or future candidates to be assessed on their abilities and yes, their fitness on every level, and not dismissed or derided simply because of their age, gender, or the color of their skin.