Wow! And in the American Conservative, too!
Well, I think the problems this article discussed are clearly there in his behavior, for those who have the eyes to look. In watching the debates, I realized he was an impulsive man, prone to making decisions without doing proper research. I believe both Palin and Joe the Plumber are symptoms of this.
Now, of course it makes sense that he has PTSD. I had been wondering about that—if he had ever been treated. But no, due to the demands of political exigencies, he could not be seen to have any mental problems.
And who is to say that he’s not right? I mean, anyone can see his character. I saw it, so anyone can see it. Not all may choose to see it. And some may say we want an impulsive, shoot from the hip kind of guy for president.
As to the question of whether mental health should be a concern. This is very tricky for me. I’ve got a mental illness. Sometimes the meds control it. But not always. It affects my decision-making and behavior. I guess I think that if I were running for an office, it would be important for the voters to know that sometimes I think there is no way out, and I can get despondent and unable to do anything. They should also know that if I am surrounded with people who bring things to my attention—as most leaders are—I do much better, and no one would know I have mood problems.
So I guess my reluctant answer is that I think we should be told about mental health. That way we can choose. Do we want a guy who rages around, and will be extremely aggressive in negotiations and in foreign policy? A man who will take out his anger on any poor nation in a flash? A man who totally disrespects diplomacy, and won’t sit down to talk with anyone; who is probably incapable of talking rationally.
Well, the voters may like that. They may think that’s what we need. They’ve voted for that the last two elections. I don’t agree. In any case, I think we should have full infomation on which to make a choice.