McCain works to answer age and health questions

[nhboy (Premo)]

"WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate John McCain is the ultimate survivor. Not only did he live through 5-1/2 years as a Vietnam prisoner of war, he also has stared down the deadly cancer melanoma.

As a young Navy pilot, he narrowly escaped death in a fire aboard the U.S. aircraft carrier Forrestal in 1967. Later that year his fighter jet was shot down over Hanoi. He ejected from his plane and broke a leg and two arms and was said to have nearly drowned when he parachuted into a lake.

As a POW, he underwent torture that included fractures in both shoulders, which left him barely able to raise his arms above his shoulders, as well as broken ribs and a badly injured knee.

In the past 15 years, he has been treated four times for melanoma, the most serious case being in 2000 when he underwent surgery on his face for the cancer, leaving him with a bulge and a long scar on the left side of his face. He has been cancer-free since then.

At age 71, McCain would be the oldest person ever to serve a first presidential term. Both Democratic and Republican strategists expect his age to be a campaign issue."

McCain works to answer age and health questions | Politics | Reuters

[MMDad]

Originally Posted by nhboy

In the past 15 years, he has been treated four times for melanoma, the most serious case being in 2000 when he underwent surgery on his face for the cancer, leaving him with a bulge and a long scar on the left side of his face. He has been cancer-free since then.

8 years cancer-free. It's ignorant for this to even be an issue. His opponents will use this as a tool to scare people who are too ignorant to understand just what the risk is.

Melanoma is not a death sentence, especially if it is caught early, treated correctly, and monitored.

[nhboy (Premo)]

Originally Posted by MMDad

8 years cancer-free. It's ignorant for this to even be an issue. His opponents will use this as a tool to scare people who are too ignorant to understand just what the risk is.

Melanoma is not a death sentence, especially if it is caught early, treated correctly, and monitored.

True. I'm surprised that there was no mention of the status of his mental health given his age and stressful life. We could end up with someone like Reagen in his last years in office.

[Bruzilla]

I remember what Dennis Miller once said about Reagan... "The man is 75 years old and still has access to The Button. My grandfather's 75 and we won't even let him use the remote control."

[Pete (Premo)]

Originally Posted by nhboy

True. I'm surprised that there was no mention of the status of his mental health given his age and stressful life. We could end up with someone like Reagen in his last years in office.

What is pathetic is even addled by alzheimer's and decrepit, Reagan was better than any democrat.

[Kerad (Premo)]

Originally Posted by Bruzilla

I remember what Dennis Miller once said about Reagan... "The man is 75 years old and still has access to The Button. My grandfather's 75 and we won't even let him use the remote control."