Andrew Sullivan Needs to Examine Your Medical Records, Barack
By Anita Finlay ("Ani") on November 3, 2008 at 7:48 PM in Barack Obama, Health Care, Joe Biden, John McCain, Sarah Palin
We are being told to support a mystery man with a paper-thin resume, who thus far has released a one-page ‘summary’ from a doctor in lieu of medical records. 276 words. This covers – wait for it – the last 21 years of care. What is the big secret? What is he hiding? What in his medical records could be so embarrassing that he refuses to make at least some of his check ups over the last 21 years public?
The media continues its incessant drumbeat to help Barack Obama ascend to the White House. This includes giving him a pass on questions that other candidates have to answer.
This situation was made a little more preposterous by the always entertaining, abusive and seemingly clueless Andrew Sullivan who just made this his daily dish:
Palin’s Medical Records
Still AWOL. No explanation. Not even a gesture, which suggests to me that some in the McCain camp realize they’d rather release nothing than be implicated in anything that might hurt them after the election. Only ABC News’ Kate Snow seems to care. Only this blog has really pursued this story for two long months. For the record, I find the idea that a vice-presidential candidate refuses to either give a press conference or release full medical records as a dreadful precedent for transparency. Obama and Biden and McCain have been pathetic as well. But no one has been as secretive as Palin and no one else has similar strangeness in her medical history. Presumably the records are there and could have been released easily two months ago. Unless there really was no vetting at all and the McCain camp is now covering up its own incompetence as well as preparing to throw her under the bus in a few days’ time.
Sullivan is so ludicrous in his hunt for Governor Palin so as to defy description. And what does he say about Obama/Biden — they have been “pathetic as well”.
Well, no Andrew, they have been disgraceful — as have you and the rest of the pundit class and press for not demanding more of Senator Obama — who is running for the toughest job in the world and, as of this writing, hasn’t had a checkup in nearly two years and has submitted a scant 276 words to explain his medical history for the last 21 years.
Biden, survivor of two brain aneurisms, likewise refuses to release anything.
Sullivan’s statement “some in the McCain camp realize they’d rather release nothing than be implicated in anything that might hurt them after the election” might also be applied to Barack Obama, might it not? What has that man got to hide?
Here’s an idea. Why don’t McCain, Palin, Obama, Biden ALL show up with their medical records AND their birth certificates at the same time in front of ALL the press and we’ll compare notes — I’m sure our good friend Andrew will be the first one to make this request — in the interest of “fairness and transparency.”
Obama is a long time smoker who admitted recently to smoking again on the campaign trail. He has also been a drug user which he himself has admitted in his books. I think Bush was a drug user, too? You see how good he’s worked out in office.
ABC News’ Sunlen Miller reported back on June 10th:
The presumptive Democratic nominee has been open about his smoking past: Once a heavy smoker, he publicly gave up the habit, per his wife’s request, to run for president.
Since quitting, Obama has indicated in the past that he has “fallen off the wagon” but before today was not specific about how recent his smoking was.
The release of a scant one-page summary for 21 years of care brought some criticism to the Obama campaign – especially when compared to the thousands of pages of medical records released by McCain. Obama promised reporters that if there are additional health-related questions, his campaign would make that information available. “In terms of additional records, if there are particular things that people have questions about, then we’d be happy to give that information,” he said.
But the media didn’t ask any more questions. Typical.
Well, Senator Obama, we have some more questions even if the media doesn’t. Obama’s supporters are always complaining about Senator McCain’s age and that Governor Palin is ‘a heartbeat away from the Presidency.’ Well, pardon me, but Barack’s ‘second’ is a 66 year old man who has had two brain aneurisms so that isn’t really very comforting. Obama keeping his health a mystery isn’t comforting either.
In re the 276-word summary submitted by Obama’s physician, Dr. David L. Scheiner, the LATimes’ Scott Martelle reports:
The overview was contained in a one-page letter with no supporting documentation. “With no surgery or hospital stays, this is a complete summary of his doctor visits and medical records for the past two decades,” said campaign spokeswoman Jen Psaki.
The brief Obama letter contrasted with Arizona Sen. John McCain’s decision to let a selected group of reporters spend three hours with nearly 1,200 pages of health records last week.
So Senator McCain releases 1200 pages of medical records and from Obama, a once heavy smoker and former drug user, we get 276 words? Senator McCain released his actual birth certificate and Obama’s COLB is … where?
Never mind all the other medical stuff we don’t know about. What we do know is that someone on the planet dies a smoking-related death once every six seconds. More information about his medical history is warranted. From the American Cancer Society:
Each year, a staggering 440,000 people die in the US from tobacco use. Nearly 1 of every 5 deaths is related to smoking. Cigarettes kill more Americans than alcohol, car accidents, suicide, AIDS, homicide, and illegal drugs combined.
Also contained in Dr. Scheiner’s laughable ‘summary’ (which you can read in full here):
His family history is pertinent for his mother’s death from ovarian cancer and grandfather who died of prostate cancer.
“His own history included intermittent cigarette smoking,” David L. Scheiner, M.D. wrote in a letter released to reporters. “He has quit this practice on several occasions and is currently using Nicorette gum with success.”
Well no, he’s admitted to smoking again. Stressful on the campaign trail, no? Just ask Joe Biden. The smoking also doesn’t seem to go with the image of Mr. I-can’t-get-any- arugula-at-Whole-Foods. More do as I say, not as I do.
There is a history of cancer in his family and he has admitted to drug use. And he continues to smoke. Okay.
Additionally, we know nothing about any of Obama’s college records, papers, articles, his state senate records, nothing that might make clear his true political leanings. This is vital because he only spent 143 days in the Senate before deciding to run for the highest office in the land.
Obama panders to everyone and tells a different story to each group he speaks to. No one can be all things to all people. I honestly can’t tell if he is to the left what Neocons are to the right – or if he is a Republican in sheep’s clothing himself. Just as I want to know Obama’s true politics, I want to understand why he is so secretive about everything including his health? .
In contrast Senator McCain has been much more open about this issue, McCain is fit and cancer free:
I think physiologically he is considerably younger than his chronologic age based on his cardiovascular fitness,” Eckstein said in an interview Thursday. ”I got a call from the cardiologist who said that he had not seen anyone that age exercise for that long in a long time.”
McCain has shrugged off the issue [of his age] by highlighting his stamina and strong genes. He has recalled his “rim-to-rim” Grand Canyon hike in 2006; he has campaigned with his energetic mother, age 96.
Like everything else about Senator Obama, his records – of every stripe – are something we are just supposed to take on faith. Who else could get away with this behavior?
Golly gosh, Andrew, why the double standard?
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