All 3 Cable Nets Refuse To Air Brave New Films' Ad On McCain's Health

by Todd Beeton, Fri Sep 26, 2008 at 02:07:06 PM EDT

I'm sorry but when John McCain chose Sarah Palin to be his running mate, he put his age and his health on the table. But while some in the media have been willing to concede that McCain's age is an issue, they still treat a real discussion of McCain's health as taboo.

The latest media fail on this matter is MSNBC's shameful reversal on airing Brave New Films' new ad that simply raises the issue of John McCain's various bouts with melanoma, has doctors speak on what that means for his ongoing health and asks what should be an obvious question: "Why won't John McCain release his medical records?"

First CNN refused to air the ad (even though it contains footage taken from CNN!), then Fox News refused and, after a tirade by Bill O'Reilly last night, MSNBC has caved as well. The fact is that, as Michael Fratkin, MD says in Brave New Films's extended web video on this subject, says:

From the point of view of a physician, every candidate for major political office owes to the electorate clear assurance that they're capable of satisfying the requirements of the job.

John McCain has not given us that assurance at all. As Brave New Films' recent petition puts it:

John McCain has not yet released his medical records to the public. McCain is 72 years old, and has been diagnosed with invasive melanoma. In May of this year, a small group of selected reporters were allowed to review 1,173 pages of McCain's medical records and were allowed only three hours to do so. John McCain's health is an issue of profound importance. We call on John McCain to issue a full, public disclosure of all of his medical records, available for the media and members of the general public to review.

Join over 53,000 people -- including 2,500 doctors -- and sign the petition calling for John McCain to release his medical records to the public at The Real John McCain.

And watch the ad that your cowering cable news networks refuse to show:

Tags: brave new films, Health, John McCain, Media (all tags)

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shrugs

I personally believe McCain's health is on the table...but this is a bad ad.

The ad should be attacking his hiding his medical records, not a slapped together "He's going to die in office" spot. Brave New Films normally does much better work than this.

by The BBQ Chicken Madness 2008-09-26 02:23PM | 0 recs

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Re: shrugs

he seems to be slipping, and Joe Biden, who speaks loosely but often truly says he no longer knows the man. All these health problems can lead to circulatory problems too, that can cause less blood to flow to the brain, and lead to rigidity and erratic behavior. he was always erratic, so on that it's maybe hard to tell, but if a guy like joe says he no longer can recognize the old John mcCain, i'd say he's got a good chance of having some cognitive losses.

Should show in the debates, if he has to struggle for words or if his sentence structure is less complex and a few years ago and if he can't use metaphor, speaks more concretely than in the past.

Anyone with a degree in linguistics could run a comparison, these things are diagnosed more from use of language than any body function tests. It's for neuropsychologists and for comparison of use of language past to present, for linguistics.

any takers?

by anna shane 2008-09-26 03:02PM | 0 recs

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Re: shrugs

I don't see how this ad could be accurate. McCain releases 1,173 pages of medical records. To put it in perspective Obama released a one page letter saying he is in good shape. I think people are smart enough to see McCain is old. Pushing the idea on them only closes their ears and pushes away the old people(who vote).

by Classical Liberal 2008-09-26 03:14PM | 0 recs

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Re: shrugs

it's not the same, Barack's health record probably only goes one page. It's John who's had one of the deadliest cancer's more than once. read downstream, about his eye.

Listen to his speech, does he stick with simple syntax declarative sentences, does he repeat himself, can or can't he 'shift' his thinking to change perspectives, does he use metaphor or does he stick to concrete language?

the best would be a comparison of his speech style with five years ago, five months ago and now.

by anna shane 2008-09-26 03:38PM | 0 recs

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Re: shrugs

Then why does it need to be packaged and sold to the American people. Again it only alienates voters.

BTW - He had skin cancer something 1 in 5 American's will get in there life time. This is not an issue this is mud.

by Classical Liberal 2008-09-26 08:45PM | 0 recs

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Re: shrugs

there are three main types of skin cancer, two of them common and not deadly, one of them very deadly. McCain had that one five times. One recurrence is a bad sign, four is a terrible sign.

by anna shane 2008-09-27 08:22AM | 0 recs

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worthless

Boy I remember when the strategy used to be stick to the issues. It is sad day.

by Classical Liberal 2008-09-27 10:34AM | 0 recs

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Re: shrugs

He didn't "release" them. He allowed them to be viewed, but not photographed, for a VERY short period of time.

Obama is obviously healthy. It shouldn't take more than a page to document that.

McCain is a fucking time bomb..in more ways than one.

by lojasmo 2008-09-26 04:41PM | 0 recs

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Screw 'em

Sometimes I want to bang my head against the wall for the seeming perception that Dems are pussies, and that we don't take the good, cheap shot when available.

Then I realize that the perception is valid...

{bang}
{bang}
{bang}

...but they (the networks) were ok for an utter distortion about Obama with that "sex ed" ad?

by mydailydrunk 2008-09-26 02:46PM | 0 recs

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Re: Screw 'em

whoever makes those decisions has a screw loose. the ad against Barack was offensive, this one about john asks questions we should all be asking.

by anna shane 2008-09-26 03:41PM | 0 recs

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Correct Decision

JFK had Addisons. Roosevelt was crippled.

This is all wrong. I'm glad they refused to air the ad.

That's what having a good VP is about, and the American public should look for that no matter what the state of health of the President is, period.

by mady 2008-09-26 02:51PM | 0 recs

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Re: Correct Decision

I don't agree. However it comes out, it ought to be part of the debate, and John's refusal to let his medical records out is a sign he has something to hide. It's not ageist, and it isn't the same as a chronic but not terminal condition. i've had that cancer, and it is very scary. People can die within six weeks of diagnosis, it's not uncommon, and there was this very scary report a few years ago, someone who'd had it and was 'cured' died and donated organs, and the recipients all died from it, because apparently it was there in all the organs, and the anti-rejection drugs kept the body's natural immunity from keeping it dormant. the older you get, the less natural immunity you have, so it's a real possibility. For this ticket, ready on day one has a totally new meaning.

by anna shane 2008-09-26 03:19PM | 0 recs

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Re: Correct Decision

Hey, William H. Harrison died of pneumonia a month after he was inaugurated. I really think this business of medical records has gotten out of hand. The Constitution provides for a chain of succession; the problem is, with Palin that chain is just cheap paper.

by mady 2008-09-26 03:21PM | 0 recs

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Re: Correct Decision

that's not the same, that could happen to anyone. John's specific medical history should be known. Were all his cancers from the same base? If not his survival possibilities goes way down, and it's not so great when it reoccurs from the same base cancer.

Read up on it, because of my personal experience it's something I've had to keep track of. the guy who donated the organs that killed the recipients had had it only once, it was contained on the surface and hadn't come back for more than twenty years, when he died of other causes.

This one deserves honesty.

by anna shane 2008-09-26 03:33PM | 0 recs

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Re: Correct Decision

But when you have a dangerously ignorant VP, the health of the POTUS is ABSOLUTELY on the table.

by lojasmo 2008-09-26 04:42PM | 0 recs

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Re: Correct Decision

Lighting strikes, healthy, not healthy. Health on assuming office is really not a measure of anything.

by mady 2008-09-26 04:59PM | 0 recs

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Re: Correct Decision

You're comparing the chance of being struck by lightning to the chance of a 72 year old American male expiring in the near future?

Silly season continues.

by lojasmo 2008-09-27 07:59AM | 0 recs

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Re: Correct Decision

No I'm not. I am saying that anything can happen. In my lifetime we've lost a president to assassination, one to resignation. Before that Roosevelt to illness. There have been multiple occasions when most presidents have been incapacitated and the VP has had to take over. This has happened in almost every adminstration, Reagan was shot, Ike had his heart attack.

I am not as stupid as you would imply. What I am saying is that...oh never mind, if you don't understand what I am saying, you just don't.

by mady 2008-09-27 08:33AM | 0 recs

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Re: All 3 Cable Nets Refuse To Air Brave

My fiance is a doctor who believes that McCain's health is extremely precarious. In addition to his recurrent melanoma, his left eye may indicate a recent stroke. I have no problem with an ad that reminds people that we are very close to a Palin presidency.

by rfahey22 2008-09-26 03:28PM | 0 recs

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Re: All 3 Cable Nets Refuse To Air Brave

That's interesting, i think it's possible to diagnose that from speech. And temperament. I think he's slipping, he seems worse than three months ago to me.

by anna shane 2008-09-26 03:34PM | 0 recs

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Re: All 3 Cable Nets Refuse To Air Brave

I had not picked up on this, but apparently there is an absence of wrinkling around the left eye that is indicative of some trauma in that area. She indicated that it may have been caused by a stroke, or maybe Lyme disease. I would put heavy odds on the former.

by rfahey22 2008-09-26 03:37PM | 0 recs

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Re: All 3 Cable Nets Refuse To Air Brave

me too, i had been thinking just hardening of the arteries, maybe reduced blood flow that is causing him to have cognitive changes. the same is true for Dick Cheney, ask your fiance about him?

by anna shane 2008-09-26 03:40PM | 0 recs

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Re: All 3 Cable Nets Refuse To Air Brave

Maybe I should, though the number of bypasses he's had sort of gives it away, doesn't it?

by rfahey22 2008-09-26 07:33PM | 0 recs

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Re: All 3 Cable Nets Refuse To Air Brave

like, one would think, but somehow doctors don't talk about this stuff, maybe some professional reason, and researchers, who you'd think could, don't either. My son told me people don't believe the use of language is an indicator of anything, is that true? Does that sound weird to lay people? It's the way neurologists diagnose lots of conditions and the first sign of a brain tumor is generally your family noticing a personality change, and saying things like I no longer know him, which was said about Cheney and now about John McCain. I think he's an ill man, and I wish some neurologists would do an eval on him from his public speech and render an opinion or at least raise a question that can't be shrugged off. Iris Murdoch's writing changed before she was diagnosed, her sentences got simpler and her ideas more concrete. Then she was diagnosed and after the fact some looked at her use of language and were able to see that it was already showing, even though she was still managing her life and having normal relations, and even speaking in public. Her audience hadn't started noticing until she started losing her place. Course Sarah loses her place already, but she doesn't have the knowledge and intelligence in the first place.

by anna shane 2008-09-27 08:28AM | 0 recs

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Re: All 3 Cable Nets Refuse

I don't like this ad. Millions of Americans have survived cancer (I am one of them) and the ad serves as a reminder that cancer is a time bomb just waiting to go off. I think it should just focus on the release of health records-not the grim prognosis. It may backfire and make folks feel sorry for McCain.

by Roberta 2008-09-26 05:00PM | 0 recs