Bush's Increasing Mental Lapses and Temper Tantrums Worry White House Aides DOUG THOMPSON | November 4 2005
http://prisonplanet.com/articles/november2005/041105bush_mental.htm An uncivil war rages inside the walls of the West Wing of the White House, a bitter, acrimonious war driven by a failed agenda, destroyed credibility, dwindling public support and a President who lapses into Alzheimer-like periods of incoherent babbling. On one side are the dwindling numbers of die-hard loyalists to President George W. Bush, those who support his actions and decisions without question and remain committed to both Bush and scandal-scarred political advisor Karl Rove. On the other side are the increasing numbers of those who say Rove must go and who worry about the President's declining mental state and his ability to restore credibility with Congress, our foreign allies and the American people. The war erupted into full-blown shout fests at Camp David this past weekend where decorum broke down in staff meetings and longtime aides threatened to quit unless Rove goes. Insiders say Chief of Staff Andrew Card now leads the anti-Rove legions and has told Bush that he wants out of the high-pressure job. White House staff members say the White House is like a wartime bunker where shell-shocked aides hide from those who disagree with their actions and office pools speculate on how long certain senior aides will last. Bush, whose obscenity-laced temper tantrums increase with each new setback and scandal, abruptly ended one Camp David meeting by telling everyone in the room to go fuck yourselves before he stalked out of the room. Senior aides describe Bush as increasingly edgy or nervous or unfocused. They say the President goes from apparent coherent thought one moment to aimless rambles about political enemies and those who are out to get me. Its worse than the days when Ronald Reagans Alzheimers began setting in, one longtime GOP operative told me privately this week. You dont know if hes going to be coherent from one moment to the next. What scares me is if he lapses into one of those fogs during a public appearance. Aides say Bush, who has always had trouble focusing during times of stress, is increasingly distant during meetings, often staring off into space during discussions on the nations security and other issues. Card has responded to the crisis by cutting back on the number of staff members with direct access to the President and jumping in to answer questions when Bushs mind wanders. Some people say Karl Rove is Bushs brain, says one increasingly-concerned West Winger. Well Andy has become the Presidents voice. Hes there to speak when the President seems unable to find form an answer. Bushs mental state is a hot topic on Internet blogs and has increased since this web site disclosed last year that the White House physician had placed the President on anti-depressant medication a story the administration never denied. Others, including prominent psychiatrists like Dr. Justin Frank of George Washington University, wonder if Bush, an admitted heavy drinker who claims he quit without any professional help, is hitting the bottle again. An increasing number of mainstream media outlets, including Newsweek, The Washington Post and the New York Daily News recently confirmed our earlier reports about Bushs temper tantrums. Bush usually reserves his celebrated temper for senior aides because he knows they can take it, the Daily News reported. Lately, however, some junior staffers also have faced the bosss wrath. This is not some manager at McDonalds chewing out the help," a source with close ties to the White House told the paper. This is the president of the United States, and its not a pleasant sight. Bush loyalists claim the President can survive his current spate of political troubles and emerge stronger than ever but an increasing number of White House aides express increasing doubt. Some even go so far as to speculate if the Presidents deteriorating mental condition can survive another three years in office. The President has lost his focus, his ability to govern and the trust of the American people, says one longtime GOP operative. Those are things that are difficult to recapture when youre on top of your game and this President has taken one too many blows to the head. -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.1.362 / Virus Database: 267.12.8/161 - Release Date: 11/3/2005 Reply with a "Thank you" if you liked this post. _____________________________ MEDIANEWS mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
