Obama Election Watch

Barton Gellman’s widely praised new book Angler explains how in 2000 George W. Bush incorrectly informed American voters that there had been an independent review of the health of vice presidential candidate Dick Cheney.

In the 2000 presidential election the health of GOP vice presidential candidate Dick Cheney was a concern. Cheney had suffered three heart attacks. To alleviate voter fears, George W. Bush called on family friend Dr. Denton A. Cooley. Cooley is one of the world’s most respected heart surgeons. Cooley performed the first successful heart transplant in the United States and was the first surgeon to implant an artificial heart in a human patient.

Bush announced that he had commissioned an independent review of Cheney’s fitness. He reassured the public that Dr. Cooley had determined that Dick Cheney’s “cardiac status was sound.” Cooley never looked at Cheney’s medical records, electrocardiogram data, or images of his heart. Dr. Cooley’s review consisted of talking to Cheney’s personal physician on the telephone.

This assurance from Bush that the nation’s foremost cardiologist had given Cheney a clean bill of health put the issue to rest.

This account of Cheney’s health clearance suggests the need for an independent medical clearance of the fitness of John McCain. McCain has had numerous cases of skin cancer. This past July a minor form of skin cancer — squamous cell carcinoma —was removed from his cheek. In May another cancer spot was removed from his leg. Of greater concern is that McCain has had at least four cases of melanoma, a serious form of skin cancer. Melanomas are the most worrisome of skin cancers because, not infrequently, they metastasize and spread into a person’s lymph system or to vital organs. Approximately 62,000 people are diagnosed with melanomas each year and more than 8,400 die.

Using statistics from the National Center for Health Statistics researchers at Brown University estimate that, based on presently available information, there is a one in eight chance that McCain will not survive his first term.

Although John McCain’s personal doctors have said that McCain is cancer free and that his health is not a problem, the public is entitled to an independent medical team certification of the condition of McCain’s health. Of course, doctors are ethically bound to tell the truth. But loyalty to the patient and to the patient’s political ambitions can color a medical opinion.

This is particularly critical in the current election since vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin is a novice in governance, foreign affairs, and military matters.

Voters need an independent opinion on whether McCain is healthy and whether there is a high probability of his serving an entire term in office.