In the United States, the singular test for a Presidential candidate's mental and emotional capacity is the Presidential campaign. The determination of the mental health of the candidate is left up to the electorate to decide, employing as its principal assessments the candidate and the campaign. In other words, the emotional and psychological competence of the world's most powerful "leader" is decided by a lay electorate, culled from practiced readings of the words of others, drilled responses, rehearsed mannerisms, selective pandering, and myriad other theatrics his/her image makers connive. It's an assessment of a performer who's been groomed to play a part, which explains why TV news so often runs intros like "Who's the REAL Hillary? Who's the REAL Obama? and Who's the REAL McCain? Even the media sees the theatrics of the campaign.
On Thursday morning (May 23rd), CNN's Newsroom anchor, Don Lemon, was speaking with Dr. Connie Mariano, former White House physician for President Clinton and both Presidents Bush. They were discussing the release of John McCain's health records, when Lemon alluded to the state of McCain's mental health pertaining to his Prisoner Of War experience. Here's that exchange:
Lemon: And the other concern here that, you know, prisoner of war. He [McCain] has gone through a lot. Mental health -- in the records, what can you tell us about that and what do you know about that?
Dr. Mariano was uncomfortable discussing McCain's mental health regarding his Prisoner Of War history. Instead she deferred to his campaign, offering her understanding that the Presidential campaign is the true test of McCain's mental health. The theatrics were of course swept away.
How are they in terms of their speaking? Are there any lapses of memory? And then how well do they think on their feet? I think that's a very good test as to how they're operating mentally.Mariano: You know, I have not seen his prisoner of war records. I think what people need to look at is how is he at this current time. You know, I think the biggest test in terms of mental status is really the campaign in and of itself. When they're on the road, they're doing 18-hour days. They're constantly answering questions. You members of the press are hammering them for questions, trying to catch them, whether or not they are astute enough to listen to the questions and answer it correctly. So that's a tremendous mental status test, if anything, is to survive the presidential campaign, and then ultimately to go to the convention.
I agree with Dr. Mariano that the rigors of the campaign do test the clarity of expression and physical stamina of the candidate, however, much that the candidate says and does is the result of careful preparation. The candidate is a character - a creation - whose prmary job is to be convincing in the role. The rigors of campaigning can demonstrate acuity, but its theatrics can detract from an honest portrayal of the person.
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