MyDD :: McCain Undergoing Skin Biopsy

McCain Undergoing Skin Biopsy

by RandyMI, Mon Jul 28, 2008 at 05:10:03 PM EST

This is not a snarky diary, this is serious business and raises a legitimate question surrounding the health of the Republican nominee for president. John McCain is undergoing yet another biopsy for potential skin cancer.

Republican presidential candidate John McCain, who has suffered from skin cancer in the past, said on Monday his doctor has removed a spot from his face during a routine checkup in Phoenix earlier in the day.

McCain said the spot on the right side of his face, which an aide described as being like a mole, would be biopsied to ensure it was not cancerous.

And as we know, this is not the first time.

McCain has had four malignant melanomas -- a potentially lethal type of skin cancer -- surgically removed since 1993. Three of them were limited to the top layers of the skin and were not invasive.

The fourth melanoma, removed from his left temple in 2000, was invasive. During that surgery, doctors also took out lymph nodes to see if the cancer had spread. The lymph nodes showed no evidence of cancer.

Doctors have removed other less serious skin cancers, including basal cell and squamous cell cancers, from McCain's skin without complication.

As a skin cancer survivor, McCain remains at risk for recurrence or new cancers. He urged Americans to wear sunscreen and said melanoma is preventable.

What the article did not mention is that he had another lesion removed either late last year or early this year. Yes it is preventable and one way to reduce for risk, if you are concerned enough, is to move out of Arizona because you've gone thorugh this so many times. Skin cancer is NOT minor and NO CANCER IS. It DOES KILL PEOPLE, and yet McCain wants us to think he is healthy as a horse. My dad has had it, an old boss had it too, and as fair-skinned as I am, I try to stay out of the sun as much as possible during the most intese part of the day (fyi I live in California). If he claims that he wants to be president for 2 terms, he should level eith us and tell is just what his longevity truly is.

Tags: John McCain (all tags)

Permalink :: 24 Comments :: Post a Comment

Re: McCain Undergoing Skin Biopsy (none / 0)

It seems to me that McCain did not do himself any favors with the extremely sketchy way he released his medical records to the press earlier in the campaign. As I recall, he permitted the media to look over his records for only a couple hours, they were not permitted to make any copies, and no medical experts were allowed to participate.

So even if McCain is in great health, which I certainly hope he is, you probably couldn't do a better job of acting like you have something to hide if you tried.

"Another problem we have...is that in election years we behave somewhat as primitive peoples do at the time of the full moon." --Harry Truman

by Steve M on Mon Jul 28, 2008 at 05:17:39 PM EST

Re: McCain Undergoing Skin Biopsy (none / 0)

He just predicted he would win the election.

Don't ask me where I heard it.

Educated in a small town Taught to fear Jesus in a small town Used to daydream in that small town Another born romantic that's me.

by lori on Mon Jul 28, 2008 at 05:19:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Mike Huckabee: I'm in the miracle business, (none / 0)

not the math business.

by Geekesque on Mon Jul 28, 2008 at 05:18:13 PM EST

Okay, seriously (2.00 / 2)

The man has irreparable skin damage because he spent more than five years exposed to the elements in a Vietnamese prison camp.

I don't feel comfortable pretending that disqualifies him from the Presidency.

Skin cancer does kill people, but usually only when it goes undetected and metastasizes to some other location in the body that is inoperable. Sen. McCain has a full checkup with a dermatologist every three months to make sure that, if he does have a new case of melanoma, he has it removed immediately. In this case, we're only hearing about the biopsy because he's being duly diligent about having his checkups.

If he is dying, then certainly we should know. But we have no evidence that he is. This would be a bit like saying FDR shouldn't be President because he had polio.

There are so many legitimate reasons why John McCain would make a terrible President, let's leave this road unexplored. We've seen where it takes generation after generation of Republican smearmongers.

Proud member of the Wikipedia Generation of American politics

by BishopRook on Mon Jul 28, 2008 at 05:20:33 PM EST

Re: Okay, seriously (none / 0)

Living in Arizona does not help matters. It, along with everything else, cannot excused or credited based on being a POW.

by RandyMI on Mon Jul 28, 2008 at 05:25:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Okay, seriously (none / 0)

McCain lives in DC.

"The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good." Samuel Johnson

by MS01 Indie on Mon Jul 28, 2008 at 06:30:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]

The Presidency is a very demanding job. (none / 0)

If he's physically not up to the task, that's relevant. Regardless of why that is.

by Geekesque on Mon Jul 28, 2008 at 05:27:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

i agree (2.00 / 1)

with your statement 100%. It is, and should be relevant.

Going after a guy who has had skin cancer in the past though? Tactless much?

There is a difference between going after him because of his age, and going after him for screening for cancer.

If Obama's camp jumps on this think of the the way it can be spun
"Obama attacks McCain for being a cancer survivor" "Obama attacks McCain for pre-screening melanoma"
Ummm - thats not what you want out of this bit of news. I think we need to be smart about how we go after our opponents, and going after McCain for skin cancer, or the possibility of having skin cancer, is NOT smart.

vote blue in 2008

by sepulvedaj3 on Mon Jul 28, 2008 at 05:32:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: i agree (none / 0)

Just come clean, that's all I ask form him.

by RandyMI on Mon Jul 28, 2008 at 05:33:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: i agree (none / 0)

And that presumes he has something to come clean about. Do you think he's dying and not telling us? If so, what evidence do you have to support that? Just a hunch?

Proud member of the Wikipedia Generation of American politics

by BishopRook on Mon Jul 28, 2008 at 05:36:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]

There should be no attacks. (none / 0)

But, it is a legitimate issue.

by Geekesque on Mon Jul 28, 2008 at 05:37:33 PM EST
[ Parent ]

VP is an important position... (2.00 / 1)

...that's what I get out of this diary.

Hell, no one knows their future. Also, the same argument was used in reference to Cheney.

by soyousay on Mon Jul 28, 2008 at 05:23:05 PM EST

as much as i would (2.00 / 1)

like to hammer McCain in any possible way, i dont think going after his health is a wise strategy. There could be seeds of doubt placed based upon his age, but i dont think coming out and saying something like "he is being tested for cancer again, he shouldnt be POTUS" is a smart maneuver, nor do i think the Obama campaign will target McCain's health.

They may go after McCain's age though, but targeting him for being a cancer survivor (think about that phrasing) will not give McCain any angst, but can come back to slap O. in the face.

vote blue in 2008

by sepulvedaj3 on Mon Jul 28, 2008 at 05:29:16 PM EST

Re: as much as i would (none / 0)

There's no need to target, the facts speak for thmeselves. I just want him to stop hiding his records and come clean.

by RandyMI on Mon Jul 28, 2008 at 05:31:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]

thats a separate issue (none / 0)

Many people get moles removed, they dont have to be 72 years old to have it done.

Many of these people are the boomers and older, Obama's weakest voter age group against McCain.

You want to go after McCain for his age? Do it in a way that does not offend the people in their 60's and older.

You want him to release his medical records? Do it by pressuring him to be open with the American public, kind of the same way tax records are released - make it about being open, not about skin cancer.

vote blue in 2008

by sepulvedaj3 on Mon Jul 28, 2008 at 05:34:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Life is trouble (none / 0)

Life: Sexually transmitted and always fatal.

Meanwhile, Novak diagnosed with brain cancer. That dude just had a ridiculously bad week: used as a tool by McCain, hit a guy with his car, and docs found a tumor in his head. If a tree falls on his house or something, he should just pack it in and give up.

The pebbles have voted and the avalanche has begun.

President-Elect "That One"

by Dracomicron on Mon Jul 28, 2008 at 05:30:28 PM EST

Re: McCain Undergoing Skin Biopsy (none / 0)

I hope he's okay.

by Reaper0Bot0 on Mon Jul 28, 2008 at 05:32:19 PM EST

Re: McCain Undergoing Skin Biopsy (2.00 / 1)

It's routine. He had a discoloration, which might be a liver spot, a mole, or a dozen other things, including potentially melanoma. If it is melanoma, because he gets regular checkups they will likely have caught it very early and he can get it removed in an afternoon.

I find it very unlikely this is a serious health risk. At his age, I would be more worried about heart disease or other forms of cancer.

Proud member of the Wikipedia Generation of American politics

by BishopRook on Mon Jul 28, 2008 at 05:38:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]

This diary is a new level of creepiness. (none / 0)

by BJJ Fighter on Mon Jul 28, 2008 at 06:03:55 PM EST

Re: McCain Undergoing Skin Biopsy (none / 0)

Not once does the diarist express his desire that McCain get well.

Some of you are sickening.

Yes, this is worth discussing. Yes, a healthy president is more convenient than a terminally ill one. But it's sickening, as I said, not to wish at least once that God help McCain.

The diary stresses the fact that skin cancer kills, as if we don't know that.

Sickening.

by kingsbridge77 on Mon Jul 28, 2008 at 06:59:23 PM EST

Re: McCain Undergoing Skin Biopsy (none / 0)

to those who want to get technical, if you are an atheist, you don't have to wish that God help him, but that he get well period.

by kingsbridge77 on Mon Jul 28, 2008 at 07:01:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]

It goes without saying (none / 0)

Just as I don't need to wear a pin to prove my patriotism, I don't need to say anything to prove I am human.

by RandyMI on Mon Jul 28, 2008 at 07:02:15 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: It goes without saying (none / 0)

As I mentioned before, my dad had it and I am at risk. That is why I was trying to drum home the serious nature. That alone should be enough.

by RandyMI on Mon Jul 28, 2008 at 07:03:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: McCain Undergoing Skin Biopsy (none / 0)

Link of interest regarding McCain's medical records: http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2008/ 05/23/whats-in-mccains-health-records/

by cameoanne on Tue Jul 29, 2008 at 01:06:02 AM EST

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