Why aren't we talking more about Trump's cognitive decline?

[VonTastrophe]

I've called Trump a demented geriatric, and I realize I haven't expounded on that assertion. The fact of the matter is, it's evident that, even if you don't agree that he has dementia (only a medical professional and Trump himself would know for total certainty), you need to only watch a recent rally speech to be aware that he is absolutely in some sort of decline.

I'm going to reference this here for your viewing pleasure. MeidasTouch, 2024-06-26. It's a pretty good summary of the evidence that Trump is suffering from degenerative dementia, and/or the aftermath from some mini-strokes he allegedly had in 2019. Now in the video, Ben leverages sound bites out of context a bit too frequently for my taste. (For example, I listened to the speech that included the "Hannibal Lector" bit. I know that in context, Trump tried to make a joke that just wasn't that funny. The Robert E. Lee gay pirate yarn is more evident of cognitive problems.) In general the evidence is pretty damning, even in context.

Since there are no provisions in the Constitution for physical or mental fitness, it's all up to us as voters to decide if he's fit to run the Executive Branch.

Every candidate and politician makes gaffes, it comes with the territory. However, many of Trump's gaffes this cycle read less like someone who is competent and has his wherewithal, and more like Grandpa Simpson yelling at the clouds.

Recently, several clinicians have noted the ways [Trump] has begun to mistake words, lose his train of thought, confuse Biden with Obama, particularly during long rallies held in the evening. There are examples of phonemic paraphasia – swapping parts of words for others that sound similar; these are signs of early dementia, even though they are intermittent.

(Harry Segal, Senior Lecturer at Cornel University, Cornel University, 2024-03-11)

This is from an expert in fields of phycology and psychiatry. Just a quick note, Segal mentions Trumps' alleged pathological lying. This is not something I want to gloss over, but we will have to revisit another time. He continues...

The complaints about Joe Biden have been more vague – citing his advanced age, physical fragility and occasional mixing up of names. But there is no evidence of dementia onset, no ‘sun-downing,’ no reports from staff or cabinet members that he is failing to stay on top of legislative or international issues.

I'm going to save some time right here. The #1 response I anticipate to this thread is "wha wha what about Bidden?" I'll happily ignore any "whataboutism" replies not relevant to this immediate topic. Regarding Biden, I don't honestly think he should be running for President either. And RFK Jr. is a brain damaged anti-vaxxer. I'm still considering writing in "potato" as a protest vote. Let's save some time and set aside the irrelevancies.

See also Newsweek 2024-03-20.

I don't want to dwell expert opinions, because I believe that the evidence is more compelling if you see it for yourself. Seriously for the adults here, go online and search for the full unedited speeches from the last month or two. Videos of the speeches are easily found on Youtube, but many contain profanity, I have not cleared any of them by moderators. If you do, you would notice these points about Trump:

• he rambles
• he sounds paranoid, or appeals to paranoia
• there's little logical progression or coherence
• he doesn't ever really talk to specific policy plans, just suppositions
• he says very easily fact-checkable lies (e.g. other nations are pouring out there prisons and asylums into our country)
• he makes up stories that don't seem likely happen in reality
• he suffers from BDS (Biden derangement syndrome)
• he insults his other opponents too, even Republicans

Don't take my word for it of course. Listen to recordings of him yourself. Pay attention to the debate tonight. He's already complaining, today, that fact checkers are going to "lie" about what he says at the debate tonight. Someone who is well and competent doesn't do that.

[VonTastrophe]

Trump also claimed to "ace" a cognitive test. This test is the same one used by medical professionals to assess traumatic brain injuries and permanent brain damage. To be tested in the first place implies that medical professionals reasonably suspect a serious cognitive problem.

[rogue06]

Trump also claimed to "ace" a cognitive test. This test is the same one used by medical professionals to assess traumatic brain injuries and permanent brain damage. To be tested in the first place implies that medical professionals reasonably suspect a serious cognitive problem.

Or that one was requested.

[rogue06]

I've called Trump a demented geriatric, and I realize I haven't expounded on that assertion. The fact of the matter is, it's evident that, even if you don't agree that he has dementia (only a medical professional and Trump himself would know for total certainty), you need to only watch a recent rally speech to be aware that he is absolutely in some sort of decline.

I'm going to reference this here for your viewing pleasure. MeidasTouch, 2024-06-26. It's a pretty good summary of the evidence that Trump is suffering from degenerative dementia, and/or the aftermath from some mini-strokes he allegedly had in 2019. Now in the video, Ben leverages sound bites out of context a bit too frequently for my taste. (For example, I listened to the speech that included the "Hannibal Lector" bit. I know that in context, Trump tried to make a joke that just wasn't that funny. The Robert E. Lee gay pirate yarn is more evident of cognitive problems.) In general the evidence is pretty damning, even in context.

Since there are no provisions in the Constitution for physical or mental fitness, it's all up to us as voters to decide if he's fit to run the Executive Branch.

Every candidate and politician makes gaffes, it comes with the territory. However, many of Trump's gaffes this cycle read less like someone who is competent and has his wherewithal, and more like Grandpa Simpson yelling at the clouds.


(Harry Segal, Senior Lecturer at Cornel University, Cornel University, 2024-03-11)

This is from an expert in fields of phycology and psychiatry. Just a quick note, Segal mentions Trumps' alleged pathological lying. This is not something I want to gloss over, but we will have to revisit another time. He continues...



I'm going to save some time right here. The #1 response I anticipate to this thread is "wha wha what about Bidden?" I'll happily ignore any "whataboutism" replies not on this immediate topic. Regarding Biden, I don't honestly think he should be running for President either. And RFK Jr. is a brain damaged anti-vaxxer. I'm still considering writing in "potato" as a protest vote. Let's save some time and set aside the irrelevancies.

See also Newsweek 2024-03-20.

I don't want to dwell expert opinions, because I believe that the evidence is more compelling if you see it for yourself. Seriously for the adults here, go online and search for the full unedited speeches from the last month or two. Videos of the speeches are easily found on Youtube, but many contain profanity, I have not cleared any of them by moderators. If you do, you would notice these points about Trump:

• he rambles
• he sounds paranoid, or appeals to paranoia
• there's little logical progression or coherence
• he doesn't ever really talk to specific policy plans, just suppositions
• he says very easily fact-checkable lies (e.g. other nations are pouring out there prisons and asylums into our country)
• he makes up stories that don't seem likely happen in reality
• he suffers from BDS (Biden derangement syndrome)
• he insults his other opponents too, even Republicans

Don't take my word for it of course. Listen to recordings of him yourself. Pay attention to the debate tonight. He's already complaining, today, that fact checkers are going to "lie" about what he says at the debate tonight. Someone who is well and competent doesn't do that.

The reason folks are more focused on old Joe's obvious cognitive decline over OMB, is that the latter tends to say and do more in a day than old Joe does in a couple of weeks. This gives us far more material to pour through looking for screw ups and gaffes. If they were equal in cognitive decline, examples from him would "swamp" anything done by old Joe.

But they don't. And after old Joe was forced from the basement and out into public, the number of his major gaffes and bizarre instances have just multiplied. Before heading off into hiding for debate prep, his antics were becoming daily events.

[Sparko]

Trump's problem isn't dementia. It is that he is appears to have Narcissistic Personality Disorder. He also loves the sound of his own voice.

[NorrinRadd]

I will agree that compared to videos from ten years or so ago, BOM's speaking and overall presentation have deteriorated noticeably. As to the flinging of insults and the various overblown claims, those IMO are just his basic annoying bombastic combative personality.

[seer]

I will agree that compared to videos from ten years or so ago, BOM's speaking and overall presentation have deteriorated noticeably. As to the flinging of insults and the various overblown claims, those IMO are just his basic annoying bombastic combative personality.

We'll see who does better tonight. Who looks more 'with it.'

[Mountain Man]

Trump also claimed to "ace" a cognitive test. This test is the same one used by medical professionals to assess traumatic brain injuries and permanent brain damage. To be tested in the first place implies that medical professionals reasonably suspect a serious cognitive problem.

It doesn't imply anything of the sort. Liberals were claiming that President Trump was suffering from cognitive impairment, so during his presidential physical, he requested that he be given the test, and of course passed it without difficulty.

[Diogenes]

As with most things, Biden's decline is much worse, but "pay no attention". Also, Medias Touch is hardly impartial.

[Mountain Man]

Anybody who watched any of the debate tonight will know that Trump's supposed cognitive decline is a myth. Joe's, on the other hand, is impossible to ignore.

[rogue06]

Anybody who watched any of the debate tonight will know that Trump's supposed cognitive decline is a myth. Joe's, on the other hand, is impossible to ignore.

If nothing else it definitely answered the question posed by the OP.

[Starlight]

If you do, you would notice these points about Trump:

• he rambles
• he sounds paranoid, or appeals to paranoia
• there's little logical progression or coherence
• he doesn't ever really talk to specific policy plans, just suppositions
• he says very easily fact-checkable lies (e.g. other nations are pouring out there prisons and asylums into our country)
• he makes up stories that don't seem likely happen in reality

I certainly agree. Trump is badly disconnected from reality. Almost nothing he says is true. He seems to lack the IQ to handle details. He obviously lacks the competencies to handle almost any position whatsoever.

Those things are not necessarily age related though. He had pretty much all that in 2016.

I think Trump is suffering some age-related decline, but his symptoms, unlike Biden's, aren't those that the average public traditionally associates with age-related decline.

[seer]

Anybody who watched any of the debate tonight will know that Trump's supposed cognitive decline is a myth. Joe's, on the other hand, is impossible to ignore.

I guess that issue is settled...

[seer]

I certainly agree. Trump is badly disconnected from reality. Almost nothing he says is true. He seems to lack the IQ to handle details. He obviously lacks the competencies to handle almost any position whatsoever.

Those things are not necessarily age related though. He had pretty much all that in 2016.

I think Trump is suffering some age-related decline, but his symptoms, unlike Biden's, aren't those that the average public traditionally associates with age-related decline.

[rogue06]

I certainly agree. Trump is badly disconnected from reality. Almost nothing he says is true. He seems to lack the IQ to handle details. He obviously lacks the competencies to handle almost any position whatsoever.

Those things are not necessarily age related though. He had pretty much all that in 2016.

I think Trump is suffering some age-related decline, but his symptoms, unlike Biden's, aren't those that the average public traditionally associates with age-related decline.

While everyone is focused on old Joe's abysmal debate performance, it should be noted that while Trump is and was Trump, he had a pretty strong showing last night, putting to rest some of the issues folks have regarding him.