I watched anger like that shown by Rep. Murtha for 14 years, I watched a man who use to be resolute in his opinions and reasoning become a vacillator, unable to make a decision and often reversing a decision today with a virulent protest of denial tomorrow. I watched it until Oct 28th of 2002 when my father succumbed to one of the most hideous diseases; Alzheimer's. I see symptoms of this ravaging illness so often when I listen and look at our statesmen that I have to wonder if a mandatory retirement age wouldn't be in the nations best interest.
Bingo. I'm glad you had the experience of dealing with Alzheimers (not glad it happened to your loved one as it did to my mother) but it raises another question: why such deference with the press? You could ask this guy twenty questions and determine he is a shell of his once self.
Another condition that hits men more often than women and is quite common, much more so than people think, is ppd- paranoid personality disorder. I have seen symptoms of that behavior in my own brother in his early 40's and it skews all of their thinking and their relationships with others.
The formerly very honorable gentleman's intellect is undoubtedly a fraction of what it was. The outbursts now, as you so perceptively point out, are recognizable traits of the tragedy of mental decline. Would the honorable gentleman kindly consent to a simple mental acuity test? If people can question vp Cheney's ability to lead because of perceived physical problems, is there any reason, based on his behavior, that a call not go out to have this elderly gentlemen's head examined?