"President Kennedy" WHO WAS "in charge" when he was asleep?

Self | 11/19/02 | Vets_Husband_and_Wife

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

Yesterday we heard how President Kennedy was on a HOST of drugs.

Having worked in the medical field, I can tell you that the sleeping pills used back in his day, KNOCKED you out.

Who was in charge when he was incapacitated?

I'm trying to find the list of drugs he was on.

I know they listed Sleeping pills, Methadone, Demerol, Lithium, and a TON of other drugs.

I don't know how the man was cognitive.

Does anyone have the list? And, why aren't we hearing MORE about this as a matter of national security?

I looked for anything regarding this on FR. Then I did some search engines. Why is this news OVER?

Any comments from freepers out there?

[Ciexyz]

Fox News covered this extensively all day yesterday.

[twyn1]

Ritalin too -- but isn't that actually a stimulant ? (how it works on ADHD is a paradox)

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

I know. I saw it first on Fox. But why isn't more being said about it?

I understand his Doctor knew and withheld this information.

If we close our eyes to this, what happens when the NEXT President has MAJOR health problems? Who is in charge of the "football" when a President is incapacitated like this.

My understanding is, only his doctor knew.. and we aren't hearing if any staff knew. But I would imagine during his presidency, that SOMEONE tried to wake him at some point.

This is actually very bizarre if you think about it.

Like I said.. the list of medicines is UN believable!!

Methadone is used for heroine addicts. Demerol can definetly affect cognitive abilities..and the kinds of sleeping pills they had back then KNOCKED YOU OUT. There was NO WAKING a patient up while on them.

I think more light needs to be shed on this.

Why the silence?

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

Thats right. Ritalin was listed too.

I understand it can have a "speed" type affect for those who are not hyper active. It is being misused by teens who can obtain it.

Thanks, I forgot about the ritalin. I can't seem to find any articles regarding this topic. Interesting....

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

BUMP for anyone who can direct me to an article posted ANYWHERE on the internet about this news!!

[RLK]

I don't know how the man was cognitive.

------------------------

He wasn't much of the time. His so-called brain trust of leftists such as McNamara were running things. Kennedy took a few mood elevators to make some quips in front of the press and beyond that was non functional in anything requiring serious presence of mind.

[Stefan Stackhouse]

Great, take us to the very brink of nuclear war with the Soviets, then knock himself out with drugs for the night. It is truly a miracle of God's grace that whole country under JFK's command didn't end up the same way that his PT boat did.

[SoCal Pubbie]

I have another question that has bothered me about the Kennedy administration. During the days of Iran Contra the media at the time screamed of a "shadow government" because people like Oliver North were conducting "extra constitutional" activities regarding foreign policy. Why has no one complained that during the Cuban Missile Crises the Attorney General was conducting secret meeting with Soviet representatives even those his position authorized no powers of diplomacy?

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

"Kennedy took a few mood elevators to make some quips in front of the press and beyond that was non functional in anything requiring serious presence of mind."

Thats what I mean. This is/was serious stuff. Other than Fox News, I'm just not hearing anything about it. I even thought surely it would be here on FR. But it wasn't. Why?

I remember the HUGE FLAP over President Bush 41 taking Halcion. (Which is also a KNOCK OUT sleeping pill) I don't think our Presidents should be on meds that incapacitate them. I'm unbiased when I state this. But man.. President Kennedy was ON A HUGE AMOUNT OF DRUGS!!! Not just to sleep.. but to function at all. Thats frightening....

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

Why has no one complained that during the Cuban Missile Crises the Attorney General was conducting secret meeting with Soviet representatives even those his position authorized no powers of diplomacy?

GREAT point. I think we must point out the discrepencies in the liberal medias ability to report. To report in an unbiased fashion. I should be shocked at the "lack" of any news on this subject... but I'm not. And that perhaps is the most frightening thing of all when you look at it in its entirety.

[breakem]

Gee, I thought the president could use whoever he needed during a crisis or at any time regardless of their position. Kennedy would not be the first president who ignored a VP or others in official capacity to get a job done. I can think of many things to criticize, but this one seems off the mark.

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

"I can think of many things to criticize, but this one seems off the mark"

With all due respect breakem, I disagree (if I'm reading your response to SoCal Pubbie correctly).

My understanding is that all Presidents are to reveal any serious medical conditions they have. President Kennedy HID his medical problems.

President Bush even had VP Cheney take the helm while he had a colonoscopy. Thats as it should be. A President must be cognitive, alert and able to handle any and all emergencies. You cannot do that when you are unconcious!!

This is not a small matter.. but a very serious one. One that we only heard about yesterday.. one that Sen. Kennedy commented that he wasn't "aware of" (Yeah right!!).

This is HUGE. Which is why I'm wondering why there are not more articles on this ANYWHERE!!

[mlo]

"President Kennedy" WHO WAS "in charge" when he was asleep?

Al Haig.

[DonQ]

  Why has no one complained that during the Cuban Missile Crises the Attorney General was conducting secret meeting with Soviet representatives even those his position authorized no powers of diplomacy?

Let's see, in a crisis of that magnitude the USA ought to be represented in negotiations by someone who can reliably speak for the Prez. And who was the Attorney General? Gee, it was Robert F. Kennedy, brother of JFK. More than being the brother of the President, he was probably the highest ranking cabinet official whose presence was not required at White House strategy meetings on Cuba, and therefore his conversations with the USSR representative would not be interrupted.

[mlo]

This is HUGE.

Probably because it was 40 years ago.

[IR8-1]

try http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2485429.stm on the BBC.

[evolved_rage]

Newsday: The records reveal that Kennedy variously took codeine, Demerol and methadone for pain; Ritalin, a stimulant; meprobamate and librium for anxiety; barbiturates for sleep; thyroid hormone; and injections of a blood derivative, gamma globulin, presumably to combat infections.

Maybe Teddy the Murderous Alcoholic is the balanced one...

[DonQ]

Who was in charge when he was incapacitated?

My theory: Ronald Reagan's astrologer.

[Alberta's Child]

WHO WAS "in charge" when he was asleep?

That's an easy one -- he turned things over to a young trusted aide who he knew would have a great future in the Democratic Party.