I heard some people speculate that W seemed drugged in the last press conference. I didn’t see it, but I wonder if he was just trying to sound serious and subdued while talking about war. Or maybe he had just been up all night trying to convince France and Germany not to veto, and was just tired.
In any case, this got me thinking about how I’d feel if I found out the president (any president) was taking anti-anxiety meds. On one hand, a president is only human, and has one of the most anxiety-causing jobs on the planet. On the other, lots of people deal fine with anxiety without meds, even in high pressure situations, and maybe it’s not too much to ask for the president to be one of those people.
I’m pretty much on the fence with this one. Maybe if I wasn’t having my own anxiety problems, I’d be less sympathetic to the idea that it’s OK.
I’ll second that. I would be quite surprised if W wasn’t on something. I doubt valium, but most likely some form of anti-anxiety. Possibly paxil, or prozac. But GWB needs to be on something anyway, his dislexia makes him get quite flustered. Ever seen him get flustered? No? I didn’t think so, and thats because he’s on some form of psychotropic meds.
Listen to his speeched: They go something like this:
Talk…talk…talk… pause…talk…talk…talk…pause and repeat.
For behaviour therapists it is a way to teach someone who has a speech impediment or is reading aloud how to do it rhythmicly, and precisely. Kinda like baby steps - if you know what I mean.
And I’ll bet GW is saying in the back of his mind the whole time - baby-steps to the commercial - baby steps to the through the hall with a red carpet - baby steps to my room - baby steps to my scotch…
Hrm… As someone who spent five years (give or take) on anti-anxiety meds, I would have no problem with a president taking similar drugs. Reasons being as follows:
a) If his dosage and Rx are well regulated, there’s no need to worry about weird side effects such as poor judgement (which would be my big concern in a chemically-altered leader -“Lalalala BOMBS BOMBS NUKE 'EM ALL!! Lalalalala, ooh, look at the pretty daisies!”
b) there’s a big difference between having a neurochemical imbalance that causes inappropriate anxiety and being a wuss. Needing medication for anxiety doesn’t make you any less president material than does needing medication for a hyperactive thyroid.
c) I sure as hell would prefer a president on Prozac to a president who was unmedicated and thus had anxiety attacks at the drop of a hat.
d) I worry about much bigger things with this particular president than what drugs he’s on.
I probably should have phrased the question as “Would you be OK with the President being someone who needs anti-anxiety meds?”. Certainly no one wants one who needs them and doesn’t take them.
I’d just as soon he would use them, and chill about Saddam Hussein. Perhaps Jenna could score some for him if he didn’t want the White House docs to know…
In opposition to everyone here I would prefer my President to be someone who does NOT NEED anti-anxiety meds in the first place. Given the side-effects of certain anti-anxiety medications (that I’ve seen first-hand), I’d most definitely prefer a President who is more naturally able to calm his nerves in a more controlled environment (i.e., in the form of exercise). However, given W’s physical prowess as a President alongside his continual accumulation of blips and blunders perhaps I could make an exception in this one case…since he already is in office and everything… In general, though, the instability associated with these meds is more suited to an office of lesser importance.