I don’t write a lot of diaries because I don’t have time and hope I’ll be forgiven for being brief.
I am certainly not a doctor. And I am certainly leary of long distance diagnosis after the Frist fiasco.
Nevertheless, with the wingnut press blaming Senate Democrats for Mrs. Alito’s breakdown, it is time to at least consider other possibilities for her break.
Bipolar Disorder was formerly known as manic depression, characterized by the unexpected mood swings from Euphoric to depressed, at least according to the NIH. Many in the blogospere noted the peculiarly goofy smiling, giddy, giggly mood manifested by Mrs Alito in the first two days. And many have noted the unusual weepiness during the Graham statement. In fact, the mood manifestations have been so out of place and unusual that many have commented that it was all an act.
For the truth is that virtually all people of her age and station have long since learned how to sit still, hands in lap, with something of a calm Mona Lisa smile pasted on, no matter what is happening around them. Why not Mrs. Alito?
It may not have been an act. In fact it may have been an episode of Bipolar disorder; but the medics in our merry band are going to have to evaluate this for themselves. This would also explain the unusually large number of family members present…the first two rows, which may have been an attempt to emotionally insulate Mrs Alito from what she might have perceived as an unfriendly crowd. What is unusual here is that according the the NIH, this is a chemically treatable malady in most cases. The question at hand is whether, if she has this disease, she went off her meds, or perhaps is one of those unfortunates who have an untreatable version.
Of course, if this is the case we are obliged to be generous, compassionate and understanding, especially because with his 11th century world view, her husband is likely to think her possessed by devils. That does not oblige us to roll over in the face of accusations by the wingnut wurlitzer. But it does oblige us to ask the question whether or not Judge Alito has any family obligations which might interfere with discharging his obligations as a SCOTUS member.
.
Is what most Americans do, it’s not seen as an impediment!
It’s about HIS views, opinions and honesty before Congress, and hopefully NOT appointed as a SC judge.
No problem with your fine diary, don’t read too much in and of the wingnut WH press, causes high blood pressure.
“Treason doth never prosper: what’s the reason?
For if it prosper, none dare call it treason.”
▼ ▼ ▼ MY DIARY
If she suffers from bi-polar disorder I would be inclined to give Sam a pat on the back for perseverence. But my support of him would end there. Whether or not his wife is afflicted and in turn her family peripheral victims, has no bearing on his qualifications for the SC.
I could give her the benefit of the doubt for dealing with what has to be a very emotional experience for a family member to be required to sit quietly through. Being emotionally visible is not cause for a bi-polar diagnosis.
It also sometimes occurs taht when one family member is emotionless, another carries all of it.
If she had cancer would you be wondering about Alito’s family obligations or is it because she might have a mental illness? If he had an elderly parent to take care of?
I dont’think it’s okay to speculate on his wife’s mental state in relation to his ability to do the job. God knows I don’t want my husband’s employer to check on my mental state as a condition of his employment.
I ask because Sandra Day O’Connor is leaving the bench precisely for that reason. Her husband has ALzheimers. So I think it is perfectly legitimate to ask the question.
As much as it pains me to ever defend any wing nut, Mrs. Alito has to sit there for hours on end and hear some very unpleasant things being said, whether they are true or not. Let’s leave the diagnosing long distance to Frist.
What I found more interesting is that she broke into tears when Graham used the words “closeted bigot”. Maybe it was just the word “closeted” anything that disturbed her. Too close to the truth? Speculation only.
Mrs. Alito spent two days in heated surroundings, listening to negative remarks about her husband’s integrity (during which she exhibited a somewhat tense smile/smirk). Her tears didn’t enter the picture until her husband’s trusted colleague (Lindsay Graham) stepped up to the mic. Based on firsthand experience, I can only imagine that her emotions were those of relief.
“Trusted Colleague” seems to be a bit much.
While I can’t remember Graham’s specific comments, something he said gave me the impression that he and Alito were close friends. (I actually reined myself in by using the term “trusted colleague”.) Apparently I was wrong in my observations, but that’s okay – it’s happened before, and it will undoubtedly happen again.
On a lighter note, who among us wouldn’t cry if we were trapped in a room with Biden – and a microphone within his reach?
Good day!
Biden
He sounds like every professional i know. Don’t know his positions on the issues but I have no problems with the guy. I do have problems with Orrin Hatch and and the rest of the Republican mafia. And you should too.
Mrs. Alito’s tears are in no way diagnostic of Bipolar disorder. To say that anyone who cries when his or her spouse is criticized is bipolar is inappropriate, right up there with the kind of slurs that are put out by the worst of the right wing radionuts. True, that most spouses of public figures are very good at controlling their composure, but when one such person is not, it is hardly a sign of mental illness!
Furthermore, there are many fine people walking around (and likely some writing here) who have bipolar disorder. Your statements imply a criticism of them, also, and their families. They deserve better than what you imply.
Are you a clinician? Because I’ve seen it and it looks exactly like this.
I’ll speak here.
Yes, Kidspeak is a clinician.
Thanks, Supersoling.
I wasn’t here to see his question.
I am intensely dismayed at the prospect of Alito on the Supreme Court. But in this case, my concern is having mental illness used as a way to slur people.
Great diary Jim. I guess Sam will try to handle her mood swings and then make unbiased decisions concerning women when he’s on the court. She seems to be a bit more medicated today with her eyeballs floating and all. Probably won’t be any crying jags or temper tantrums. That will make Sam happy and later he’ll let her out in the backyard for some fresh air as a reward. Usual rules apply “no talking to the neighbors”, “no defecating on the flowers”, “no screaming obscenities.” š
Perhaps her nephew has a nice attic for her.
I have a HUGE problem with some of the insensitive remarks about mental illness in this thread.
Everyone is entitled to an opinion but seeing it and knowing it are two different things.
I have lived it as the spouse ok. So this is tweaking me some. I saw nothing in her behavior that indicated any disorder other than poor husband choosing abilities.
Shit, I’m gonna cry when Mark messiers #11 is retired at Madison Square Garden tonight. If I follow some of the bullshit in this thread, I might as well make an appointment for meds now.
I was surprised and dismayed to see this diary this morning, particularly because it was written by someone who has been offended by the writing of others (unintentionally) here in the past.
I was not the GOP Congressional staffer who directed the COngressional media cameraman to put her in the frame in all three days. I didn’t make this a political issue. The Republicans did, and it deserves an answer in the form of an alternative evaluation. You are more than welcome to simply accept the Republican view that Teddy Kennedy made her cry. But it ain’t bean bag and we are going to continue to lose as long as we fail to respond.
And this is your solution:
“Perhaps her nephew has a nice attic for her.”
I’m stunned at your cavalier behavior toward such a sensitive matter.
Oh, Boo fucking Hoo. Get over yourself. It isn’t about how dismayed you are. Something is seriously wrong with that woman. And we don’t need to take the blame for her break.
nice.
In all honesty, I’d sooner attribute Mrs. Alito’s loss of composure to overall staging (remember the apparently spontaneous ‘hug’ between the Iraqi woman & the military mother at Bush’s SOTU address?) than to a manifestation of mental illness. It’s notable that these apparently ‘spontaneous’ moments seem to serve extremely well in shading deep controversy in a certain manner.
Color me cynical here, if you please.
I don’t denigrate the seriousness of bi-polar disorder, or discount the possibility that Mrs. Alito is a sufferer; I’m well aware of the seriousness & possible manifestations of the disorder, having lived with a severe manic-depressive for many years. If, in fact, Mrs. Alito suffers this disorder & is currently unstable, there was absolutely no requirement for her to attend these hearings unless her attendance was somehow crucial to the overall purpose.
I don’t know for sure what’s going on with her except i feel absolutely certain that something was going on with her. Maybe it was an act, if so excellent acting job, especially the part where tried so valiantly to hold back the tears and that looked more genuine to me than not.
I just don’t see anyone, men or women, other than in mourning, and seeing an episode of cycling, behave like that….higher than a kite one minute and all slobbery the next. Just completlely beyond my experience. So what fits for me is that she has some emotional issues of some kind, so what fit for me was the description of bipolar. Maybe something else.
And I don’t think we are obliged to sit back and accept the Republican diagnosis.
My inclination was also to think this might have been a bit of nice staging, as it certainly got sympathy. On the other hand, having such public attention in circumstances where the spouse of the person being questioned has little or no control, is highly stressful, as judges wives ordinarily do not get much attention. In any case, I doubt that anyone sitting in the Senate is much influenced by a few tears of a candidate’s wife.