Palin : wild and crazy mood swings that caused McCain staff to believe she was mentally unstable

[HipChick]

Authors of "Game Change," book says the stress of vaulting onto the national stage caused Palin to have wild mood swings.

"One minute, Palin would be her perky self; the next she would fall into a strange blue funk," the authors write.

The morning of her ill-fated CBS interview with Katie Couric, Palin - "her eyes glassy and dead" - was unresponsive to attempts to prep her as she was being made up.

"As they were about to set off to meet Couric, Palin announced 'I hate this makeup' - smearing it off her face, messing up her hair, complaining she looked fat," the book relates.

Palin went on to give answers to Couric that were so incoherent the interview permanently damaged her.

Palin went into a tailspin. She stopped eating or sleeping, and drank only a half a can of diet soda a day, recounts the book written by John Heilemann of New York magazine and Mark Halperin of Time magazine.

"When her aides tried to quiz her she would routinely shut down - chin on her chest, arms folded, eyes cast to the floor, speechless and motionless, lost in what those around her described as a kind of catatonic stupor," the book says.

"If I had known everything I know now, I would not have done this," the book quotes Palin as saying.

[ixion]

1. uh, well, she IS mentally unstable...

what part of tongue-speaking-fundie-whack-job is not being understood by the MSM?

[hamsterjill]

10. Amen to that!!!

To me, it's readily obvious that this woman has some serious problems with reality!

[mwb970]

65. I think its the obviousness of her lack of value that is so galling.

Lots of people lack value. In Sarah's case, her problems are revealed each and every time she opens her mouth or posts some juvenile "tweet". In this way, she's like millions of other low-quality people. The big difference is, none of the other defective people are literally worshipped by a huge segment of the population!

Nothing reveals the conservatives' focus on surfaces and disdain for substance better than their love affair with this worthless bit of fluff.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

67. so well said--

it's obvious to me she has a personality disorder of some kind, (god, so many of these psycho pukes do.... eek!),

what drives me nuts is that so many people are so blind to it, that the damned Flying Monkeys Media is perfectly oblivious and can't wait to give her more airwaves.

Fertilizer to grow more low-quality people....

(speaking of fertilizer and the scary proportion of low-quality people, I saw a perfect illustration of this cultural sickness highlighted on a popular reality show:

One of the "players" was a self-absorbed, lieing, vindictive, malicious person -- Who almost won the game, which in the end depends on other players' votes; and DID win the "audience favorite" award. Even though his ugliness was on display for all to see, a significant portion of the people who watch this show thought he was "admirable" in some way. *ugh* Too many people don't even know the difference between right and wrong, it seems.)

and let me defend myself here, since I'm embarrassed to admit I even watched this show!! I used to tease my hun for being kind of addicted to it...and he sort of sucked me in. (Yes! It's his fault :P ). We both wanted to see the rotten creep get the karmic boot. We just were desperate, really, to see his subterfuge crash down and for good people to see the truth and give him what he deserved. So, we sure did barf when it turned out the way it did.

[lazarus]

76. what Russell did

was overplay his hand. But really, lying in Survivor is no worse than bluffing in poker. It's all part of the game. Game. Not real life.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

84. even though I know you're right about it being just a game,

I'd have to disagree about looking at it as merely buffing in a game.

The reason I'm seeming to take this too seriously, perhaps, is because he cheerfully and proudly did harmful things to people and was too much at ease with manipulating; stabbing them in the back, making nicey-face, crowing on and on to his two "teammates" at the end about how great he was and boy don't they agree that he's the greatest ever, completely unconcerned with them or how they feel--only wanting to get them to agree with him on how superior he is. It was just a nauseating display of the type of person I wouldn't want to touch with a ten foot pole.....

Understand this is just the opinion of moi, someone who has never played poker, doesn't really "get" the idea of how to bluff or fake your emotions and has no interest or ability at office politics-- I mean, I just don't get kissing up to someone you disrespect just to get the brownie points. So I realize I'm a little extreme in the opposite direction from him....but it just seems like anyone who does that harmful ugly crap so easily has been practicing a lot in real life.

Also, it was disgusting that so many watching on teevee, who could see the backstory, approved of this hypocritical, self-obsessed, egomaniacal piece of crap.

my perspective :)

[dmr]

15. She sounds like a child who's not getting her own way

Look at how she's a bully to those who are a 'threat' to her. Look at how she has to control everything. Look at how easily she lies; and how often.

She may have once been able to bamboozle those in Alaska; and continue to bamboozle the low-intellect flying around on her bus tour, but rest assured she couldn't get away with her bullshit with the GOP heavy hitters trying to run a presidential campaign.

Behind the scenes her tantrum was to 'shut-down' with those she felt controlled her. Tantrums until she got her way. How awful it must've been to be assigned to her detail.

That's my arm chair psychology opinion.

[BuelahWitch]

27. How much more awful it must be to be her child

:-(

[badgerpup]

56. A Bedtime story (and cautionary tale)

Once upon a time, there was a Big Lady Frog who lived in in a little pond. :bounce:

One day, the Big Lady Frog was picked up and tossed into humoungous damn lake Michigan (used for comparison purposes only), which was much, much bigger than her little pond. :wow:

The Big Lady Frog discovered that she wasn't quite as big as she'd thought...and that she was way out her depth. :yoiks:

The Not-so-Big (actually rather small when compared with all the other frogs hopping around "Lake Michigan" doing frog-stuff)
Lady Frog freaked out. :hide:

The End. :shrug:

[AzDar]

22. +1

:thumbsup:

[NJmaverick]

2. This is great stuff, do you have a link?

[HipChick]

4. IM

Gryphen has some good write-up on the book + 60 mins on Immoral Minority

[HipChick]

6. Another link..

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2010/01/mentally-unstable.html#more

[mod mom]

19. wow! this should be damaging to her.

[tblue37]

32. Not with the wingnuts who idolize her. NOTHING she says or does

will ever turn them against her, any more than they would believe a birth certificate that proves Obama is an American citizen.

[supernova]

3. It makes her sound bipolar

undiagnosed.

[zazen]

12. that'd be consistent with attdg nine universities, promising talks and then cancelling

Although I always thought she had serious borderline personality tendencies, with all of the splitting and interpersonal drama. The two diagnoses often look similar and are just constructs anyway, but they do tend to describe patterns of behavior that we've all come across at some point.

[supernova]

14. My first hubby was a borderline

And boy what a strange ride he took me on!

We've been divorced for 13 years, and I sometimes wonder if he has managed to straighten himself out. But only sometimes.

[tavalon]

49. Without years, and I do mean years, of Dialectical Behavior Therapy

or, DBT, to use the shortened lingo, people don't get better. There is a tendency to mellow a bit with age, but that doesn't mean the Tsunami isn't still raging inside their heads.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

71. this is what I think too.

borderline.

My mother was undiagnosed borderline, most likely, according to several therapists I saw during the many years it took to recover. She also had her "public arena" totally conned into thinking she was, "an angel on earth". So it's no surprise that I am a little invested in seeing her phony game come crashing down.

As someone said elsewhere, I feel sorry for her children.

It infuriates me that so many don't see the obvious disregard for anyone but herself, relish at hurting others, the shallowness, the extreme immaturity, the lieing, and that she has the media on its knees to her. Disgusting.

[thereismore]

24. energetic, then apathetic = rapidly cycling bipolar. Wow. nt

[tavalon]

48. Actually, borderline personality disorder,

undiagnosed.

And yes, it can be complete hell to be the child of a person with that.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

72. I'll vouch for that

it WAS total hell. I must have realllllly wanted a challenge to burn off some karma in this life ;)


As a survivor, it really feels good anytime I see someone who has some understanding. Very validating.


I mentioned a little bit upthread. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=post&forum=389&topic_id=7438711&mesg_id=7438907

[tavalon]

75. Fellow survivor here

Amazingly, I picked one up as an adult. Luckily, I got rid of him in nine months but it was a very long nine months.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

85. compadre!

:hug:

Nothing amazing at all about hooking up with people who have the same vibe you grew up with. It's really common. Glad it was only one, for you!

I've fallen head over heels with a diagnosed borderline, an obvious malignant narcissist and a sociopath whom I later found out was a felon among other nasty things. Very nasty. As well as a host of other highly poor choices....

Of course, NONE of them lasted long (all about 10 months, and very little time actually spent together).

All of them SEEMED fine when we first met--and they all started with much charm and flattery, at times when I was in especially vulnerable spots. It wasn't until their good behavior period wore off that the ugly stuff started. And then took me some time to cut them off and protect myself...the emotional hooks stayed in a long time afterwards, though.

Those are only the most impressive *ahem* of my umm what should I call it? Survivor's hangover? ;) Being desperate for affection, as well as having other survivor's baggage makes it hard to know what you are and what is a good fit for you.

[HipChick]

5. This makes more sense now too...trying to postpone the debate

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snRt2MGOF1o

[euphoria12leo]

7. Sarah needed Todd and God.

I read the McCain camp was trying to keep Todd away at times. And of course she couldn't find anyone to pray with her. But really, did Sarah think the road to becoming VP would be easy? Oh well, they did pick her because of her looks so I guess so.

[chat_noir]

8. NY Daily News link with poll

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2010/01/11/2010-01-11_new_book_game_change_sarah_palin_believed_.html



Do you believe Sarah Palin is an ignoramus?

Yes. She proved that during the Katie Couric interview and at other moments.

No. The allegations in 'Game Change' are not supported by facts.

[YOY]

9. It doesn't take a shrink to figure her out.

Dumb and crazy...a nasty combo.

[slackmaster]

11. Sounds kind of like my ex-wife

:hide:

[HipChick]

13. Sounds like my ex SIL...who faked having cancer..

[99 Percent Sure]

16. She fell into a blue funk because she

Was faking the funk. She isn't a quick study, isn't an intellectual, isn't well-educated, and she knew this. She knew she was way out of her village, yet she craved it at any cost until it broke her down so much that she had to retreat for a bit, even give up the governorship.

After the election, her head was spinning what with the ethics violations and such on the she governator.

If McCaint's campaign guy, Simon whatever or whatever Simon, is to be believed, they discovered early on that she is probably a pathological liar, the kind who will, in the face of the irrefutable lying before her, say the evidence is a lie.

Then there's the fact that, on her best day, the best you can say for her is that she's unhinged.

Although Levi Johnson would probably just say she is a monster. :rofl:

[crikkett]

30. what a sentence

"After the election, her head was spinning what with the ethics violations and such on the she governator."

It took me a few tries to understand that sentence.

It's because I have a bad headache - and you're trying to be so colorful that your writing lost meaning.

[99 Percent Sure]

46. Thank you. Your critique was, er, colorful. Hope your headache gets better. n/t

[Occulus]

54. Does proper punctuation help it any?

"After the election, her head was spinning, what with the ethics violations and such on the she-governator."

[spiritual_gunfighter]

17. While I dont doubt that Sarah Palin is unstable

This book was written by Mark Halperin.

[sharesunited]

18. The candidate biz made her unhappy. The candidate ENDORSING biz makes her happy and rich.

[BolivarianHero]

20. She's a fucking Pentecostal..

Of course she's mentally unstable.

[global1]

21. And You Know The Scary Thing About This Is.........

the media, some Repugs and still many American's are supporting her and would like her to run in 2012. What's wrong with this picture.

Is this the person you would like to have their hands on the nuclear buttons?

[Born_A_Truman]

53. Ya!

Those of us who are reality-based are called "Saraphobes", and meanie Steve Schmidt is blaming Sarah for his failures.

[ellie]

23. While this is scary

and sad, even sadder are the millions of people who voted for her and McCain. That makes my mind reel.

[niyad]

25. she is a young earth creationist--of course she is unstable.

[LiberalFighter]

26. Probably so many factors why she is screwed up.

Could one of them also be post-partum depression?

[BuelahWitch]

28. I was thinking more along the lines of perimenopause

Or perhaps the big M itself. She's at that age.

[supernova]

37. Menopause doesn't make you off your rocker

If it does, you were headed that way anyway.

[GreenPartyVoter]

80. Hormone disprutions can further disrupt chemcial imbalances, though. So it's

possible that if she already has chemical issues, menopause could be amplifying the effect.

[supernova]

38. Menopause doesn't make you off your rocker

If it does, you were headed that way anyway.

[HipChick]

40. Mood swings are not new...people that know her in Alaska refer to the Other Sarah..

[crikkett]

31. that was my guess.

Apparently the most terrifying monster in the world is a moody woman.

[malaise]

35. I'm no expert but Palin behaves like

an incest victim.

[HipChick]

39. She is focused on rape..

She claims her daughters were threatened with gang rape - however no-one can find any facts to back up her claims

She accused Letterman of talking about raping her daughter -

[crikkett]

29. The woman had just had a baby for crying out loud

isn't that right?

[slackmaster]

33. Yes, and that would have been a valid reason not to have her run for office

:nuke:

[supernova]

36. That's just it, though

a more rational woman would have said, "I have a new baby, it's really not a good time to run for national office." Even men, for the most part in this country have older children when they attain national office.

[HipChick]

42. What does a baby have to do with it, when that behaviour was already noted

in her previous incarnations as mayor and governor in Alaska

[crikkett]

43. Mothers with newborns often have hormonal imbalances

and absent other info (like what you present) intelligent people understand that the moodiness is a temporary thing.

[Stevenmarc]

34. She's not unstable she was just overdue for her 50,000 mile exorcism tuneup

[varelse]

51. Best reply on the thread

:toast:

[autorank]

41. So now they're playing the "crazy card."

They really don't want her running for anything again. Interesting.

McCain was victim to the same thing a while back.

[progressoid]

44. CATATONIC STUPOR! - so when her fans say she represents them, they ain't lying!

[Blasphemer]

45. Childish tantrum throwing because things weren't going her way. Bush in a skirt... nt

[opihimoimoi]

61. "Bush in a skirt"....I like it :o)

[L. Coyote]

68. Without a Daddy running the CIA

:rofl: It's not what you don't know, it is who knows you :rofl:

[opihimoimoi]

78. "If ya can fool um, ya can RULE UM..." Grandis Dictus

[MadMaddie]

47. She sounds like a teen who was throwing tantrums

Wow!

[invictus]

50. K&R

[Haole Girl]

52. Interesting, bcause that was my impression of Palin from the beginning. nt

[Union Yes]

55. Funny cuz I pegged Palin as bipolar after her debate with VP Biden. knr nt

[Captain Hilts]

57. McCain also has wild and crazy moodswings that make him unsuitable to be prez. nt

[anniebelle]

58. I just shudder to think how close she came to the White House.

If it were up to my neighbors here in Tennessee, she'd be there now. Up and down our street, Sarah signs were everywhere -- NOT McCain/Palin -- but Sarahcuda and just plain Sarah signs with the quote "we'll show 'em". Scary stuff!

[trusty elf]

59. .....

[BlancheSplanchnik]

73. .....

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Great Job!!!!!!!

[Dorian Gray]

60. Well, she proves herself the idiot we all know her to be

Did she really think it would be a fun walk in the park? Running for VP is serious business! Duh!

[sendero]

62. Rapid cycling bipolar..

... disorder would be my amateur diagnosis :)

[Mopar151]

63. An instinctive performer, not a leader

No doubt she has mental problems along the bipolar/borderline axis - throw in a Jesus-load of delusions, a dose of narcissism, and the glare of a 24/7 spotlight, and it ain't no wonder she's down at the bow and listing to port.
She may do quite well on Faux Noise - her words won't fail her there, and she'll have the teleprompter and earpiece for backup and reassurance. And they won't let her near anyone who would offer a serious intellectual challenge.

[spanone]

64. i can't wait for her crazy ass to be on teevee regularly, you can't hide the stupid

[mwb970]

66. Fox "News" has no need to hide the stupid.

It's amazing. Fox "News" has the most uncritical, unskeptical viewership that any TV or cable channel has ever had! It's like shooting fish in a barrel: the poor saps who watch Fox tend to watch only Fox, and accept without a moment's thought whatever happy crappy spews from Hannity or the big-lipped blonde bimbos they always have on there.

Soon enough, these poor sods can sit breathlessly in front of their TVs, fingering prayer beads as the Anointed One speaks (and speaks and speaks and speaks). And they will love her!

[L. Coyote]

70. At Fox "News" stupid is the consensus

[undeterred]

69. UNFAIR AND UNBALANCED.

[Odin2005]

74. Sounds like Borderline Personality Disorder to me.

Rapid mood swings, erratic behavior, etc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borderline_personality_disorder

Borderline Personality Disorder is a disorder about which many articles and books have been written, yet about which very little is known based on empirical research.<6>

Studies suggest that individuals with BPD tend to experience frequent, strong and long-lasting states of aversive tension, often triggered by perceived rejection, being alone or perceived failure.<7> Individuals with BPD may show lability (changeability) between anger and anxiety or between depression and anxiety<8> and temperamental sensitivity to emotive stimuli.<9>

The negative emotional states particularly associated with BPD have been grouped into four categories: extreme feelings in general; feelings of destructiveness or self-destructiveness; feelings of fragmentation or lack of identity; and feelings of victimization.<10>

Individuals with BPD can be very sensitive to the way others treat them, reacting strongly to perceived criticism or hurtfulness. Their feelings about others often shift from positive to negative, generally after a disappointment or perceived threat of losing someone. Self-image can also change rapidly from extremely positive to extremely negative. Impulsive behaviors are common, including alcohol or drug abuse, unsafe sex, gambling and recklessness in general.<11> Attachment studies suggest individuals with BPD, while being high in intimacy- or novelty-seeking, can be hyper-alert<6> to signs of rejection or not being valued and tend toward insecure, avoidant or ambivalent, or fearfully preoccupied patterns in relationships.<12> They tend to view the world generally as dangerous and malevolent, and themselves as powerless, vulnerable, unacceptable and unsure in self-identity.<6>

Individuals with BPD are often described, including by some mental health professionals (and in the DSM-IV),<13> as deliberately manipulative or difficult, but analysis and findings generally trace behaviors to inner pain and turmoil, powerlessness and defensive reactions, or limited coping and communication skills.<14><15><16> There has been limited research on family members' understanding of borderline personality disorder and the extent of burden or negative emotion experienced or expressed by family members.<17>

Parents of individuals with BPD have been reported to show co-existing extremes of over-involvement and under-involvement.<18> BPD has been linked to increased levels of chronic stress and conflict in romantic relationships, decreased satisfaction of romantic partners, abuse and unwanted pregnancy; these links may largely be general to personality disorder and subsyndromal problems,<19> but such issues are commonly raised in support groups and published literature for partners of individuals with BPD.

Suicidal or self-harming behavior is one of the core diagnostic criteria in DSM IV-TR, and management of and recovery from this can be complex and challenging.<20> The suicide rate is approximately 8 to 10 percent.<21> Self-injury attempts are highly common among patients and may or may not be carried out with suicidal intent.<22><23> BPD is often characterized by multiple low-lethality suicide attempts triggered by seemingly minor incidents, and less commonly by high-lethality attempts that are attributed to impulsiveness or comorbid major depression, with interpersonal stressors appearing to be particularly common triggers.<24> Ongoing family interactions and associated vulnerabilities can lead to self-destructive behavior.<18> Stressful life events related to sexual abuse have been found to be a particular trigger for suicide attempts by adolescents with a BPD diagnosis.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

86. me too

Hi Odin! always good to see you :)

I talked a bit upthread about my personal experience as a survivor of a BPD mother.

Palin doesn't impress me as bi-polar at all. Very definitely, BPD.

[Generator]

77. You know as much as Palin is worthless

This book is really starting to sound like what Joan Walsh called it, misogynist. Hillary is a ball crusher, Elizabeth Edwards is insane, and well yeah Palin is an incompetent nut job. But mood swings and the rest are getting close to saying cause she's a girl she can't handle the pressure. Complaining she looked fat? I dunno. I think this book may be out to trash the entire Dem party along with Palin. Reid is a racist, Bill Clinton is a racist.

Does this book make anybody look good? And who is this guy that wrote it? I haven't had time to research.

[lightningandsnow]

79. I have a mood disorder, most likely some form of bipolar.

This thread just rubs me the wrong way. :(

[GreenPartyVoter]

81. For myself, I'm not taking it personally that Palin might have the same

mental illness that I do. If anything, it makes me feel a bit sorry for her. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy. :( (Who come to think of it, might be Palin. LOL)

[supernova]

83. Having an illness isn't a bad thing

Having an illness, being unaware of it and trying to conquer the world is, however.

[blm]

82. Bi-polar, most likely.

.