A San Diego, Orange County and Palm Springs California Brain Damaged Lawyer’s View of Political Candidates With Brain Malfunctions

Brain damage and post traumatic stress are bad enough, but you don't expect to see what appears like it in politicians running for office, even if it comes from facing the press. You see it in car accident victims in Palm Springs, in auto accident victims in Irvine, Santa Ana and Anaheim, in motorcycle accident victims in Newport Beach, Huntington Beach and Laguna Beach, in truck accident victims in Riverside, San Bernardino, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga and Chula Vista, in pedestrian accident victims in Rancho Mirage, La Quinta and Indio or in bicycle accident victims in Buena Park, Carlsbad and Mission Viejo. But in a candidate?

 There has been much criticism of the Republican Vice Presidential running mate Sarah Palin but none more so than following her interviews with Katie Couric. What appeared to be softball and quite expected questions for Ms. Palin turned out to produce completely incomprehensible answers that have led analysts to respond with looks of absolute fear on their faces.

"I'm speechless," said one commentator. Another called one of the answers the most incomprehensible answer to a question he had ever heard from a politician. When another commentator tried to weakly defend the answer, he shot back that the answer was indefensible at which point the other commentator agreed.

But being somewhat brain damaged myself, as most attorneys are, and having sympathy for anyone else who is, there could be another explanation. No, I'm not saying that Ms. Palin has gremlins or other things running around in her head. I'm not even suggesting she was dropped as a baby. What if the trauma first of being chosen to run with John McCain and then facing the media has caused her to suffer either post traumatic stress or some other brain malfunction from thinking too hard. We'll get to her wardrobe malfunction in a minute.

Consider her inability to know the name of even one newspaper that she reads or one Supreme Court case she disagrees with besides Roe v. Wade. Consider her recent answer to the question of what a Vice President does. The Vice President, she said, is "in charge of" the Senate and "can really get in there with the Senators and make a lot of good policy changes." One can just imagine the laughter of the Senators who at least know that the Vice President's only job in the Senate is to break ties.

Obviously, the McCain team so sheltered Ms. Palin from interviews and the news media, that they might not have been aware of any such condition. But since being sprung free (even if it was for only three interviews with real reporters) she has apparently so lost the confidence to answer the most simple question, she now appears only on one news station and much of the time with her handler, John McCain. It was only by apparently memorizing answers she recited and avoiding the moderator's questions, that she was able to look like someone in command of her faculties at the Vice Presidential debate. But it is possible for a person with a brain condition to still appear undamaged at times.

An explanation of how she was unable to answer Katie Couric's simple question of what newspapers she reads or what Supreme Court opinions she disagrees with, would be that she suffers from brain freeze, much like slurping too much of an icy cold drink from a convenience store. Admittedly, defending her position that she has foreign policy experience because of Alaska's proximity to Russia may be indefensible, still she should have been able to put together something more understandable than what follows.

Couric asked Sarah Palin why her experience in Alaska enhances her foreign policy credentials.

Palin: Well, it certainly does because our next door neighbors are foreign countries, there in the state that I am the executive of. And there in Russia -Couric: Have you ever been involved in any negotiations for example, with the Russians?Palin: We have trade missions back and forth. We do - it's very important when you consider even national security issues with Russia - as Putin rears his head and comes into the airspace of the United States of America, where do they go? It's Alaska. It's right over the border. It is from Alaska that we send those out to make sure an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right there, they are right next to our State.

A person can damage their brain just trying to figure out her answer. If you think your brain can handle it, read Ms. Palin's response to the bailout.

Couric: Why isn't it better, Governor Palin, to spend $700 billion helping middle-class families who are struggling with health care, housing, gas and groceries; allow them to spend more and put more money into the economy instead of helping those big financial institutions that played a role in creating this mess?

Palin: That's why I say I, like every American I'm speaking with, we're ill about this position that we have been put in where it is the taxpayers looking to bail out. But ultimately, what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the health care reform that is needed to help shore up our economy, helping the - it's got to be all about job creation, too, shoring up our economy and putting it back on the right track. So health care reform and reducing taxes, and reigning in spending has got to accompany tax reductions and tax relief for Americans. And trade, we've got to see trade, as opportunity not as competitive, scary thing. But one in five jobs being created in the trade sector today, we've got to look at that as more opportunity. All those things under the umbrella of job creation. The bailout is a part of that.

Is this just a loss of confidence in her ability to respond to questions, or is there something more? I'm just worried that on Halloween children will be dressed up to look like Sarah Palin and instead of saying "Trick or Treat," they'll be saying that their proximity to Russia, or Mexico, or Canada gives them the right to have a bailout or some candy.

Having just learned that she was able to persuade the Republican National Party to spring for $150,000 in clothes for the campaign trail, we know she's not without some intelligence. It may be that she just has a lot of really bad days, no matter how nice her wardrobe looks.

If you or a member of your family have suffered brain damage in an accident as a result of the negligence of another, this article is not meant to make light of such a condition, and you may be wondering what actual steps you should take to provide care or to seek compensation for your injuries or loss. Call us and we can help you sort through your difficult issues.

If you've suffered a brain injury in an accident in Orange County, San Diego, in the Inland Empire, Palm Springs or anywhere in Southern California, we have the knowledge and resources to be your Huntington Beach Personal Injury Lawyer and your Newport Beach and Laguna Beach Personal Injury Attorney on your case. Be sure to hire a California law firm with personal injury lawyers who can serve areas such as Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Anaheim, Newport Beach, Carlsbad, Corona del Mar, Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach, Santa Ana, Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario, Fontana, Del Mar, San Diego and Indio so you are properly represented and get the compensation you deserve.

If you have suffered a brain injury in a personal injury accident of any kind, call the Law Offices of R. Sebastian Gibson, or visit our website at http://www.sebastiangibsonlaw.com  and learn how we can assist you. You can also call us to speak directly to Sebastian Gibson on the phone about your legal matter.