I just read that 1 in 88 kids have some form of autism. If you have ever heard of the DSM IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), then you know there is more than enough to go around for the other 87 kids. So here is the truth. People die, no one is 100% sane, and no matter how hard you try you will not care for quite a few people out there even if they are the same race and religion as you. It is all true, but it doesn't mean you have to go around spitting hate and pointing out flaws and differences. I don't believe people can be saved, but it doesn't mean I should stop trying (and I'm a proud atheist!). Just because you can act awful doesn't mean you have to. If you understand what I am saying, then don't try and "teach" it to someone else. Just show them.

Poor Jesse Jr. tried to buy Obama's seat from the Blago who is now in prison. I would be depressed to. So now young Patrick Kennedy comes to help by telling him how his uncle Jack's daddy, Joe Kennedy paid the Chicago Mafia to stuff the ballot box in 1960, in order to win the Presidency.

Now I hope Jesse feels better and can get back to dirty, filthy Chicago-style politics.

Rev. Jesse Jackson disputes that Mayo Clinic is ‘too white’ for Junior

By SkitSketchJeff, August 9, 2012 at 6:05 am

Rev. Jesse Jackson reported yesterday his son, Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr., continues to make progress recovering from vague, undisclosed conditions that may or may not be limited to just being tired and moody.

More surprising than this non-news was that no reporters had called Rev. Jackson for the non-update. He simply convened an ad hoc news conference at the Will County courthouse while reporters waited for the Drew Peterson trial to resume. Much like not waking a sleepwalker, the reporters thought it best to not shock a media diva by suddenly withholding their attention.

Congressman Jackson has been absent from his elected office for the past two months, reportedly first checking into the whitest drug addiction and mood disorder clinic in Tucson, Ariz., and then the Mayo Clinic in even whiter Minnesota. Reporters asked Rev. Jackson if he worries his family’s street cred will take a hit from his son entering a facility called “Mayo.”

“Look, my family long ago became multi-millionaires by publicly representing the dispossessed and then privately cutting corporate deals for ourselves. So at this point, I’d be quite surprised if anyone started questioning our commitment to improving the community,” he said.

Rev. Jackson said treatments for his son’s exhaustion have required more than just taking the entire summer off with pay from Congressional duties and ducking rumors of a possible federal indictment. Unfortunately Rev. Jackson said a precedent-setting gag order from his son’s doctors prevented him from commenting further.

“I guess that’s just how these white facilities work,” he said. “I wouldn’t have respected any gag order during the Civil Rights Protest Era, but this is completely different. Lives are at stake here, so I think it best to just defer to these domineering white men in lab coats.”

After the reporters exhausted their ability to appear interested in Rev. Jackson and started toward the vending machines, he chased after them to remind them to respect the Jackson family’s need for privacy at this time. To recapture the reporters’ attention, he added that in hindsight the family regrets checking Junior into an Arizona facilty in the middle of summer.

“We had some setbacks treating his mood disorder there. But given that Tucson never got much cooler than 110 degrees, who wouldn’t get a little cranky, right?" Jackson said, “Plus his mistress was not allowed to visit him, which was tough because she’s as close to him as any family.”

In Washington, D.C., Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, was reported to be lifting Junior’s spirits by collecting 200 signatures on get-well cards.

“Everyone here sympathizes with JJ Junior’s situation,” said the 65-year-old Congressman: “My 35-year-old third wife knows his mistress socially, and they are about the same age. Good people. People like us. I also well understand the toll that exhaustion can take on a person — especially when much younger women are involved.”

“Some say exhaustion is a sympton, but I say it’s a disease,” Kucinich said. “Do you think I was born looking this haggard? No, it’s all from doing the work of the people. Even as we deliver less and less, voters just keep demanding more and more.”

SkitSketchJeff is Jeff Burdick, who holds out hope the Washington Wizards will change names again and reboot as the “Beltway Cherry Blossoms.” For more FluffingtonPost

Patrick Kennedy: A man desperate to remain relevant. What an attention whore. It's not about you, Mr. Kennedy...

:-/

His condition results from the acts of his father, a hypocrite!

I have bipolar disorder. As far as career I have lost everything. I am now legally disabled. Adjusting to a new reality with a bipolar diagnosis is a huge obstacle to overcome. Your life will be different from here on out...like it or not. Hope you strike gold with finding the right meds...that is a task that can take a great deal of work. Good luck my friend.

To those immature and shallow beings who are being so perfect and judgemental, you simply reveal that you are a part of the problem. Thank you for putting yourselves on display with your blatantly ignorant and sado-masochistic comments. It is the very callousness, arrogance, self/ other destructiveness which is in these comments, absent of any understanding of the hard work, study, qualifications that those who are actually in the real positions have had to face for years in their demanding careers, the lack of respect for their work duties, how much is required or what these two know that shows your blatant ignorance. No knowledge revealed about the stress of these jobs or about PTSD, bipolar, manic-depressive, affect, or about the field of Psychology or Psychological disorders here at all...

But then, they sure do like to pretend like they know it all, and therein lies the difference

.

Being diagnosed with bi-polar disorder is not a "death sentence." There is some research that links genious, particularly creative talent with mental disorders, specifically bi-polar.

One can have a successful life with this diagnosis as well as with other mental health diagnoses. Jackson, Jr is among many famous scientist (eg Florence Nightingale is suspected of having this disorder, artists (eg Michelangelo), politicans (eg Abe Lincoln), athletes (eg Lionel Aldridge), philosopers (eg Nietzsche), writers (eg Ernest Hemingway), and performing artists (eg Frank Sinatra, Meryl Streep, Marlon Brandon).

The greatest scientist of the 20th century, Einstein, received a diagnosis on the asperger syndrome continuum.

There is a "low level" of information regarding mental illness and that can have and does contribute to the stigma attached to having a mental health diagnosis. "Crazy" is not a diagnosis and usually refers to someone who has a thinking disorder. These individual can be successful in life with treatment as well.

I wish Congressman Jackson well and am hoping that he gets the support and encouragement he needs to re-enter society.

God Bless and my prayers are with him to get better. I prayer that people give you support and have understanding. Life in general is not easy and to have a life filled with politics is twice trampling.

GCCal probably thinks the Mayo Clinic is place where mayonnaise is made. Not worth giving the time of day to. How this ended up being a discussion about politics is absurd, but a chance to continue the hate which we now see daily.

Utterly an angry person who is upset his party did not win and clearly they are on a trajectory of utter failure with Mitt Magoo Romney. You might not like health care rammed up your azz but get ready to have increased taxes, limited and more expensive health care shoved down your miserable throat by these greedy con artists. As for criticizing children of parents who were world renowned, what about those two drunk driving daughters of "W"? Like father like daughters. "W" is an admitted alcoholic which most pubs don't like to talk about.

Jesse Jackson, Jr. get well soon, and bravo to Patrick Kennedy for fighting his own battles and supporting a friend.

Poor little rich boys whose daddies wiped their noses and asses for their whole lives and they both got caught with their hands in the cookies jars. Kennedy with continuous drinking and driving and putting innocent people at risk to their lives and Ms. Jesse Jackson Jr. got caught banging a blonde tramp wannabe and trying to buy a Senate seat with money his old man shook down from people for over 4 decades. Now " Woe is me. Help me. I'm sick. " Bull _hit. Grow up and be a man and take responsibility. Try something completely new and different from your whole beings. Think of others, first, you selfish bastards.

The most revealing part of this article is reading these comments. If Rep. Jackson were suffering from an equally serious physical comdition, such as cancer, I daresay (or maybe just hope) the vitriol and personal attacks would be minimal. The absolute ignorance od these comments just goes to show that we have sooooo far yet to go in accepting the fact and reality of mental illness. BTW- as a lifelong Republican and former Chicagoan, I fervently hope Jackson is voted out of office secondary to his support of failing policy and highly questionable association with the disgraced former governor, NOT due to his health condition.

Kennedy did not indicate that Jackson has made any decisions about his own political career and he did not offer any specific advice.

And while Rep. Jackson takes his sweet old time trying to make the decisions the taxpayer is footing the bill for this obscene public drama . . . millions of people suffer from bipolar and other mental disorders but the diagnoses don't take months to figure out. Jackson needs to step down and focus on himself . . . with his own or daddy's money, not ours! . . . I suppose the Pope will be the next to visit Mayo Clinic for a photo op.

Wow, I am saddened to see all of these negative comments, they are missing the point. This is about a person in pain being empathized with by another person who suffered similar pain. I opened the comments hoping to see some words of encouragement for a man that has so much internal distress you can see it and almost feel it in his posture. Even though I am a republican it touched me to see heartfelt care and concern for another human being. This has nothing to do with politics, race, entitlement, or legacies. If you understood this even a little, you would not be able to make the kinds of comments that you are. Since I don't think anyone is truly that heartless, I guess I will just have to forgive you for your ignorance.

Two people who only made it based off a name.... I bet we will see other "Bushes" and Obama's in office...we need to vote in people based off merit, not based off name...

Liberalism is a mental disease! These two men have been a part of the problem from birth. How else were they supposed to grow up with the influences that they grew up with? Jesse Jackson is a disgusting race-baiter whose only claim to fame is such. A Kennedy? Really? Liberal to the bone, what else can be expected?

Reading through these posts I am amazed at the things I read. For example "the great courage Jackson Jr had to admit what he is in hospital for" the statement is ridiculous for two reasons, first he didn't admit the reasons for his absence from Congress for a long while. and second because he HAS A MORAL OBLIGATION to tell the people that he represents what the reason is for his not being present to actually represent them. He has also lost any respect I may have had for him when it was evident that an associate of his was attempting to BUY the SEAT VACATED By Obama for Jackson Jr. Now my point is clear, I personally do not like him in the capacity as a representative of the people in his district, as he has been shown to be corrupt. But then again, I think all of the stresses of that lifestyle, both mentioned and unmentioned here, have taken a toll on his health. And I have to remember that this young man is a Son and the loved one of people that love him and his illness is something that is not something to be ashamed of. It is quite possible that this will be the catalyst that may convince this man to alter his path in his political career and actually work for the GOOD OF THE PEOPLE, and I really hope this happens. That said I can say that I sincerely hope this young man has a complete recovery. In looking at the pictures that are included with this article it is apparent that this man is not feeling well, he has that tortured look of a man that is hurting to be in his own skin and that is something I do not wish on any human being. I genuinely wish this man well and his family as well. This is not the time to "kick a man while he is down" this is the time to support his getting back up and returning to life in a positive way. I may not like your politics, but also do not wish you any ill will. Good luck Mr Jackson.

Did Patrick just happen to take his personal staff of photographers to this private, intimate, 'emotional' meeting?

Having watched Patrick on the floor on the House of Representatives years ago, I must say he is certainly not one of the more intelligent Kennedys.

Seriously. Does NBCnews think we are that gullible? Totally staged pictures meant to "rehabilitate" Jackson's image and garner some sympathy. And they totally went along with it.

It almost looks like a promo for a new talk show or interview.

I don't know whether to laugh or puke.

I hope that people who suffer from mental illness will be able to get the help they need now that the Affordable Health Care is becoming available. Looks like there are some folks out there that should take advantage of it!!!

Wow, I feel warm and fuzzy now. Guess I'm a liberal.

It's a good thing Kennedy brought along his personal photographer (note the photo credits), otherwise we wouldn't have been able to witness this private, "emotional" meeting. What could possibly be his motive in releasing these photos to Kelly O'Donnell other than generating good press for himself?

And I ask in all seriousness: Was Jesse Jackson Jr. capable of consenting to having his picture taken and published? Understandably, he looks very uncomfortable. And why did the hospital allow it? This seems like a big no-no from the hospital's standpoint.

Did NBC have any qualms about publishing photos of a patient taken inside a hospital where he is being treated for a mental illness?

This is the place a genius can be called an idiot for a misspelled word? Must be liberals about! Mr Jackson just smelt the coffee and had a big awakening. After the truth of his party sinks in he can just retire and take it easy for the rest of his life. Not everyone can live with knowing how subverted the Dem party has become. Feeding off lies. Through history the Dems have condoned slavery, war and keeping the black man down. Listen to speaches given by your white representatives running for re-election. They sure get ebonicly correct when they tell ya the man is after ya, gonna put ya back in chains and other stupid retoric. Bad part is nobody screams "stop hate mongering you freakin @!$%#s". Noooo the dem subjects just go right along with the over their heads humor "The Party" uses on them. Anyone that thinks the democratic party has not been invaded by socialists is really liking their Koolaid. I never thought just having a good "front man" was all it would take to subvert this whole country....and complete with a hate spewing army of idiots to back them up blindly. History will reflect this someday. Now, someone find some spelling error to use against me so they can call me an idiot and dismiss me.

Obama supporters are either welfare recipients, black bigots, morons or 18 year olds. Obama is a bigot who has divided this country. Rich against poor, old against young, black against white. Enough of this incompetent race baiting fool.

He's also the stupidest president ever. Uh,uh,ah,uh, can't complete a thought without the teleprompter.

Yes, a lack of compassion and ignorance comes along with the stigma of mental illness. I have Bipolar Type 1 Disorder and it can be pure hell, despite a great doctor and medication. Meds frequently stop working.

And then there are those who blame your illness for everything you do wrong. There are those who blame you for using it as a crutch. I would not wish my illness, nor my medication protocol on anyone. Not even Obama and I loathe the man. Let's have some friggin' compassion people. Television shows don't make us beepers look much better. You never know who harbors the secret of this devastating illness.