What Is It About The Office of President?

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MyCatsName.Is.Mittens

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You know, my friends and I were discussing the office of the US Presidency last night...when we happened to come up with the scary thought that this office kills and debilitates its occupants? I mean, since 1950, we could only name two Presidents that left the office and gone on to live happy and long lives...Gerry Ford and Jimmy Carter. All of the rest paid a terrible price.Truman: Left the office a bitter and broken man.Eisenhower: At least two heart attacks.Kennedy: Assassinated.LBJ: Literally killed by the office a mere few years after leaving it. Nobody will debate that the Presidency killed him.Nixon: Entered office as a troubled and paranoid man...left in shame, with patently overt psychosis.Ford: Relatively unscathed...except that he was forced to live with the Nixon pardon, forced on him by the party.Carter: Left relatively healthy and went on to lead a very productive life.Reagan: Nearly killed by an assassin...few really know just how close to fatal that attempt was. Obviously showing tremendous strain and early Alzheimer's symptoms early in his 2nd term.George H. W. Bush: Visibly physically and emotionally devastated by the office, yet still seems happy today.Clinton: Quintuple bypass...and obvious lasting emotional scars.G. W. Bush: Left office an angry, sad, and hauntingly troubled figure. He was devastated by his experiences in 8 years.Obama: Looks relatively healthy for someone in the office for two days...but God knows what awaits him.Anyway, my question is...what is it about this office that drains its occupants of their very life's essence...and that sometimes kills?I ask this in all humility and sincerity. I hope the answers will be honest and considered.Thanks.Rick: This question was not intended to be poilitical, so please keep the pro or anti Bush sentiments out of it. This is about the office, not the man.That was for Rick31 BTW, not the "first" Rick. LOLLook folks...let's keep the invective down. I would like answers (like most have respectfully provided), not partisan BS and ad hominem.So far...FOUR people have chosen to turn this into a political rant...and I will pull the question if people continue with that kind of crap. The answer to my question isn't political, it is institutional. Thank you for respecting the question. Again, if the question disappears, it will be because people are turning it into a political circus, rather than answering in an honest manner.Young Conservative: I agree with you. BTW, it was my intention neither to blow smoke about, nor denigrate any of our former Presidents. I am just thinking that the problem is endemic to the office. I purposely tried to leave politics out of it.
 
because its a huge job and stress can overtake them. I believe he will be ok..it was Gods plan for him to be there.\Lets think criticism and pressure can make them sick/stressed.
 
As president of the United States, you are the leader of the free world and everything you do and say is analyzed to the fullest extent. You have no peace, little rest, and high stress.
 
It is a very stressful job and it is one I would not want even for a day. I did not envy Bush nor do I envy Obama today. Until a person walks in their shoes they have no room for criticism. Like the old 60's folk song said "Before you abuse, criticize, and accuse, walk a mile in my shoes." How very true. Bush kept us safe for 7 years after 9/11 and to him I am grateful. Sadly, I don't feel as safe as I did when he was in office. He had to have been the most misunderstood president in history
 
Yes I don’t know why someone would want to be President honestly. All of that stress can not be good for a person’s health. Notice Presidents always seem to go grey quickly grant it some of it is due to age but I also imagine that it has to do with the stress as well.The only privacy the first family has is when they in their living quarters in the White House and even then they have some staff members. Eyes always watching them they are no different then the royal family or some other celebrity family that have to always be aware of what they say and do because someone will see it, get it on camera or even video. Things they say will sometimes be taken out of context. All of that again adds to the stress pile.
 
The responsibility of the office certainly ages them more than 4 or 8 years. To be fair though, George HW Bush left office 20 years ago, so he's getting quite old by now. Also, Clinton seemed much healthier at the inauguration than he did during his wife's primary campaign. Obama already seems to have more grey hair than a year ago...
 
Guilt from the Lust and Thievery in their souls. For letting down their fellow countrymen reducing them to mere peasants. From literally killing people to hold the most powerful position in the land.Egocentric is what it is .The disorder all of the politicians these days have.
 
When you accept the CRAPPIEST JOB in America--with peoples hate and vile thoughts coming at you daily--it works on your immune System--breaking down the body's natural defense--in response to the unnatural and imbalance of cortisol being leeched into the body--and cells are killed by the millions--and you age --get sick--and whither.Carter doesn't look that good--and neither does Ford--but you forgot to mention Both FORD and Carter's Wives were very sickly--?when others weren't? so--it's a trade off.BO already looks older--hair grayer--thinner--while his wife is fatter--and looks less like a witch than she used to?
 
You raise a good point.I used to have a theory that presidents aged so much in office because most came into office in their 50s or 60s, when people age the most. But that doesn't explain Bill Clinton, who became a wreck after his presidency, or Jimmy Carter, who looked amazingly spry during the Inauguration, notwithstanding his advanced age.Maybe it has more to do with the character of the person in office. Nixon, Clinton and Bush Jr. didn't have any. Ford, Carter and Bush Sr did. With Reagan, it was his mind that went, not his body. I don't think it's fair to blame his character on something caused by age and DNA.
 
probably combination of these:1. getting out of limelight and losing the power2. stress3. guilt4. plain old age.much everybody retires along same lines
 
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