Choosing a Healthy President

Robins, Robert S.; Post, Jerrold M.

doi:10.2307/3791896

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…While it is easy to agree with that view, it does not remove the problem of how to inform the relevant political institution in case the leader becomes mentally incapacitated and how to convince h i d e r to resign from office. Moreover, the leader, hisher family or closest associates may conceal information from the personal doctor or, worse, the leader may go into temporary hiding from the public eye (see Robins and Post, 1995), although he/she has the same right to be sick and, eventually, to resign, just like any other patient. After describing numerous tragic examples and the stress experienced by the present-day world leaders, L'Etang (1995) suggests an obligatory retirement age of 60 years.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The cover‐up of President Urho Kekkonen's dementia and its impact on the political life of Finland—a personal account¹

Palo

1999

Euro J of Neurology

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Urho Kekkonen, born in 1900, was elected President of Finland in 1956. He stayed in office for 25 years, the longest term for any democratically elected chief of state, until his resignation in 1981. Since he was always a model of good health, news of his cognitive decline while still in office came as a surprise to the whole nation. The impact was aggravated by an attempted cover-up of his dementia. The attempt failed and the health of presidential candidates became, suddenly, a topic of intense public discussion. No special team of presidential doctors was established but Kekkonen's successor initiated a practice of reporting annually on his health. The ethical dilemma involving mass media was, and still is, its duty to inform people versus its right to self-censorship, which was practised in Kekkonen's case. The physicians face the question of when, how and whom to inform when they notice that the president or some other powerful leader suffers from cognitive decline or other neuropsychological or mental disability. These are universal problems whose solution depends on the degree of democracy and freedom of expression in each country. Kekkonen died in complete privacy in 1986. Until now, no scientific report of his cognitive decline has been published.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The cover‐up of President Urho Kekkonen's dementia and its impact on the political life of Finland—a personal account¹

Palo

1999

Euro J of Neurology

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The Skeleton on the Couch: The Eagleton Affair, Rhetorical Disability, and the Stigma of Mental Illness

Johnson

2010

Rhetoric Society Quarterly

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Presidential leadership, illness, and decision making

McDermott

2008

Choice Reviews Online

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Choosing a Healthy President

Cited by 3 publications

References 5 publications

The cover‐up of President Urho Kekkonen's dementia and its impact on the political life of Finland—a personal account¹

The cover‐up of President Urho Kekkonen's dementia and its impact on the political life of Finland—a personal account¹

The Skeleton on the Couch: The Eagleton Affair, Rhetorical Disability, and the Stigma of Mental Illness

Presidential leadership, illness, and decision making

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Choosing a Healthy President

Cited by 3 publications

References 5 publications

The cover‐up of President Urho Kekkonen's dementia and its impact on the political life of Finland—a personal account1

The cover‐up of President Urho Kekkonen's dementia and its impact on the political life of Finland—a personal account1

The Skeleton on the Couch: The Eagleton Affair, Rhetorical Disability, and the Stigma of Mental Illness

Presidential leadership, illness, and decision making

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

The cover‐up of President Urho Kekkonen's dementia and its impact on the political life of Finland—a personal account¹

The cover‐up of President Urho Kekkonen's dementia and its impact on the political life of Finland—a personal account¹