AG Michael Mukasey collapses (LINK)

Attorney General Michael Mukasey collapsed Thursday night while giving a speech to the Federalist Society in Washington, according to three senior administration officials.

Details about Mukasey's condition were not immediately available.

Audience members said they began praying, fearing a stroke.

Mukasey is a former federal prosecutor from New York City who succeeded former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

At 10:30 p.m. Eastern, medical officials were still working on him on the stage, administration witnesses said.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1108/15842.html


The film clip of Mr. Mukasey at the podium shows him wearing his glasses and in full formal business dress, talking away and suddenly slowing down, pausing, his head begins to lower toward his chest and it appears as the tape went to black that the poor soul fell to the floor. There is a murmur in the background as though someone in the audience immediatley grokked what was happening. But, it appeared no one was near enough to Mr Mukasey to keep him from falling.

http://themoderatevoice.com/politics/michael-mukasey/24511/attorney-general-michael-mukasey-collapses-onstage-tonight/

Test of remarks he was delivering: http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Remarks-Prepared-Delivery-Attorney-General/story.aspx?guid={45019535-E373-4D94-AE50-2122466A7870}
His speech was about 9/11.

ETA additional links

none mention this and ALL, regardless of where you go, are the AP feed... same exact story

haing treated a VIP or two, take all you read with grain of salt for a couple of hours

Yeah. That'll help.

...please protect me from your followers.

Have you ever wondered why people who claim to love their god so much are terrified of dying and pray for recovery. You would think they'd love to head 'home' ????

I have less fear of death than most Xtians.

What is the harm? Why mock people of faith?

An exact quote followed by, "Yeah, that'll help."

Please point out the "mock" portion of my post.

I wonder why that is.

Why do it if it *doesn't* help?

You know nothing about me, yet those words triggered a defensive response.

Why is that?

People who pray do think it helps.

to ask "why?"

Of course, if I don't dance around the question, asking ever so carefully, I might offend someone. Like you.

At which point, rather than answer the question, you'll go into this routine of "what does it hurt?", "why do you mock us?", etc.

I'm a deist. I don't think God answers prayers. I think God does her own thing regardless of what I think of it.

So, If I were Mr. Mukasey (who I wish a speedy recovery, as well as that his family knows peace), I'd want the paramedics to work on me BEFORE they start praying.

As for the audience, their prayers won't help anyone but themselves.

When my grandfather lay in a bed dying, I prayed. I didn't know if God would answer my prayers or not, but it didn't matter. It made me feel at ease and when it's something like that, a moment you have no control over, it helps. Like I said in a reply below, go visit the lounge and see how many people ask for prayers and good vibes because someone is sick, dying or going through surgery. Does it work? Who knows, but are you going to go tell them "It ain't helping, so stop it"?

I doubt it.

Perhaps those who claim they are not mocking about this should check out the meaning of "disingenuous".

If your own first reaction in such a situation would be to pray, please explain why you would do that if you didn't think it would help.

My first reaction is not to mock those who choose to pray for whatever reason. I believe what you meant was very clear. Fortunately, for me, I won't have to be reading your posts anymore.

Are you trying to stereotype yourself as a "person of faith"?

Let me ask you this, even though you won't see it.

Who are you to think you know more about God's plan for someone (in this case Mukasey, who I should add "I hope makes a full recovery") than She does?

Are these people praying because they hope to convince God She's wrong? Or because they don't believe She will make the right decision?

You're right. I don't think praying will help.

Now, medical intervention ... that might help. I'm glad those paramedics didn't waste their time praying.

Please start cpr if I need it.. Believe me a prayer isn't going to help me pump blood to my brain and vital organs or bring oxygen into my lungs.

Yeesh, are we seriously having this fucking debate? If people want to pray, let 'em! Have you ever visited the lounge? There are a lot of people there who for some reason or another ask for prayers and good vibes when some scary shit is about to go down. It doesn't mean you substitute that instead of medical attention, but it's not like everyone in the crowd can get up, walk over and perform CPR on the guy. So those who can't, obviously shaken by what they just witnessed, felt it better to pray.

I remember when my grandpa, who had suffered a stroke prior, collapsed. My grandma called 911, my mom made sure he was breathing and I prayed. But I guess I should've just tossed my mom aside and performed the CPR myself, eh?

Geesh going over board don't ya think?! I mean if someone really wants to pray for something or someone do you honestly think I have the power to stop them? They can believe as they want and so can I just as long as someone calls 911.

Of course people tended to him. The original poster made a remark about people praying. I see no problem with it. It doesn't hurt anyone and it might put someone at ease. God knows if I were at an Obama speech and he slumped over like that, the first thing I would do would be to pray -- since I would be in the audience and wouldn't be capable of doing anything to aide him.

It's scary watching someone, even if you're not close, collapse like that. Yet some here are making it out to be these people who began praying were some freaks for doing so. No, people pray a lot.

I learned / confirmed a lot by asking.

And at least it didn't (really) turn into a flame war.

“More people have been slaughtered in the name of religion than for any other single reason. That, my friends, that is true perversion.”
--Harvey Milk

Harvey summed it up quite nicely and ultimately paid the ultimate price.
You would take issue with Harvey?

My thoughts are with him.

did he collapse? what?

It looked like he just stopped talking and slumped over. People acutally helped him to the floor.

sorry, could have been clearer.

The judge who had ordered the immediate release and extradition of the "dancing Isralies" was a one Michael B. Mukasey





http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/08/13/10960

Interesting...

heart attack too. I hope someone gave him asprin even before they stated praying. I hope he does ok. I really mean that.

due to a GI bleed or abdominal aortic aneurysm....

He's fortunate to have medical staff on the scene.... I wish him well, even as I wish him out of office.

... and aspirin is bad. The first thing the hospital does is determine whether it's ischemic or hemorrhagic in order to know whether to treat with a "brain saver" ... a clot buster.

White House. I guess having to lie about the man that has destroyed our nation's rights, lives and financial structure was just too much for him.
Now God will judge him.
:dem:

My thoughts go out to Mr. Mukasey.

It sounds like a CVA. I lost a good friend to one far too early. Cerebral Aneurysm blew.

the worst case... major stroke

You have the battleribbons for waterpicking people out of nasty motor vehicle events and whatnot. You have been there and done that.

Karma.

Finally.

If I were a religious man, I'd say he was struck down by the hand of our Lord.