First off, apologies if this theory has been posited already. I'm new to Diary writing. I searched and found many diaries about each of the following topics, but none of them seemed to pull it all together into one wild conspiracy theory. It also took me so long to write this that someone else could have posted in the mean time. Will delete if necessary.
The theory is:
McCain hired the Hollywood makeup artist, Tifanie White, for $5,583.43, in order to air brush over a new melanoma. Of course, this is speculation on my part, but I used the following to make the conclusion.
Update [2008-9-25 16:38:59 by dickinabox]: Thanks for the lively discussion below. I just wanted to add that I am not a Medical Doctor. I am not trying to make a diagnosis. I am just trying to provide one of many possible explanations for the left eye problem, and the exorbitant makeup bill.
I. THE EYE
On September 24, 2008, John Aravosas at Americablog.com, wrote an entry about McCain's left eye (emphasis added):
Joe and Rob both mentioned this to me in the past week, and now several readers have brought it up. I also just noticed that Atrios picked up on this too today. Something wrong, changed, droopy or puffy with McCain's left eye. Anybody else notice anything? I just searched Google a bit more and found references to his eye being droopy in April and May of this year as well. But whatever it is, it seems to be intermittent. (McCain has had 4 bouts of melanoma, and did in 2002 have a benign growth removed from under his left eye.)
It seems that consensus is building across the Tubes that at least something is up with his left eye. Thom Hartmann even mentioned the left eye at the end of his program today.
II. THE MAKEUP ARTIST
On September 24, 2008, US Magazine posted the following information:
The 72-year-old was recently made TV-ready by makeup artist Tifanie White who's worked on So You Think You Can Dance and American Idol.
McCain paid the 2002 beauty-school grad $5,583.43 for her services, according to the Federal Election Commission.
More than 5 Grand? Must have been some fancy makeup.
Well, it probably was. HDTV shows all complexion problems. The solution was to make the application of makeup more sophisticated.
III. AIRBRUSHING AWAY FACIAL DEFECTS
Davida Simon provided some insight into the new makeup artistry back in 2003. She noted in her article:
As more television stations broadcast in HDTV, makeup artists must adjust their technique and products for a screen resolution quality that has as much as10 times more picture detail than analogue TV!
. . .
[. . .] as years passed, cameras changed, lighting changed, and now the quality and detail of HDTV is so precise that our makeup must be clean, color correct and lightweight—yet still offer the coverage needed to make newscasters and actors look great.
What to do?
More than twenty years ago Dina Ousley, one of the founders of the Dinair Airbrush Systems, started to research the concept of a clean, natural makeup using the art style of pointillism. She discovered that custom foundation makeup, shot through an airbrush pen, disperses a fine mist to the face, producing a natural result in both skin tone and texture.
So what?
Scars, discolorations, under-eye circles and puffiness seem to disappear. The technique has taken hold in our industry and is now big business in Hollywood and New York.
IV. THE CANCER
On May 28, 2008, the AP released a story detailing the "release" of McCain's medical records. MSNBC carried the story:
McCain's most recent exams show a range of health issues common in aging: He frequently has precancerous skin lesions removed, and in February had an early stage squamous cell carcinoma, an easily cured skin cancer, removed.
Why is that important? Also in the article:
It is McCain's three bouts of melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, that raise the biggest health concerns. He has had four separate spots of melanoma removed from his head and arm on three occasions — in 1993, 2000 and 2002.
But one, on his left temple in 2000, was invasive melanoma, what doctors call an "intermediate risk" melanoma because of its thickness — 2.2 millimeters. McCain required delicate surgery to remove and examine lymph nodes that showed no sign of spread.
(emphasis added)
To be fair, the article quotes Dr. Stuart Lessin, "director of the melanoma risk-assessment program at Philadelphia's Fox Chase Cancer Center, who was not involved in McCain's care:" (emphasis added)
the biggest risk of recurrence is in the first few years, so at eight years out, the chances of melanoma returning at that spot and killing him is "in the single digits," he added. "He's pretty much out of the woods."
But, Lessin had to admit:
every bout of cancer increases the risk of another new cancer. Given McCain's fair skin and history of sunburns, mostly from the 5 1/2 years he was held outdoors while in Vietnamese prison camps, he has a 5 percent to 8 percent chance of developing a fifth melanoma, Lessin calculated.
V. UMM, REALLY?
So, do I know whether my speculation is true or false? No, but neither does anyone else outside of McCain's inner circle.
It's time that McCain release ALL medical records for review without time limitation. Demand transparency, both in the campaign and in the makeup on his face.