Changes

==Mental depression==

==Mental depression==

In 1972, Thompson was a passenger in a private Piper Comanche [[airplane]]. During a downdraft, Thompson's head crashed into the door latch, a concussion resulted, and there was serious internal bleeding. He spent a week in Macon Medical Center. On returning home, he collapsed, possibly a result of powerful [[medication]]s. A neighbor had allegedly seen him shooting a pistol in his backyard. A woman called a radio [[talk show]] and claimed that Thompson had been seen nude in his backyard. Thompson sued the radio station for $2.36 million.<ref>''Macon Telegraph'', July 27, 1973, p. A1; Randall Savage, "Thompson Names WBML in $2.36 Million Law," ''Macon Telegraph'', April 12, 1974, p. A3</ref>

In 1972, Thompson was a passenger in a private Piper Comanche [[airplane]]. During a downdraft, Thompson's head crashed into the door latch, a concussion resulted, and there was serious internal bleeding. He spent a week in Macon Medical Center. On returning home, he collapsed, possibly a result of powerful [[medication]]s. A neighbor had allegedly seen him shooting a pistol in his backyard. A woman called a radio talk show and claimed that Thompson had been seen nude in his backyard. Thompson sued the radio station for $2.36 million.<ref>''Macon Telegraph'', July 27, 1973, p. A1; Randall Savage, "Thompson Names WBML in $2.36 Million Law," ''Macon Telegraph,'' April 12, 1974, p. A3.</ref>

After the collapse at home, Thompson was again hospitalized and was pronounced clinically dead. Miraculously, physicians revived him, and he lay unconscious for three days. After a ten-day stay, he returned to his office, but was soon rushed to College Street Hospital, a [[psychiatric]] facility. Diagnosed with mild [[depression]], Thompson remained in the psychiatric hospital for three weeks and received electroshock treatment. His mental health problems seriously damaged his political career. So did after effects of the firefighters' strike, for blue collar white voters, Thompson's traditional base, were generally sympathetic to the firefighters. Rumors circulated that Thompson had been unfaithful to Nita and had been injured, not in the airplane mishap, but by the husband of a mistress. Such rumors, apparently baseless, hurt Thompson among "Bible Belt" [[fundamentalist]]s. The [[divorce]] from Nita made the moralistic, gospel-singing mayor seem hypocritical in the eyes of such voters.<ref>Max Haggard, "Thompson Recalls Health Crisis," ''Macon Telegraph'', December 31, 1972, p. A4; Buddy Moore, Thesis, p. 102</ref>

After the collapse at home, Thompson was again hospitalized and was pronounced clinically dead. Miraculously, physicians revived him, and he lay unconscious for three days. After a ten-day stay, he returned to his office, but was soon rushed to College Street Hospital, a [[psychiatric]] facility. Diagnosed with mild [[depression]], Thompson remained in the psychiatric hospital for three weeks and received electroshock treatment. His mental health problems seriously damaged his political career. So did after effects of the firefighters' strike, for blue collar white voters, Thompson's traditional base, were generally sympathetic to the firefighters. Rumors circulated that Thompson had been unfaithful to Nita and had been injured, not in the airplane mishap, but by the husband of a mistress. Such rumors, apparently baseless, hurt Thompson among "Bible Belt" [[fundamentalist]]s. The [[divorce]] from Nita made the moralistic, gospel-singing mayor seem hypocritical in the eyes of such voters.<ref>Max Haggard, "Thompson Recalls Health Crisis," ''Macon Telegraph,'' December 31, 1972, p. A4; Buddy Moore, Thesis, p. 102.</ref>

==Congressional campaign, 1972==

==Congressional campaign, 1972==