Hillary Clinton’s health
just became a real
issue in the
presidential campaign
Video of Clinton’s departure seemed to show her buckling and stumbling as she got into her van. (Thomas Johnson/The Washington Post)
Hillary Clinton falling ill Sunday morning at a memorial service on the
15th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks will catapult questions about
her health from the ranks of conservative conspiracy theory to perhaps
the central debate in the presidential race over the coming days.
15th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks will catapult questions about
her health from the ranks of conservative conspiracy theory to perhaps
the central debate in the presidential race over the coming days.
"Secretary Clinton attended the September 11th Commemoration
Ceremony for just an hour and thirty minutes this morning to pay
her respects and greet some of the families of the fallen," spokesman
Nick Merrill said. "During the ceremony, she felt overheated, so
departed to go to her daughter's apartment and is feeling much better."
Ceremony for just an hour and thirty minutes this morning to pay
her respects and greet some of the families of the fallen," spokesman
Nick Merrill said. "During the ceremony, she felt overheated, so
departed to go to her daughter's apartment and is feeling much better."
What that statement leaves out is that a) it came 90 minutes after
Clinton left the ceremony b) reporters — or even a reporter — were
not allowed to follow her and c) the temperature in New York City at
the time of Clinton's overheating was in the low 80s. (A heat wave over
the eastern United States broke last night/this morning.)
Clinton left the ceremony b) reporters — or even a reporter — were
not allowed to follow her and c) the temperature in New York City at
the time of Clinton's overheating was in the low 80s. (A heat wave over
the eastern United States broke last night/this morning.)
She later left her daughter's apartment, saying she was "feeling great"
and waving at the crowd, per the Associated Press. Clinton was
diagnosed Friday with pneumonia, according to her doctor, who
ascribed her illness on Sunday to that ailment.
and waving at the crowd, per the Associated Press. Clinton was
diagnosed Friday with pneumonia, according to her doctor, who
ascribed her illness on Sunday to that ailment.
Whether Clinton likes it or not, her "overheating" episode comes at a
very bad time for her campaign. Thanks to the likes of Rudy Giuliani
and a small but vocal element of the Republican base, talk of her
health had been bubbling over the past week — triggered by a
coughing episode she experienced during a Labor Day rally.
very bad time for her campaign. Thanks to the likes of Rudy Giuliani
and a small but vocal element of the Republican base, talk of her
health had been bubbling over the past week — triggered by a
coughing episode she experienced during a Labor Day rally.
Although he hasn't responded to Hillary Clinton's recent poor health at a memorial service
and disclosure of a pneumonia diagnosis, Donald Trump and his campaign have repeatedly
attacked her "strength" and "stamina" before. (Jenny Starrs, Bastien Inzaurralde/The
Washington Post)
and disclosure of a pneumonia diagnosis, Donald Trump and his campaign have repeatedly
attacked her "strength" and "stamina" before. (Jenny Starrs, Bastien Inzaurralde/The
Washington Post)
That talk was largely confined to Republicans convinced that Clinton
has long been hiding some sort of serious illness. I wrote dismissively
of that conspiracy theory in this space last week, noting that Clinton
had been given an entirely clean bill of health by her doctors after an
episode in which she fainted, suffered a concussion and then was
found to have a blood clot in late 2012 and early 2013.
has long been hiding some sort of serious illness. I wrote dismissively
of that conspiracy theory in this space last week, noting that Clinton
had been given an entirely clean bill of health by her doctors after an
episode in which she fainted, suffered a concussion and then was
found to have a blood clot in late 2012 and early 2013.
Coughing, I wrote, is simply not evidence enough of any sort of major
illness that Clinton is assumed to be hiding. Neither, of course, is
feeling "overheated." But those two things happening within six days
of each other to a candidate who is 68 years old makes talk of Clinton's
health no longer just the stuff of conspiracy theorists.
illness that Clinton is assumed to be hiding. Neither, of course, is
feeling "overheated." But those two things happening within six days
of each other to a candidate who is 68 years old makes talk of Clinton's
health no longer just the stuff of conspiracy theorists.
Whereas Clinton and her campaign could laugh off questions about her
health before today, the "overheating" episode makes it almost impossible
for them to do so. Not only has it come at a time when there was growing
chatter — with very little evidence — that her health was a problem but
it also happened at a 9/11 memorial event — an incredibly high-profile
moment with lots and lots of cameras and reporters around.
health before today, the "overheating" episode makes it almost impossible
for them to do so. Not only has it come at a time when there was growing
chatter — with very little evidence — that her health was a problem but
it also happened at a 9/11 memorial event — an incredibly high-profile
moment with lots and lots of cameras and reporters around.
Her campaign may well try to dismiss this story as nothing more than
an isolated incident, meaning nothing. (Democrats were already pushing
the story of George W. Bush fainting in 2002 after choking on a pretzel,
via Twitter.)
an isolated incident, meaning nothing. (Democrats were already pushing
the story of George W. Bush fainting in 2002 after choking on a pretzel,
via Twitter.)
But the issue is that Clinton kept reporters totally in the dark for 90
minutes after her abrupt departure from the 9/11 memorial service
for a health-related matter. No reporter was allowed to follow her.
(Clinton has resisted a protective pool for coverage because Donald
Trump refuses to participate in one.) This is, yet again, the Clinton
campaign asking everyone to just trust it. She got overheated! But
she's fine now!
minutes after her abrupt departure from the 9/11 memorial service
for a health-related matter. No reporter was allowed to follow her.
(Clinton has resisted a protective pool for coverage because Donald
Trump refuses to participate in one.) This is, yet again, the Clinton
campaign asking everyone to just trust it. She got overheated! But
she's fine now!
Presidential nominees Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton put their campaigns on pause
to attend the 9/11 remembrance ceremony in New York. (AP; Photo: Getty Images)
to attend the 9/11 remembrance ceremony in New York. (AP; Photo: Getty Images)
Clinton may well be totally fine — and I certainly hope she is. But
we are 58 days away from choosing the person who will lead the
country for the next four years, and she is one of the two candidates
with a real chance of winning. Taking the Clinton team's word for it
on her health — in light of the episode on Sunday morning — is no
longer enough. Reasonable people can — and will — have real
questions about her health.
we are 58 days away from choosing the person who will lead the
country for the next four years, and she is one of the two candidates
with a real chance of winning. Taking the Clinton team's word for it
on her health — in light of the episode on Sunday morning — is no
longer enough. Reasonable people can — and will — have real
questions about her health.
I wrote this on Tuesday morning:
The simple fact is that there is zero evidence that anything is
seriously wrong with Clinton. If suffering an occasional coughing
fit is evidence of a major health problem, then 75 percent of
the country must have that mystery illness. And I am one of them.
Well, that is no longer operative. Context matters. A coughing episode is
almost always just a coughing episode. But when coupled with Clinton's
"overheating" on Sunday morning — with temperatures something short
of sweltering — Clinton and her team simply need to say something about
what happened (and why the press was in the dark for so long.)
almost always just a coughing episode. But when coupled with Clinton's
"overheating" on Sunday morning — with temperatures something short
of sweltering — Clinton and her team simply need to say something about
what happened (and why the press was in the dark for so long.)
And as the New York Times's Adam Nagourney tweeted on Sunday
morning, now might be a good time for Clinton to release a fuller record
of her medical history.
morning, now might be a good time for Clinton to release a fuller record
of her medical history.
Sunday morning changed the conversation in the race about Clinton's
health. Or rather it will force Clinton to have a conversation about her
health in the race.
health. Or rather it will force Clinton to have a conversation about her
health in the race.
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