Health Just Became A Campaign Issue For Clinton
By Thomas Fernandez, Managing Editor
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire and let’s face it those who are not fans of Hillary Clinton have been billowing a lot of smoke when it came to her health. From Republican nominee Donald Trump all the way down to his followers, one would make it seem like Clinton is not fit to run the country based on her health.
Of course before it was another in a long line of comments made during an election year to smear a candidate. Clinton herself has taken shots at Donald Trump and it’s not a surprise that he has done the same. While Clinton and her team brushed off her “health issues” in the past it is now an actual issue regarding this campaign.
Hillary Clinton has pneumonia.
While it may not seem like a dire situation, it definitely plays into the narratives regarding her health. Many have said that she has been coughing and who can forget MSNBC’s whole segment on her coughing while at a rally? But all the speculation is now burning, Hillary Clinton has a health issue, even though it’s something that could have happened at any time, and Trump is shockingly playing it really smart from a political standpoint.
Trump wants to reveal both candidates’ medical history to settle the argument once and for all. He also wished Clinton well and hope she feels better, a very smart move on his part.
“I don’t know what’s going on. I’m like you, I see what I see,” he said after Clinton’s pneumonia diagnosis in a phone interview with Fox & Friends. “Something’s going on, but I just hope she gets well and gets back on the trail and we’ll be seeing her at the debate.”
What may have been ridiculous weeks ago is now a fully-fledged campaign issue. Trump’s doctor has released a letter regarding his patient’s health and now Clinton can’t refuse to do the same.
Hillary Clinton 9/11 NYC pic.twitter.com/q9YnsjTxss
— Zdenek Gazda (@zgazda66) September 11, 2016
There’s been a lot of speculation of what is actually ailing Hillary Clinton. The theories range from some neurological issue all the way up to the confirmed ‘walking pneumonia’ diagnosis that has been reported.
Of course, this situation is even more compounded over the fact the Clinton campaign completely botched the issue. The mania for secrecy, something that isn’t appealing to voters, stuck up it’s ugly head again. The campaign refused to answer any questions, which may be due to their lack of medical knowledge at the time, but the whole scene was a bad look.
“They threw her in like she was a side of beef,” a senior law enforcement official told The Daily Beast.
“Clinton left the 9/11 ceremony 30+ mins ago but press pool was not told to where,” tweeted ABC’s Liz Kreutz. “Aides now not responding to any Qs about her whereabouts.”
The campaign since admitted that they handled the whole situation poorly. But the damage may have already been done. Many have criticized the idea that the Clinton campaign has for secrecy. It’s causing more problems as the election gets nearer.
“We could have done better yesterday, but it is a fact that the public knows more about HRC than any nominee in history,” wrote Clinton communications director Jennifer Palmieri
Later on the Clinton campaign had her doctor release a statement, along with the diagnosis.
“Secretary Clinton has been experiencing a cough related to allergies,” the statement read. “On Friday, during the follow up evaluation of her prolonged cough, she was diagnosed with pneumonia. She was put on antibiotics, and advised to rest and modify her schedule. While at [the event], she became overheated and dehydrated. I have just examined her and she is now re-hydrated and recovering nicely.”
While Clinton may be recovering, she is now going to have to take Trump on his request to have medical documents released. As of now the campaign has come out and said that they will release more documentation., Trump has said that he is going to release more documentation as well. So that should solve the problem for now but this incident does speak more volumes than a woman with pneumonia.
As former Obama advisor David Axelrod put it on Twitter: “Antibiotics can take care of pneumonia. What’s the cure for an unhealthy penchant for privacy that repeatedly creates unnecessary problems?”
