After being caught on tape almost unable to walk during the 9/11 memorial, Hillary Clinton had to admit she had been diagnosed with pneumonia last week. Her secrecy regarding her health has brought her a new wave of criticism, once again for her perceived lack of transparency.
Trying to dispel the accusations, Clinton has released a whole new array of information regarding her medical condition, from the hand of her personal doctor, the physician, Dr. Lisa R. Bardack, who stated Clinton had a “mild, noncontagious” type of pneumonia but that she was continuing “to improve.” More importantly, Bardack said that Clinton is still “fit to serve as president of the United States” and that she is currently resting and using antibiotics to combat the disease.
The beginning of the controversy
It all started after Clinton left the 9/11 ceremony early and a campaign spokesman simply said the Democratic candidate was “overheated.” However, after the recorded video of Clinton barely walking came to light, the campaign was forced to disclose she had pneumonia, and that is when Bardack released her diagnostic.
The doctor stated that she had examined Clinton last week for her recurring allergy-related cough (something she has openly discussed in the past), and during that examination found out a “small right middle lobe pneumonia,” that she was quick to treat. She also said she advised Clinton to change her schedule so she could rest; however, Clinton did not listen to her.
At the 9/11 memorial ceremony, Clinton indeed got “overheated and dehydrated,” as a consequence of the disease, but after being rehydrated she immediately felt better. Nonetheless, her critics did not lose the opportunity to claim once again that the candidate lacks transparency.
Trying to calm down the rain of criticism, her campaign apologized on her behalf and swore to release more information regarding her health. Finally listening to Bardack, Clinton canceled her planned trips to Nevada and California.
A history of medical issues
Clinton is prone to health related issues. Back in 2009, she fell in the State Department garage, fracturing her elbow. However, she did not modify her schedule at the time and traveled to both Thailand and India with her arm in a cast.
Then, three years later she dehydrated consequence of a stomach virus and fainted hitting her head with her bathroom toilet. She needed quick treatment since she had a concussion and developed a blood clot in the head.
Thanks to this incident she could not testify before the Congress about the attack in Benghazi, Libya that occurred on September 11, 2012. She was attacked during that time too, with one Fox News anchor stating she suffered from an “acute Benghazi allergy.”
Hew supporters have denounced that this recent health problem is also being politicized again as a way to help Republican candidate Donald Trump get higher on the polls.
Trump pipes in
As usual, Trump had a lot to say regarding Clinton’s health. On Wednesday night, during a rally in Ohio he claimed that even though he hoped she would get better, all she was doing was lying on a bed. He also coerced his supporters by saying, “I don’t know, folks. Do you think Hillary would be able to stand up here for an hour?”
Sources: NY Times