Hillary Clinton’s abrupt exit from Sunday’s 9/11 anniversary ceremony in New York with a pronounced stumble and the subsequent disclosure that she has been under treatment for pneumonia has fuelled renewed speculation about her health at a crucial stage of the US presidential race.
Clinton, who has been dogged for long by Republican-inspired conspiracy theories about her state of health, cancelled her two-day campaign trip to California, beginning Monday, after doctors advised her rest.
The disclosure that she was diagnosed with pneumonia last Friday came hours after a video of the Sunday morning episode showed her stumbling and appearing to faint as she tried to get into her van, with secret service agents having to lend her a helping hand.
Clinton, who was driven from the memorial event at Ground Zero to her daughter’s Manhattan apartment, emerged from there after about 90 minutes, smiling and waving to onlookers, remarking: “I’m feeling great. It’s a beautiful day in New York.”
later in the day, a campaign aide said Clinton’s physician, Dr. lisa R. Bardack, had examined her at her home and put out a statement, saying Clinton was “rehydrated and recovering nicely” after having become “overheated and dehydrated” at the morning event. It went on to mention that Clinton had been diagnosed with pneumonia on Friday morning and put on antibiotics.
Clinton’s Republican rival, Donald Trump, who for weeks has been raising questions about her “strength” and “stamina” for the rigours of presidency, expressed the hope that she gets well soon. At the same time, he indicated that the health aspect would remain a campaign issue.
“I hope she gets well soon,” Trump told Fox News on Monday morning, adding, “Something is going on but I just hope she gets well and gets back on the trail, and we’ll be seeing her at the debate.”
Trump then went on to say that he underwent a new health check-up last week, adding he would be releasing the details later this week. “I feel great, but when the numbers come in, I’ll be releasing very, very specific numbers,” said Trump, who has so far issued only a limited summary of his health status.
Both Clinton, 68, and Trump, 70, have been facing acute criticism for long
over their refusal to put out their full health records in the public domain.
The Clinton campaign had issued a statement from Dr Bardack in July 2015 to say that the candidate was in good health, whose current medical conditions included hypothyroidism and seasonal pollen allergies.
In 2012, Clinton had suffered a concussion that resulted from a fainting spell. The blood clot that she suffered between her brain and skull at the time was completely resolved as indicated by follow-up testing in 2012, the statement said, adding Clinton tested negative for all clotting disorders. However, as a precaution, Clinton has remained on daily blood thinners, the doctor said.