Hillary Clinton’s health moved to center stage in the USA presidential race on Sunday after she fell ill at a high profile 9/11 ceremony, and her doctor said the Democratic nominee had pneumonia.
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Clinton, 68, has been advised rest and to modify her schedule, as concerns over her health grew after she abruptly left the 9/11 commemoration ceremony at the memorial in Ground Zero in lower Manhattan yesterday from feeling “overheated”.
Democrat Hillary Clinton’s bout of pneumonia, kept secret until she almost collapsed on Sunday, has raised an element of uncertainty about her health going into the final weeks of presidential campaigning and risks feeding a narrative from rival Donald Trump about her stamina.
In a letter released by her doctor in July 2015, Clinton was described as being in “excellent health” and “fit to serve” in the White House.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, second from right, departs after attending a ceremony at the Sept. 11 memorial, in New York, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016, on the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.
Merrill said Clinton felt “overheated” at the ceremony and was taken to the apartment of her daughter, Chelsea.
Bardack added in a statement that Clinton, after an exam Sunday afternoon at her home, “is now rehydrated and recovering nicely”.
The source told United States media said that the 68-year-old was “clearly having some type of medical episode” and was forced to make an “unexpected early departure”, having to be helped into a van by her protective detail. She appeared to stumble as she was helped into the vehicle, held up on either side by members of her entourage.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton waves after leaving an apartment building Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016, in NY.
Democratic Representative Joe Crowley of NY, a Clinton supporter who attended the event, told MSNBC television that it was “stifling” during the ceremony.
Merrill said the former secretary of state attended the morning 9/11 ceremony for 90 minutes “to pay her respects and greet some of the families of the fallen”.
Her schedule modification comes in the heat of a tightening race in the home stretch. Late Sunday night, she called off plans to travel to California for two days of fundraising, campaign events and an appearance on Ellen DeGeneres’ talk show.
Trump surrogates and the real, if marginal, world of internet-based conspiracy theorists have ensured that Clinton’s health bubbles as an issue below the campaign radar – down to near-hysterical claims that one of the Secret Service agents who accompanies her, is a doctor; and the flashlight he carries is in fact, a Diazepam pen.
They have implied in recent weeks that Clinton’s coughing spells on the campaign trail were a sign of deeper problems.
“The incident quickly renewed attention to Clinton’s health”, The Washington Post said, noting that her rival Trump, 70, has repeatedly questioned her well-being, saying that she doesn’t have the “strength” or “stamina” for the presidency and accusing her of being “exhausted”.
More than this, doctors who have never seen Hillary Clinton in person and have never had a chance to examine her medical records have – over the last few weeks – been on every news outlet they can find to declare her virtually a walking corpse.
It left a blood clot in her brain and gave her double vision. She was later given the all-clear.
Jatras believes that despite the current uproar the Clinton campaign is not going to change its tactics and will try to downplay her health troubles and instead blame the media of blowing them out of proportion.
Schumer said he also spoke with Clinton during the event and saw her leave “on her own accord”. “Thank you very much”, as she smiled, waved and got into her vehicle.
Clinton’s physician, Lisa Bardack, said she had been diagnosed with pneumonia on Friday and was recovering.
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“‘Powering through’ illness is what women do”, tweeted former MI governor and Clinton surrogate Jennifer Granholm.
