Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Commentary On Candidates' Health: 'Powering Through' Illness; Concerns On Trump's Weight
I鈥檓 a big believer in empathy on the medical beat, but this is ridiculous. On Monday, my editors asked me to write about Hillary Clinton鈥檚 pneumonia, partially because I am, after all, a health writer (though my beat is global, not presidential), and partially because I too have pneumonia. I鈥檓 about two weeks ahead of her. ... I called a friend, a recently retired workaholic who鈥檚 had pneumonia twice. 鈥淒o not try to power through this,鈥 he said immediately. 鈥淚 did that the first time and I ended up in the hospital on oxygen.鈥 (Donald G. McNeil Jr., 9/14)
Hillary Clinton revealed a disconcerting flaw when she fell ill at a 9/11 event Sunday. She showed us that she is human. Not the superhuman we have demanded she be, only human. That鈥檚 something a woman can鈥檛 afford to disclose when she鈥檚 competing in a race that always has been dominated by men. One of the lessons women learn early in life is that they鈥檝e got to be tough in order to succeed. Fragility can be a fatal flaw that has brought an end to many a promising career. And whatever you do, we鈥檙e told, never let them see you cry. (Dahleen Glanton, 9/14)
Here鈥檚 what you know about Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton鈥檚 health because you saw it, or read about it, in the news: She is suffering from a case of walking pneumonia that caused her to wilt in the heat on Sunday. But, wait, here鈥檚 what you may not know but others are sure of: Clinton has a severe neurological disorder. She鈥檚 suffering from a brain tumor. She has dementia. She is such a sick woman that she isn鈥檛 likely to have the mental capability to fulfill her duties as president 鈥 should she be elected. The reason you may not know these things is that they, of course, aren鈥檛 true. (Neal Gabler, 9/13)
We noted Tuesday聽that Donald Trump eats poorly, does not exercise and is badly overweight. Today we learned more about what now appears to be a very unhealthy lifestyle for a 70-year-old. Depending on what news report you choose, Trump is either nearly obese (236 pounds) or quite聽obese (267 pounds), meaning a body-mass index of more than 30. Trump, just like he did on taxes, promised to reveal his health records and now has reneged. (Jennifer Rubin, 9/14)