×

The election of 2016 continues to move farther away from traditional candidacies, perhaps reflecting the instant information age of the Internet as much as that of the mind set of the candidates themselves. Recent days were focused on the long-term health

The election of 2016 continues to move farther away from traditional candidacies, perhaps reflecting the instant information age of the Internet as much as that of the mind set of the candidates themselves.

Recent days were focused on the long-term health of Hillary Clinton after the Democrat nominee collapsed while leaving a Sept. 11 commemoration.

Clinton, who had a cough in days leading up to the collapse, didn’t admit to having pneumonia for several hours after the collapse was captured by a person with a smartphone video camera, away from the usual pen of press people at a presidential candidate’s appearance.

Republican nominee Donald Trump, based on his performance on the campaign trail so far, was anticipated to be ready to pounce in the wake of Clinton’s collapse. Instead, he issued the kind of statement that one could have expected from gentlemanly candidates of elections gone by, wishing her well.

And then, in the days that followed, he chose to release a one-page summary of his medical condition on the “Dr. Oz” television show, while Clinton’s campaign released a large document related to her health.

And the conspiracy theories abounded across the Internet.

Fact is that Trump is beyond 70 and Clinton is approaching 70, so their health should be an issue, just as it was for previous candidates and presidents, including Ronald Reagan.

Thinking of Reagan, there are many – including his son Ron who detailed his beliefs in a book – that our 40th president had incipient Alzheimer’s disease while still in the White House (he served 1981-1989) and not until 1994 as officially reported. There are others who served while physically hampered.

Two of the most popular presidents in our history had afflictions while serving. Franklin Delano Roosevelt served from 1933-45. Our 32nd president – right up there with Lincoln and Washington on most best presidents lists – was paralyzed from the waist down from polio.?All he did was lead the greatest generation of Americans to World War II victories on both sides of the world. Our 35th president,?John F. Kennedy, had a roll call of maladies including Addison’s disease, a rare endocrine disorder.?Many of his health problems were not revealed until after his death.

Clinton showed more, perhaps, about herself in the way the campaign said nothing about the pneumonia diagnosis until after the citizen cell phone video surfaced days after the diagnosis. The campaign further said nothing for several hours after the collapse, either.

Trump stuck to his style, releasing what he wants people to know in his own way on his own time. When caught quickly, pneumonia often isn’t a big deal. And Trump’s health remains somewhat mysterious, but the candidates live in a fishbowl that will only become smaller and more focused for one of them in the White House. Hiding an illness is not an option, but a matter of national interest at that point.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.39/week.

Subscribe Today