Hillary Suffers ‘Medical Episode’ at 9/11 Ceremony, Dr. Says She Has Pneumonia
Hillary Clinton abruptly left today’s 9/11 commemoration in New York City after suffering what Fox News described as a “medical episode.”
A video available on Twitter appears to show the moment, confirming what law enforcement told Rick Leventhal. After leaving the ceremony, the Democratic presidential nominee is waiting for her van. The van pulls up. As she starts forward, her knees buckle, she spasms and appears to faint, and is maneuvered by her security into the van.
Hillary Clinton 9/11 NYC pic.twitter.com/q9YnsjTxss
— Zdenek Gazda (@zgazda66) September 11, 2016
The van left and the pool reporters assigned to Clinton were prevented from leaving the media area to follow her. For over an hour, the campaign refused to say where the candidate was or her condition.
Finally, Clinton’s spokesman Nick Merrill released a statement saying, “During the ceremony, she felt overheated so departed to go to her daughter’s apartment, and is feeling much better.”
It was in the low 80s when the incident occurred.
She left Chelsea’s apartment shortly before noon, declaring “I’m feeling great,” and remarking “It’s a beautiful day in New York.”
Suffering her second health-related incident in a week — followed by secrecy and the admission that Clinton has pneumonia — has brought questions about the medical well-being of the presidential front-runner out from speculation and into legitimate debate.
If @HillaryClinton's "feeling much better now" shouldn't she be saying that & answering questions rather than hiding in Chelsea's apartment?
— Derek Hunter (@derekahunter) September 11, 2016
Just four days ago, in the wake of Clinton’s Labor Day coughing fit, The Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza blasted those questioning the candidate’s health, asking “Can we just stop talking about Hillary Clinton’s health now?” However, Cillizza walked back his statements on Sunday noting that he originally “wrote dismissively” of allegations that Clinton was “hiding some sort of serious illness.” He continued, saying:
Coughing, I wrote, is simply not evidence enough of any sort of major illness that Clinton is assumed to be hiding. Neither, of course, is feeling “overheated.” But those two things happening within six days of each other to a candidate who is 68 years old makes talk of Clinton’s health no longer just the stuff of conspiracy theorists.
Cillizza may want to be careful speculating about Clinton’s health. Former CNN show host Drew Pinsky of Dr. Drew On Call had his show cancelled by the network after questioning Clinton’s health on a radio interview. He’s not alone either. David Seamon, a former Huffington Post contributor, said in late August that he was fired “without warning” after he included a video raising the issue of Clinton’s health in one of his articles.
After Sunday’s incident, the Clinton campaign took to warning reporters not to press the issue, and — even after Fox News broke the story — the Twitter accounts of most major American news organizations initially remained silent about Clinton’s abrupt, mysterious departure.
The media is not so quiet now. Outlets such as CNN, ABC and CNBC have followed Fox’s early lead in posting video and reports on Clinton’s abrupt departure.”
Hillary Clinton leaves a 9/11 ceremony after feeling overheated, her campaign says https://t.co/jfB1A13f4t pic.twitter.com/f3LnEeyW98
— CNN (@CNN) September 11, 2016
Clinton aides seen assisting her into van as she left 9/11 ceremony; campaign says she is "feeling much better" https://t.co/yzuPWUlpBx
— ABC News (@ABC) September 11, 2016
Latest: Hillary Clinton departs 9/11 ceremony in NYC after feeling 'overheated'; she is now "feeling much better." https://t.co/I7RP1KIlXy
— CNBC Now (@CNBCnow) September 11, 2016
Now, with the video of Hillary’s collapse, voters will not only be talking about Hillary’s health, but likely praying for it.