Fox Panelists Debunk Clinton Health Conspiracies Embraced By Some At The Network

Krystal Ball: “It's Absolutely Irresponsible For Outlets To Be Pushing This”

From the August 21 edition of Fox News' Media Buzz

Video file

HOWARD KURTZ (HOST): Whether it's [Matt] Drudge, or Breitbart, or [Sean] Hannity, does it make sense for some conservatives in the media to be pushing this Hillary health issue? 

SARAH FLORES: I mean it's a great click-bait issue that I think is probably driving a lot of traffic on their websites, but if anyone's actually been on the trail in Iowa or New Hampshire in January and February, I need help going up the stairs. It is icy, you are in heels, you are not prepared for what's going on there, unless it is like the most salted road ever. So, I think it's a little bit of a distraction, but I don't doubt it's driving traffic. 

KURTZ: I missed the crucial high heels aspect of it. So glad you pointed that out. Krystal, perhaps there are lingering suspicions about Hillary Clinton after that fainting incident where she suffered a concussion back in 2012. What should the press do here on these health-related questions? 

KRYSTAL BALL: I think it's absolutely irresponsible for outlets to be pushing this when there's absolutely no proof that there's any issue here. She's actually released more documentation on her medical status than Donald Trump has. The pictures are taken out of context, as you pointed out. There's also another video that's going around that's also been taken out of context. There's just no there there. And you know, Howard, I'm no Hillary Clinton lover, I will support her in this election. I think there are legitimate issues to be pushing her on, including the Clinton Foundation stuff, but this just doesn't make any sense. There's nothing to it, and I think it's disgusting that outlets would mislead their viewers in implying that there's anything really going on here. 

KURTZ: Well, I think both candidates should release their medical records, and hopefully that will be happening. You mentioned this video, so let me come to you, Christina Bellantoni, with this one. This is a two-month-old video, Hillary Clinton was being questioned by reporters, they were attempting to question her in Washington. Conservative site Gateway Pundit headline: “Wow, did Hillary Clinton just suffer a seizure on camera?” Let's take a look at the video here. They're shouting questions at her. OK, now, the AP's Lisa Lerer, who is one of the reporters there, Christina, wrote a piece about this and said that Hillary Clinton was making an exaggerated motion with her head shaking her head vigorously as kind of like shtick, and she was laughing and wasn't scared as some people were saying. What do you think about that piece of video? 

CHRISTINA BELLANTONI: It's dangerous to diagnose anyone from a photograph, or a piece of video, or even really what they are saying, right? I am pregnant, four months into it I hadn't told anybody, you know, you really don't know what's going on with somebody's health. But, you know, this is just where it's dangerous. Yes, medical records are helpful, but particularly when you have a female candidate, these issues are not what we should be talking about, right? We should be talking about what each of these candidates would do for the country because you never know whether somebody is mentally capable or physically capable really until they're out there doing the job. 

KURTZ: Right. A lot of these TV doctors, Dr. Drew, you know, giving their opinion. I mean, they've never examined her. It's all done from afar.

Previously:

Rudy Giuliani Pushes Clinton Health Conspiracy On Fox: “All You Got To Do Is Go Online”

NBC Nightly News Dispels Right-Wing Media “Conspiracy Theories” About Hillary Clinton's Health

Even Newt Gingrich Isn't Buying Right-Wing Media's Clinton Health Conspiracy Theory