Right-Wing Media Insist Clinton’s Pneumonia Diagnosis Is A “Cover For Some More Serious Condition”

Right-wing media are claiming the statement from Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s campaign that she was diagnosed with pneumonia is actually “a cover for some more serious condition,” and that Clinton falling ill at a 9/11 memorial event “had virtually nothing to do with her having pneumonia.” Actual medical experts in the media have explained that “Clinton's wobbly incident Sunday is a near-textbook case of what can happen with ‘walking pneumonia.’”

Hillary Clinton Diagnosed With Pneumonia

NBC: Hillary Clinton “Diagnosed With Pneumonia,” Left 9/11 Event Due To Feeling “Overheated.” On September 11, NBC News reported that Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton had been “diagnosed with pneumonia” by her doctor the previous Friday. The issue came up when Clinton was seen leaving a 9/11 memorial event early and “appeared unsteady as she departed in an SUV.” The Clinton campaign responded to NBC News’ inquiries by saying Clinton left due to feeling “overheated”:

Hillary Clinton has been diagnosed with pneumonia, according to a note from her doctor put out by the campaign on Sunday.

The revelation came just hours after she abruptly left a Sept. 11 memorial service at Ground Zero in New York City where she appeared unsteady as she departed in an SUV. The campaign said in a statement that Clinton felt “overheated.”

Nick Merrill, a spokesman for Clinton, said Clinton would remain at her home in Chappaqua, N.Y., to rest. A planned trip to California for events Monday and Tuesday was canceled, he said. [NBC News, 9/11/16]

Right-Wing Media Don’t Believe Diagnosis: “This Collapse Had Virtually Nothing To Do With Pneumonia”

Conservative Author Ed Klein: “This Collapse That We Saw The Other Day Really Had Virtually Nothing To Do With Her Having Pneumonia. This Is Much Deeper Than Pneumonia.” Discredited conservative author Ed Klein told Fox & Friends host Steve Doocy that Clinton falling ill at the event commemorating the 15th anniversary of 9/11 “really had virtually nothing to do with her having pneumonia.” Klein insisted the situation goes “much deeper than pneumonia,” claiming, “Even [Clinton’s] friends don’t know exactly what’s wrong with her. … But they do know that there’s something very seriously wrong with this woman.” From the September 14 edition of Fox News’ Fox & Friends:

ED KLEIN: I've been following this for the last two and a half years. I've written many blogs about it. I've written several books about it. Bill Clinton has known about Hillary's health for not months, but for years. He's been urging her to get a complete medical checkup at a hospital, and she's refused to do so because she's afraid if it leaks out. So this collapse that we saw the other day really had virtually nothing to do with her having pneumonia. This is much deeper than pneumonia.

[...]

STEVE DOOCY (HOST): What do your sources tell you about an underlying issue? Health issue?

KLEIN: Even her friends don't know exactly what's wrong with her, but what they do know is that she faints frequently. Not just once in awhile. It could be circulation. It could be neurological. They don't know. But they do know that there's something very seriously wrong with this woman.

DOOCY: And you've been talking about this for a couple of years.

KLEIN: Two and a half years.

DOOCY: But then again, you've been labeled a sexist or a hater because you've been bring up this stuff that you've heard about, and now we all know about.

KLEIN: That's right.. [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 9/14/16, Media Matters, 5/2/16]

Fox’s Tucker Carlson: “This Is An Unexplained Mystery … There’s No Chance That She Collapsed From Pneumonia.” Fox host Tucker Carlson maintained that pneumonia was “not what was going on on Sunday,” but added, “I have literally no idea,” and “I’m not suggesting she’s gravely ill or anything like that.” From the September 14 edition of Fox News’ Fox & Friends:

TUCKER CARLSON (CO-HOST): It's fine. The soft-focus coverage, you see a lot of it, but at the core of this is an unexplained mystery. I don't think there's any question -- she may have pneumonia, I believe it, that's fine. That's not what was going on on Sunday. There's no chance that she collapsed from pneumonia and then an hour and a half later it was totally fine. I think a normal reporter’s -- I have literally no idea. I'm not suggesting she's gravely ill or anything like that. I am suggesting they're not telling us the whole story. That’s obvious to me.

[...]

It does not make any sense at all, and I don't pretend to understand what's going on. [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 9/14/16]

Sean Hannity’s Shameless Speculation On Clinton’s Health Includes Suggesting She Has “Something Neurological,” Parkinson’s Disease, And Multiple Sclerosis. Fox host Sean Hannity suggested Clinton may be “lying” about having pneumonia, and he offered a diagnosis of “cerebral thrombosis.” Hannity also asked if Clinton “might have had a TIA, a stroke in her history,” or if “there's something else neurologically going on.” From the September 13 edition of Fox News’ Hannity:

SEAN HANNITY (HOST): Why is Hillary Clinton being so secretive about her health, and maybe even lying?

[...]

We know that she's on an anticoagulant, that's known as Coumadin, prescribed often. We know they said it was deep vein thrombosis, but it's really more than that. Isn't it more venial (sic) cerebral thrombosis, as it was below the right ear? Wouldn't that be a more accurate description? And that was all made public?

[...]

If she has all of these incidents, venial (sic) cerebral thrombosis, then we've got the Coumadin, then we've got the concussion, then we've got all of these other issues, the coughing, the collapse, is this a neurological issue?

[...]

Is there a chance she might have had a TIA, a stroke in her history? Is there a chance that there's something else neurologically going on? For example, WikiLeaks had the research into some drugs that can be used for Parkinson's. Is that a possibility? MS a possibility? [Fox News, Hannity, 9/13/16]

Gateway Pundit: Clinton Was Wearing Sunglasses “Recommended For Seizure Patients.” Conservative website Gateway Pundit asserted that Clinton “has been sick for some time and the major media will not report on it,” alleging that the sunglasses that Clinton wore to the 9/11 memorial event “are recommended for seizure patients.” From the September 12 article:

This doesn’t make sense in so many ways just like most all Clinton scandals. The Clinton’s (sic) told us Bill did not have sexual relations with that woman, Monica Lewinski. Hillary said Benghazi was a protest and her emails were not classified. All of these incidents and many more have been proven false. Now as of yesterday they want us to believe that she pneumonia?

If she was diagnosed with pneumonia on Friday, why did she have a fundraiser with Barbra Streisand? If so is Barbra now sick too? Did she just save a major pneumonia outbreak on the West Coast by cancelling her fundraising events there this week?

Hillary has been sick for some time and the major media will not report on it. But on the internet the news is much more accurate and up to date. One post on Twitter pointed out that Hillary was the only one wearing sunglasses at the 9-11 event and suggested that the glasses are not regular sun glasses. That is why she was wearing them. The glasses worn by Hillary are recommended for seizure patients. [Gateway Pundit, 9/12/16]

InfoWars: “Why Would Hillary Be Receiving A Motor Neuron Test If She Was Only Suffering From Pneumonia?” Conspiracy theory website InfoWars alleged Clinton was “receiving a motor neuron test” after falling ill at the 9/11 memorial event, suggesting “Clinton’s swaying and stumbling in the now infamous video represented a neurological problem rather than being dehydrated.” The article concluded “that there is far more wrong with her than a bout of pneumonia.” From the September 13 article:

Despite her campaign claiming it was pneumonia that led to her ill health in New York on Sunday, Hillary Clinton was caught on camera receiving a neurological test from someone who appeared to be a nurse.

The image shows Hillary grasping the woman’s fingers with her fist, which is a classic motor neuron test to determine abnormalities in the nervous system.

[...]

This is precisely what appears to be taking place in the image above. So why would Hillary be receiving a motor neuron test if she was only suffering from pneumonia, as her campaign claimed?

The explanation that Clinton’s swaying and stumbling in the now infamous video represented a neurological problem rather than her being dehydrated is also a view shared by Dr. Zuhdi Jasser M.D.

[...]

With her campaign now on the ropes after hiding information about her Hillary’s (sic) health, Clinton will continue to be faced with allegations that there is far more wrong with her than a bout of pneumonia. [InfoWars.com, 9/13/16]

RedState: “The Question Lingers As To If This Is All A Cover For Some More Serious Condition?” RedState’s Susan Wright cited Ed Klein to allege “the question lingers as to” whether the pneumonia diagnosis “is all a cover for some more serious condition.” She concluded that even if Clinton “has a more serious, underlying condition,” Wright “doubt[s] her personal ambitions would allow her to stop her charge to ultimate power, even at the risk of her own well-being.” From the September 13 article:

And while at least a half dozen of her senior staff have fallen ill with pneumonia, as well (including campaign manager, Robby Mook), the question lingers as to if this is all a cover for some more serious condition?

If there is a chance that she has a more serious, underlying condition, the sincere hope is that there is somebody around her that cares enough and has influence enough to convince her to get proper care.

That being said, I doubt her personal ambitions would allow her to stop her charge to ultimate power, even at the risk of her own well-being. [RedState.com, 9/13/16]

National Enquirer: “Medical Experts … Explain The Troubling Reason For Her Bizarre Sunglasses!” National Enquirer called Clinton’s sunglasses “bizarre” and asserted that Clinton “wasn't trying to look like a rock star, though. She was trying to get through the morning without suffering a seizure!” From the September 13 post:

Hillary Clinton is insisting that her shocking collapse during the 9/11 memorial ceremony in New York City was “pneumonia” — even as The National ENQUIRER talks to medical experts who explain the troubling reason for her bizarre sunglasses! The presidential candidate looked downright bizarre while sporting bright blue lenses during the event honoring victims of the World Trade Center bombing. Hillary wasn't trying to look like a rock star, though. She was trying to get through the morning without suffering a seizure! [National Enquirer, 9/13/16]

Medical Experts In The Media Say Clinton’s Symptoms Show “A Near-Textbook Case” Of Walking Pneumonia

NBC’s Maggie Fox: Clinton’s “Incident … Is A Near-Textbook Case Of What Can Happen With ‘Walking Pneumonia.’” NBC News senior health writer Maggie Fox called Clinton’s “wobbly incident” “a near-textbook case of what can happen with ‘walking pneumonia,’” explaining that “patients don't feel great, but they're not sick enough to stay home in bed or to be hospitalized.” Fox pointed out that Clinton, like many pneumonia patients, might feel “tired and dehydrated,” and she noted that after a “day or so” of antibiotics, they are “unlikely to infect anyone else.” From the September 12 article:

Hillary Clinton's wobbly incident Sunday is a near-textbook case of what can happen with “walking pneumonia” — patients don't feel great, but they're not sick enough to stay home in bed or to be hospitalized.

[...]

Pneumonia can be caused by viruses or bacteria, and it refers to an infection that gets into the lungs. Bacterial pneumonia is common, usually not serious and easily treated with antibiotics.

These mild bacterial infections can cause a cough and sometimes a mild fever.

People often feel well enough to go about their business, especially once they start taking antibiotics. And once they've been taking antibiotics for a day or so, they are unlikely to infect anyone else.

But the infection can take a toll, making patients prone to getting tired and dehydrated. [NBCNews.com, 9/12/16]

CBS’ Dr. Tara Narula: Dehydration “Is Not Uncommon In Pneumonia.” CBS This Morning medical contributor and cardiologist Dr. Tara Narula explained that dehydration “is not uncommon in pneumonia” and can cause patients to “feel unwell or look unwell.” From the September 12 edition of CBS This Morning:

CHARLIE ROSE (CO-HOST): What’s interesting to me is the stumbling before she got into the car, her vehicle at the motorcade as she was leaving. Is that an impact of having this kind of pneumonia? And what causes that, losing your sense of balance?

DR. TARA NARULA: Right, without being her doctor, I can't comment on her particular medical condition. But I can tell you that with pneumonia, you can get shortness of breath, fatigue, fever, increased heart rate. You can have a cough. And then when you combine that with dehydration, which is not uncommon in pneumonia, you could certainly feel unwell or appear unwell. The dehydration itself can be caused by changes in thirst or appetite from the infection. It can be caused by that increased respiratory rate or sweating in the setting of fever, or even, potentially, some of the antibiotics or medicines that she might be taking like antihistamines can cause a drying effect. [CBS, CBS This Morning, 9/12/16]