Hillary Clinton may or may not be suffering from an undisclosed physical illness, but she definitely understands how those rumors could hurt her campaign. This week, her operatives launched a full-scale assault on the invading theories, insisting that anyone who thinks Clinton is in poor health is deluding themselves with “deranged conspiracy theories.”
Chief campaign strategist Joel Benenson appeared on MSNBC Thursday to refute the rumors and accuse Donald Trump of lashing out in frustration.
“It must be driving his ego crazy that she’s outworking him, out-thinking him, connecting better with the American voters about the issues that matter in their life,” said Benenson. He said that questions about Hillary’s well-being were “ludicrous” and indicative of a “desperate candidate who since his convention has had his net favorable rating decline by 15 points.”
Benenson went on to speculate on Trump’s state of mind.
“I think his ego is probably battered because he’s getting battered in the polls, which he used to love to cite. I think because he’s a man who’s feeling kind of — you know, a little at a loss right now,” he told Andrea Mitchell. “He’s been unraveling for weeks since the convention, going after the family of a fallen war hero, a man who gave his life to save his troops for this country.”
Okay, time to put the Khan thing in the past, guys. It was already past its expiration date three days after Trump’s ABC interview; at least recognize how to quit when you’re ahead.
But then, that’s exactly what the Clinton campaign has essentially done. How much have we really heard from Hillary over the last month? She’s carefully managed her schedule, touring scarcely-populated high school gymnasiums and popping her head out every now and then to take some shots at Trump. But mostly, she’s staying quiet, hoping that her silence will keep reporters from suddenly turning a real spotlight on her skeletons.
Is one of those skeletons her failing health? It’s very possible. Video footage over the last six months has shown her to look extraordinarily frail at times, and medical experts have commented on the lingering effects of her 2012 concussion. Granted, looks can be deceiving, but this is not an out-of-bounds inquiry.
At the very least, the American people deserve to know whether or not the candidate they’re voting for is physically able to do the job.
