UPDATE, 2: 36 PM: After Hillary Clinton left the 9/11 anniversary memorial today suffering from being overheated and stumbling into her car, it turns out the former Secretary of State has had pneumonia for a few days, her doctor now says. Because of this, I hear from sources that Presidential candidate’s campaign is seriously pondering whether to postpone her trip out to California tomorrow and the scheduled duo of Hollywood fundraisers of September 13. “It’s very likely this may push things back,” says an individual close to events.
“Secretary Clinton has been experiencing a cough related to allergies,” said the ex-NY Senator’s physician Dr. Lisa Bardack on Sunday after an examination of the 68-year Clinton. “On Friday, during follow up evaluation of her prolonged cough, she was diagnosed with pneumonia. She was put on antibiotics, and advised to rest and modify her schedule,” Bardack adds, in the first revelation of Clinton’s true condition. “While at this morning’s event she became overheated and dehydrated. I have just examined her and she now re-hydrated and recovering nicely.”
Earlier statements from the Clinton campaign today after the incident at the 9/11 event only mentioned the candidate being overheated and the ex-Sec of State later told reporters she was “feeling great.” What makes Dr. Bardack’s advice for Clinton to modify her schedule all the more pertinent is how the candidate had a jam packed Friday – the same day she was diagnosed with the respiratory ailment. September 9 included a national security briefing and public remarks for Clinton, plus a pre-taped interview on 9/11 with CNN and an A-lister NYC fundraiser where Barbra Streisand sang and the candidate spoke. At that event, which had the rare campaign distinction of being open to some press, Clinton caused controversy when she said “half” of Donald Trump’s supporters were a ‘basket of deplorables.’” A statement the candidate slightly backed off in a released statement on September 10.
What has not been addressed by either Clinton or her campaign is why this news of her being diagnosed with pneumonia two days ago was never made public in a race for the White House that has been repeatedly called out for its lack of openness. Also of note, Dr. Bardack was with Sec. Clinton today at the 9/11 memorial and there when she stumbled getting into her motorcade.
PREVIOUSLY, 11:23 AM: Hillary Clinton suddenly exited the 9/11 anniversary ceremony in NYC today suffering from being “overheated,” according to her campaign, but the ex-Secretary of State is still coming out West to rake in some Hollywood dough on Tuesday. “Nothing has changed in the Secretary’s schedule,” a source very close to the Clinton campaign told Deadline Sunday
After flying into the Bay Area and hitting up Silicon Valley wallets on Monday, the Democratic Presidential candidate is set for big ticket Los Angeles fundraisers at Seth MacFarlane and Barry Diller’s homes on September 13. Ex-Disney boss Michael Eisner and wife Jane are among the co-chairs for that “Conversation and Dinner With Hillary Clinton” at the $100,000 a couple event at the IAC Chairman and Diane von Furstenberg’s pad on Tuesday evening.
Dogged by Republican claims of health issues and caught on video staggering into a car at the 9/11 memorial, Clinton emerged from her daughter Chelsea’s NYC apartment later this morning, telling cordoned off media that she was “feeling great.” Still, reporters following the notoriously press weary campaign were left in the city as the candidate was driven off to her and former President Bill Clinton’s Chappaqua, New York home.
“Secretary Clinton attended the September 11th Commemoration Ceremony for an hour and thirty minutes this morning to pay her respects and greet some of the families of the fallen,” said campaign spokesman Nick Merril on what was a very muggy Sunday in the Big Apple. “During the ceremony, she felt overheated so departed to go to her daughter’s apartment, and is feeling much better.”
Clinton’s health has become a Hollywood punchline – of sorts. And this stumble comes after the candidate had to walk back remarks at a rare open to the press Friday fundraiser in NYC where she called “half” of rival Donald Trumps supporters “into what I call the ‘basket of deplorables.’” After her remarks at the Cynthia Nixon hosted and Barbra Streisand performing event, which Harvey Weinstein was at too, Clinton put out a statement condemning “bigotry” in the Trump campaign. But she also said, “last night I was ‘grossly generalistic,’ and that’s never a good idea. I regret saying ‘half’ — that was wrong.”
The last time the ex-NY Senator was out in Tinseltown late last month for a series of deep-pocketed shindigs, she made a return appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to try to defang the rising GOP chorus about her health. The August 23 visit to the ABC late-night show of this year’s Emmy host saw Kimmel challenge Clinton to open a jar of pickles, which she easily did, to show she was in good health. Needless to say, some opponents of the former First Lady challenged the challenge, accusing JKL! of loosening the lid for Clinton. Spotting a gag being handed him, Kimmel did a bit later in that week copping to Picklegate.
No official word if the candidate will be revisiting JKL! on this Cali trip but it was announced last week that Clinton will be appearing on The Tonight Show on September 19, kicking off the first official week of the new TV season – will she be opening some more pickles then?