Clinton, campaign lead PR damage control over pneumonia diagnosis
The maelstrom of coverage on news and social media ranges from lung capacity to lividity. Top aides’ admission that they ‘could have done better’ hasn’t brought much comfort to the public
Speculation, facts and an unspecified dose of fiction about Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s health have been running their respective courses.
How are political strategists, crisis communicators, hospitals, journalists and the public reacting to the handling of Clinton’s “health episode” on Sunday at the 9/11 memorial in New York?
Hours after the campaign revealed Clinton’s persistent cough wasn’t allergies as initially was claimed, the candidate and her team came under fire for not being forthcoming about the pneumonia diagnosis she received last Friday.
On Monday night, Clinton—recovering in her New York home— called in to Anderson Cooper‘s show on CNN to address the incident:
“I was supposed to rest five days—that’s what they told me on Friday, and I didn’t follow that very wise advice,” Clinton told Cooper. “So I just want to get this over and done with and get back on the trail as soon as possible,” she said.
Become a Ragan Insider member to read this article and all other archived content.
Sign up today
Already a member? Log in here.
Learn more about Ragan Insider.
