The Right to Raise Questions

By Ed Hoffman

If you listened to my radio show last week, you heard me ask questions about Hillary Clinton’s physical health. Now keep in mind, the show was recorded on Friday, September 9 – two days before Clinton’s much-publicized fainting incident during the 9/11 memorial event on Sunday (which was followed by a hesitant admission later in the day that the candidate has pneumonia). Am I celebrating? Of course not. I’m just saying that anyone who listened to my show over the weekend and labeled me a conspiracy theorist nut job was probably changing their tune by Sunday – at least I hope so.

There’s something going on physically with the Democrat party nominee that doesn’t make sense, and it’s not wrong for voters to question it. If she were President when Sunday’s incident happened, how would that have looked to the rest of the world? If you think the rest of the world sees America as weak under Barack Obama, imagine how much worse it would be if a President Hillary Clinton was fainting, tremoring and having what looks like seizures or oculogyric crisis while the world was watching. Russia and China would love nothing more than to see this happen.

And people are saying it “doesn’t matter?” As the owner of a mortgage company with over 150 employees, I know the stress that I endure on a daily basis, and that cannot be anything compared to the presidency. So yes, health does matter – a lot. Furthermore, the health of a candidate sure mattered to these same people when John McCain was the Republican nominee in 2008. In fact, one of them (Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post) is admitting that while he wrote about how super-dangerous it would be for one-time melanoma sufferer John McCain to be President then, he thinks it’s not necessary to be concerned about Hillary Clinton’s health now because the two are “apples and oranges.” More like apples and apples. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander, media.

Chances are, the entire week’s news cycle will be comprised of analysis on Hillary Clinton’s health. So I hope you plan to listen to a variety of sources, because I’m sure some outlets plan to thrust all their efforts into reinforcing one simple mantra: If you have questions about her physical ability to be President, you are on the fringe. Don’t believe it. You’re an American who has a right to want a President who is physically fit to serve. And if you’re one of the people who Ms. Clinton referred to as a “basket of deplorables” last week, you also have the right to be insulted and angry.

Ed Hoffman is host of The Main Event on AM590, which airs Saturday 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM and Sunday 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM. Follow him on Twitter @EdHoffman, and like him on Facebook by searching The Main Event 590.