Clinton Back on Campaign Trail, Trump Questions Her Stamina
Ken Bredemeier
VOA News
WASHINGTON — Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is back on the campaign trail after recuperating for three days from a bout with pneumonia, but her Republican challenger, Donald Trump, is mocking her stamina.
Clinton is headed Thursday to a rally in North Carolina, the closely-contested mid-Atlantic state where both candidates have made numerous campaign appearances. She later addresses an Hispanic leaders dinner in Washington alongside President Barack Obama, one of her staunchest advocates. Trump spoke at the New York Economic Club before heading to another battleground state, New Hampshire, in the northeastern U.S.
As Clinton resumes campaigning after swooning noticeably last weekend in New York, her doctor says she is «recovering well» from pneumonia and remains «fit to serve as president of the United States.»
Clinton told one interviewer Thursday, «I’m really glad that I did finally follow my doctor’s orders and take some days to rest instead of just trying to keep powering through, which I think is a common experience for people.»
Trump’s campaign released results from a physical exam he had last week, suggesting that Trump, but not Clinton, could withstand the rigors of a presidential contest.
«We are pleased to disclose all of the test results which show that Mr. Trump is in excellent health,» the campaign said, «and has the stamina to endure – uninterrupted – the rigors of a punishing and unprecedented presidential campaign and, more importantly, the singularly demanding job of president of the United States.»
But Trump, at a campaign rally late Wednesday in the midwestern state of Ohio, questioned how well Clinton would hold up as the campaign heads to their first of three face-to-face debates on September 26.
«You think this is easy?» Trump asked his cheering supporters. «It is hot and it is always hot when I perform, because the crowds are so big. These rooms were not designed for this kind of crowd.»
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump delivers an economic policy speech at a luncheon at the Economic Club of New York in New York City, Sept. 15, 2016.
«You think Hillary would be able to stand up here for an hour and do this?” he rhetorically asked the crowd. “I don’t know. I don’t think so.”
Clinton’s physician, Lisa Bardack, said the Democratic contender underwent a chest scan that revealed she had «mild, non-contagious bacterial pneumonia.» Bardack added, «[Clinton] is recovering well with antibiotics and rest.»
More medical information
The Clinton campaign said it will soon release more information on her medical history.
Trump appeared on a television show with Dr. Mehmet Oz and answered questions about his medical history, divulging that he takes statin drugs to treat high cholesterol.
Trump’s physician, Dr. Harold Bornstein, described him as in «excellent physical health,» saying that various tests showed results in the normal range.
«I did every test,» Trump told Fox News on Thursday. «I did it last week, and the samples all came back and I guess I wouldn’t be talking to you right now if they were bad. If they were bad, I would say let’s sort of skip this, right?»
Trump told Oz that just like many other Americans, he wants to lose weight.
Trump, who is tall at 1.9 meters (6 foot 3 inches), said he would like to lose seven to nine kilograms (15 to 20 pounds). He said he weighs 107 kilograms (236 pounds), which is overweight by U.S. health care standards.
If the 70-year-old Trump wins the November 8 election, he would be the oldest U.S. president at the point of assuming office. Clinton, would be the second oldest if she won. She would also become the country’s first female president. Clinton turns 69 on October 26.
In his New York speech, Trump vowed to bring at least an average 3.5 percent annual growth to the U.S. economy, which would be above the seven-decade 3.22 percent average recorded by the world’s largest economy. He pledged to create 25 million new jobs over the next decade.
«Jobs will return, incomes will rise,» Trump said. «I’m going to lower your taxes, get rid of unnecessary regulations.»
National political polls continue to show Trump edging closer to Clinton, who was ahead by eight percentage points in early August. The RealClearPolitics average of polls now shows her with a 1.8-point advantage.
A new New York Times/CBS News poll of likely voters shows her with a 46-44 percent lead. But the news organizations said that in a four-way race with two other candidates, Trump and Clinton were deadlocked at 42 percent each, with Libertarian Gary Johnson at eight percent and Green Party candidate Jill Stein at four percent.