The Daily Caller is running a report that Michele Bachmann suffers from frequent severe migraines and is heavily medicated, rendering her incapacitated for days at a time. The sourcing is entirely from anonymous former aides.
I don’t know if the story is true, or even if true in some aspects, is overblown. I’ll give Bachmann the benefit of the doubt, but she needs to address the accusations promptly and herself, not through a spokesman.
It would be easy to lash out at TDC for doing the dirty work, but if it is true in substantial part, then TDC did us all a favor. Better to know about and address an issue which might affect a candidate’s capacity to be president before the candidate is the nominee.
One of the benefits of a candidate who has been subjected to scrutiny, smears, false rumors and attack over the course of years is that there will be no surprises when it is too late.
I can think of several present and possible Republican candidates who have survived the onslaught, and are stronger for it.
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“I can think of several present and possible Republican candidates who have survived the onslaught, and are stronger for it.”
And one Democrat sitting in the White House who hasn’t.
My big problems with this article are a)the timing (It only comes out now that she’s leading in some polls?) and b) the reliance on an unknown number of unnamed sources. This looks like the same kind of political mugging Sarah Palin was subjected to by “unnamed sources” within the McCain campaign.
You left nothing out, Professor. Lets see what Michele has to say for herself on this. And, yes, there is safety in a candidate who has been vetted like no other in our lifetime and remained stellar and strong. Right, Sarah? 🙂
As someone who suffered from migranes for years, I can tell you that you can tell when one is coming on. Now, with new medications to deal with a migrane, it no longer dibilitates a person for days. Also,it is now known that MSG, found in a lot of prepared foods, can trigger a migrane consequently, when a person eats out, they have to request things on the menu that isn’t loaded up with MSG.
I also have a big problem with the “truth” of “former” aides. Seems these people crawl out of the woodwork frequently. Anyone who wants to give a website a news source and is not willing to put their name on it, deserves to be ignored.
Michelle may have headaches, but Obama has a habit of messing with his nose. Could that be from years of cocaine use?
I do agree that Bachmann needs to address this promptly and directly. If she does not answer soon and forcefully, she’ll appear weak and the article will have served its purpose.
You mean she might consume as much as one tenth of the medication consumed by JFK? I wouldn’t vote for her either way(I’m a slash-spending and balance the budget libertarian, not a social conservative Republican), but it is curious how these kinds of stories seem to leak out about Republicans and get covered up for Democrats.
“but it is curious how these kinds of stories seem to leak out about Republicans and get covered up for Democrats”
No, it’s not curious at all. It’s what the lame-stream media does. Protects their own, meaning Democrats.
Just as I read about this here, my poor husband is lying down in the couch with a severe migraine. I can see how he goes from a strong guy to a porcupine ball when one of those comes to him. It is awful.
Michelle Bachmann can turn this to her advantage – just by reminding the MSM that about ten to fifteen percent of Americans (more women than men) suffer from migraines, and that R&D related to the find of a cure would be cut short or even taken abroad with Obamacare…
She must release her medical records just like Obama did. What? Wait….Oh…No kidding.
“You mean she might consume as much as one tenth of the medication consumed by JFK?”
You mean she might consume as much as one tenth of the medication consumed by current MN governor Dayton?
The MSM is filled with such hacks….
Typical hit piece. Unnamed sources. Former aides. Same as people who don’t like her, have a grudge, or just made up but the reporter does some CYA by putting the info. down to unnamed sources (the ethical reporter is a myth in today’s JournoList media world).
No doubt Bachmann suffers from migraines; if there was, it would be easily found out by the typical release of medical records (except for The One who was exempt from this, of course). Also, she was hospitalized briefly – apparently just one day at most.
And yes, to prevent or treat migraines you take “pills” – often multiple prescriptions, since one often stops working, or two work in tandem for some patients.
However, what makes this most ridiculous is revealed in the simple fact-check done over at Reihl World Veiw: Did Anyone Fact Check Bachmann Hit Piece? I Don’t Think So.
Factually incorrect. Implying a drug problem, not taking prescriptions to treat a condition. Anonymous former aides. Why are they former aides? Could they have been fired for incompetence? Or are they real at all? Can’t make a reporter reveal his/her sources….freedom of the press, doncha kno’.
Tripe.
I agree, she should address this – and call out the slip shod journalism and “reporter” for the piece of hackery that it is.
Michele Bachmann has responded to the migraine story directly:
http://news.yahoo.com/bachmann-migraines-wont-impede-white-house-goals-183848457.html
In-the-pocket non-Murdoch media analysis: And so be sure to re-elect Obama who inflicts outsized Progressive headaches on the rest of us rather than suffer them.
So the greater question is: is this a reasonable example of the importance of any presidential candidate releasing their medical history, or is it, as Mr Obama insisted, unnecessary for the people to know anything about the health of a person running for the highest office in the world?
Oh weak, this is so lame. Ignore attacks by the main-stream media, they will attack conservatives no matter what. They’re irrelevant anyway. They didn’t create Michele or Sarah, they can’t touch these ladies.
The DC should tread very carefully about this. Migraine affects about one in 10 Americans, and women are FIVE TIMES more likely to have them than men. Migraine is closely associated with menstruation and may be hormonal in some women. While women on Bachmann’s age — menopausal women — often see their migraine problem subside, others face an increase in symptoms. In fact, in some circles, migraine has long been known as “menopause headache.”
Shades of that ancient mysogenists’ lament to the effect that women are not suited for leadership or authority due to their “raging hormones.”
I thought women were FIVE TIMES more likely to cause them…
The DC has always had a foot in tabloid journalism. This is a hit piece probably pushed by the Romney camp. Then again, the DC is establishment, so they probably didn’t even need Romney’s prodding. Disgusting.
[…] this afternoon, William Jacobson wrote something that I agreed with: I don’t know if the story is true, or even if true in some aspects, is […]
Anyone surprised? Aren’t there other candidates incapacitated by bunions or skin rashes? Migraines are (in this day and age) easily treated and rarely incapacitating to the folks living with this condition. Medications are quite effective and neither addictive nor with significant side effects.
I’m sure we will hear about how each and every candidate has serious health problems while a certain democrat will be pronounced fit as a fiddle (after exhaustive examination of released medical records, and maybe college transcripts as well). Sure!
What about FDR? JFK? Lincoln? They all had major health issues. And some anonymous source claims Bachmann has headaches and we are supposed to proclaim her unfit?
I gotta wonder what is going on at TDC…
She has responded. She acknowledged that she does suffer from migraines, she takes medication to treat them, and she said that this medical condition would not prevent her carrying out the duties and responsibilities of the Presidency if she were elected to hold that office.
However, the media has decided that there is a story here which needs “investigation,” which is not a surprise.
Brian Ross was in South Carolina today. He tried to ask Representative Bachmann some questions about her medical condition. According to reports what ensued was not pretty.
ABC News reporter accosted by Bachmann bodyguards
http://dailycaller.com/2011/07/19/abc-news-reporter-accosted-by-bachmann-bodyguards/
Brian Ross Received ‘Mafia’-Style Bruising From Bachmann Staff
http://www.nationaljournal.com/dailyfray/brian-ross-received-39-mafia-39-style-bruising-from-bachmann-staff-20110719?print=true
Ross in is his news report on ABC News did not play up that angle of the story, just saying that Bachmann’s security staff “blocked reporters when they tried to follow her and answer further questions.”
So, anticipate more questions and more stories about this issue.
Who pushed the story? Likely Romney’s people, to remind her of her role and who is the boss.
Oh, so little Brain got pushed “roughly” a few times. Boo hoo! Maybe next time he’ll be more polite, instead of trying to ambush someone and then run after them like a nutcase. And if it was such a big deal, why didn’t he say anything when he was giving his report on TV?
And his goofy little comment that he has only ever got that treatment from the Mafia is beyond idiocy. Talk about melodramatic hyperbole. If the worse the Mafia do is push you a few times, then they must be getting soft. I seriously hope he was trying to be funny, rather then being serious.
As to the good professors point: sometimes the best response to an accusation or attack is no response. It shows you to be the better person. I don’t understand why conservatives demand that their candidates answer and respond to every stupid little insult and accusation the left and MSM throw their way. All that does is encourage people to make up false claims, cause they know it will get them a response and thus make it look like something that is important or credible.
Bachmann served six (or seven?) years here in the Minnesota State Senate. She was not shy and retiring – if she had been missing lots of work (or, given the rabidity of the MN far-left freakshow, if she had missed one or two votes), we would have heard about it. I never did hear any such thing.
She then went on to serve in the US House, starting in January of 2007. Again, she’s not developed a reputation as being sickly, or absent, or out-of-pocket. Given her lightning-rod status, I’m very certain we would have heard about it if she had missed lots of work.
This is a well-timed sleazoid setup. Take a fairly common controlled migraine history, throw in some crap about “drug use”, leave some mysterious blanks for which you already know the answer (but “mysterious” is better than the real answer), and you can torpedo the best of people.
I’d likely not be voting for Bachmann – Pawlenty still gets my vote – but sometime after Pawlenty’s inauguration, when things have settled down, if anyone wants to help me track down the son of a bitch who threw this sleaze out there and wreck his nice new car, let me know.
This kind of crap should NEVER be costless.