This is just garbage from the Sanders campaign:
You might think it’s not too big of an ask to see comprehensive medical records from Sen. Bernie Sanders, the 78-year-old potential president who suffered from a heart attack just months ago, especially as he promised “full disclosure” of his medical history in an interview last year.
But, not only has he failed to fulfill that promise so far, his campaign team is now condemning people for requesting that information—and appearing to invent medical problems for rival Democratic candidates.
In an interview with CNN’s New Day on Wednesday morning, the campaign’s national press secretary, Briahna Joy Gray, compared requests for Sanders’ full medical records to the birtherism attacks volleyed at former President Barack Obama. She also claimed that fellow candidate Mike Bloomberg has suffered from “heart attacks” in the past—although she later said in a tweet that she “misspoke” after it was pointed out that there was no evidence for that.
In truth, Bloomberg had a stent placed in 2000 to treat a blocked artery, but he’s never had a full-on heart attack. Polling consistently shows that people worry about the health of presidential candidates and express concern about elderly candidates for this reason. Anyone with a preexisting condition like heart disease is obviously going to magnify this factor for the electorate. In 1992, Paul Tsongas assured everyone that he was cancer free and he took an early lead in the primaries. He died of cancer on January 17, 1997, near the end of what could have been his first term in office. I have no indication that Tsongas was lying about his health in 1992, but people had a right to consider his medical history when they judged his suitability for the highest office.
If Sanders thought releasing his full medical records would ease people’s mind, he’d release them. Therefore, one can only conclude that he believes releasing them now could hurt him politically and stall his momentum.
That’s his call, ultimately, and he’s going to take a hit either way. But to suggest that people who want full disclosure are akin to Birthers is inexcusable and repellant.
It’s not your point that I object to, Martin. It’s that you seem so eager to go after Sanders. His press secretary said something stupid. I’m not sure we should tar Sanders as a hypocrite because of it. As you said, he is making a political calculation. Not knowing what’s in there I don’t know if it falls into the John Edwards political malpractice realm or if it’s more akin to the kind of deflection all candidates make when they think something unimportant will get blown out of proportion and they’ll take a bigger hit than by deflecting. I personally wish to be cautious in calling out Sanders or his campaign because I’m not convinced he’s not going to be our candidate anyway.
I’m not a doctor, but every doctor I’ve read on this have all said “what else do you guys want him to release?”
A full physical? Nothing more about the heart stuff is going to be worthwhile information since you and I aren’t cardiologists, and he has far more to lose releasing it by allowing any info to be manipulated.
Exactly. I’ve read a cardiologist say all he’d need would be a new echocardiogram to take over as his doctor. Bernie released the appropriate records.