Randi Kreiss

Full disclosure: I am no Hillary Clinton

Posted

Let’s call it out for what it is: The hysteria over Hillary Clinton’s health is a nasty strain of sexism. As voters, we have every right to receive an honest and comprehensive medical report on the candidates, but the obsessive focus on her health is, well, sickening.

From the beginning of the race, when Donald Trump wondered out loud why Clinton took “so long” during the primary candidates’ bathroom break, there has been an ongoing sexist attack on her appearance, her health, her affect, her hair, her outfits and her weight. And I am sorry to report that too much of the sexist bushwah comes from other women.

Then, because they have to fill 24 hours of airtime every day, the media repeat all the random speculation and unsubstantiated innuendo regarding Clinton’s health and demeanor.

I am her age and in good health, but in the interest of full disclosure, I could never pass the 2016 presidential health test. In fact, the press would consider me practically dead. I’ve had blood pressure issues in the past, I had breast cancer, I have hypothyroidism (like Clinton) and I have osteoporosis in my right hip. My mind is fine, but do I ever run up the stairs in my house to arrive breathless and questioning what I was searching for in such a rush? Yeah. So count me out, even though I’m really in good shape. The press, echoing the Trump claque, would never let me live.

The weirdest twist in this presidential circus was the lurid coverage of Clinton’s near-fainting spell at the 9/11 Memorial event. She decided to attend despite the fact that she had been diagnosed with pneumonia a few days earlier. We can debate the wisdom of her keeping that private, but if she had announced the diagnosis immediately, imagine the carnival of medical “experts” diagnosing her and over-reacting to a pretty routine illness with generally excellent outcomes. Why wouldn’t she keep it to herself and try to push through, attend the 9/11 events, and not make the story about herself?

Events turned in a different direction because she nearly collapsed. And that reminded me — again, a very healthy woman — of all the times I’ve nearly passed out because I was dehydrated or had a glass of wine on an empty stomach or felt anxiety over some life event. My husband fainted when he saw the X-rays of the metal plates in his neck after surgery. My sister fainted when she took me to remove stitches from a minor procedure. It happens all the time.

The sexist piece is related to the myth of the “weaker” sex, and the fainting couches popularized in 19th-century novels, and the idea of a woman having “the vapors” when exposed to a shocking bit of news or an upsetting sight. All of this stuff and nonsense about Clinton’s health comes right out of the sexist notions about women’s physical stamina and fortitude.

She shouldn’t have to be super-human, but she kind of is. She has been running with all cylinders firing for years, from her daunting global travel during her tenure as secretary of state to the campaign.

Think about it. Could you do it? I couldn’t. Not many people could get up every morning and face that schedule. She has extraordinary strength and a fierce sense of purpose, all of which looks really good to me in a candidate. Her toughness was forged in the crucible of past elections and during her years as head of the State Department.

No wonder she thought pneumonia was no big deal. Day after day, she crisscrosses the country, giving speeches and interviews and meeting voters. As others have noted, her decision to attend the 9/11 memorial was impressive considering how debilitated she must have felt from the illness and the antibiotics.

Ever curl up in bed for a day because your nose was running? Imagine forcing yourself to get up and get dressed and stand in the sun for an hour or two when you were battling pneumonia. It wasn’t about secrecy; it was about dedication to the job. The woman does not stand down.

I wish, for her, that she had allowed herself to rest for a day or two, but I am awed by her determination. That’s what I want to see in my president. Her opponent does not display the same grit. He keeps mentioning how hard the campaign trail is, day to day. So I say, take a long rest, Mr. Trump.

In the meantime, go, Hillary, go.

Copyright © 2016 Randi Kreiss. Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.