The story about her migraine headaches was first posted on a conservative blog and did not name a source. At least some in the GOP seem to be worried that Rep. Bachmann is building up a head of steam--she leads the latest polls, if that means anything--and needs to be brought down a notch or two.
The story appears to be true since the Bachmann camp does not deny it. When asked if she had ever missed a Congressional vote because of being "incapacitated for days," as the original article had it, she walked away from the question. This indicates that (1) the answer is "yes," and (2) it was a question she hadn't anticipated and didn't know how to answer.
The question of headaches, and to what extent they affect a person, seems like a fair enough question. Certainly migraine sufferers can and do perform quite capably at many occupations. Thomas Jefferson managed to produce the Declaration of Independence while he was having one.
On the other hand, the position of the presidency is a rather stressful one, and if migraines really do incapacitate Rep. Bachmann, more attention would certainly be drawn to her management of the condition and her selection of a running mate.
That these questions are going to be the ones discussed in coming days means that the question of where the story began, and for what reason, is likely to be glossed over. Brian Ross of ABC is the one quizzing Bachmann about the headaches. He's also the same reporter who did a story on Bachmann's husband's "gay-cure therapy." Coincidence?
It appears that certain of the GOP establishment are trying to deflate Bachmann's candidacy. The stories may ask legitimate questions, but the fact that those are the questions now being asked is a back-handed tribute to someone's political operation in the GOP.
Romney campaign black ops, perhaps.
I think we put too much emphasis on the physical robustness of our candidates anyway. A President coping with chronic illness does not mean a non-functioning President, or that there aren't ways for the system to handle things if the President is out of it for brief periods. Look at all that fuss about McCain's health during the campaign. He's still breathing.
FDR would never get elected today. That wheelchair. Also, a President with a chronic but manageable illness might be a more sympathetic and understanding President when it comes to healthcare issues.
Posted by: Hypatia | July 20, 2011 at 07:27 PM
Yeah, it doesn't bother me that she suffers from migraine headaches. It bothers me that she's whacko in other ways.
Posted by: John Petty | July 26, 2011 at 02:45 PM