"Sources" have told The Daily Caller that Michele Bachmann suffers from debilitating migraine headaches at least once a week that could have an impact on her performance if she is elected president.
According to three people who have worked closely with Bachmann:
The Minnesota Republican frequently suffers from stress-induced medical episodes that she has characterized as severe headaches. These episodes, say witnesses, occur once a week on average and can “incapacitate” her for days at time. On at least three occasions, Bachmann has landed in the hospital as a result.
Sources who spoke to The Daily Caller said they did so because they are terrified about the impact the condition could have on Bachmann’s performance if she actually became president. They also worry that the issue could blow up in the general election campaign, giving President Obama an easy path to re-election.
“It’s a careful choice of words I used: ‘incapacitated,’” the adviser says.
“As president, when she’s in crisis management mode, is she going to have the physical ability to withstand the most difficult challenges facing America?” the former aide asks.
TheDC agreed to provide the sources anonymity because they were providing information only a select group of people could know, at great professional risk.
Two sources independently provided detailed accounts of Bachmann’s condition. A third source confirmed that Bachmann frequently suffers from debilitating headache episodes.
Alice Stewart, a spokeswoman for Bachmann, said ”she suffers from migraines and they’re under control with medicine.” Stewart contested descriptions of the episodes as “incapacitating” Bachmann but did not specify how the descriptions were wrong. “The information you have is incorrect,” Stewart said. She declined to discuss Bachmann’s hospital visits at all, saying, “I’m not going to go into her medical history.”I know from first hand experience that migraines can be very debilitating. It is plausible that a person would take meds to try to prevent, to treat and to control migraines. Been there, done that...without much success. It is also plausible that Ms. Stewart is telling the truth and that Bachmann has the migraines under control...been there, done that, too. I hope that is the case.
I don't know if the story told by her former advisers is true or if they have some kind of ax to grind. The article did not lead me to believe that these people had a grudge against Rep. Bachmann. What I do know is that the LSM is going to run with it and make her out to be a drug addict, no matter what the truth really is.
Via: The Daily Caller
Stress-Related Condition "Incapacitates" Bachmann; Heavy Pill Use Alleged
By Jonathan Strong
In late July 2010, Rep. Michele Bachmann’s then-communications director, Dave Dziok, told his boss that he planned to take a new job with the public relations firm Edelman.UPDATE 7/19 10:14 AM:
Dziok had worked for Bachmann for two and a half years, a relatively long period by the standards of her office, and was leaving on good terms.
Staff turnover can frustrate any employer, but Bachmann responded more dramatically. Dziok’s departure triggered a debilitating medical episode that landed the congresswoman in urgent care.
“Within 24 hours she was in the hospital,” a former aide says.
Bachmann was admitted to a Washington, D.C. hospital on Friday, July 30, and released that same day. She flew home to Minnesota to recuperate, missing a scheduled campaign event with Sen. Roy Blunt.
It’s “nothing folks should worry about going forward,” Dziok told reporters at the time, refusing to specify why Bachmann had been hospitalized. Read more...
Via: Politico
UPDATE: Stewart later added that the claims from the ex-aides are "bogus" and said she has never seen anything resembling what was described in the story from Bachmann, for whom she's been working since the beginning of June. She added that Bachmann maintains among the most "grueling" and "intense" schedules of any of the candidates, and has been doing it in high heat over the past week, and hasn't missed an event.
UPDATE 7/20:
HotAir.com reports:
Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) today released the following letter from her doctor to clear up, once and for all, the question of whether her migraines would interfere with her ability to be president.That should settle it.
Dear Congresswoman Bachmann –
The enclosed summary regarding your experience of migraine headaches is provided to you as per your request. You are overall in good general health.
You have a well-established diagnosis of migraine headaches with aura for which you have had an extensive evaluation by both my office and by a board certified consulting neurologist. Your evaluation has entailed detailed labwork and brain scans all of which were normal. Your migraines occur infrequently and have known trigger factors of which you are aware and know how to avoid. When you do have a migraine, you are able to control it well with as-needed sumatriptan and odansetron. It has not been necessary for you to take daily scheduled medications to manage this condition. You have not needed medical attention from me regarding your migraines with the use of the above-mentioned commonly used therapies.
Sincerely,
Brian P. Monahan, MD, MACP
