Sources: Clinton's Real Problem Is She Won't Drink Water

She planned to 'power through' illness
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 13, 2016 5:18 AM CDT
Updated Sep 13, 2016 6:03 AM CDT
Sources: Clinton's Real Problem Is She Won't Drink Water
A rare sip? Hillary Clinton pauses to drink water after coughing as she speaks at the 11th Congressional District Labor Day festival at Luke Easter Park in Cleveland, Ohio.   (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Hillary Clinton has many talents, but successfully staying hydrated is apparently not among them, according to insiders who say trying to get Clinton to drink water is a constant headache for aides. "She won't drink water, and you try telling Hillary Clinton she has to drink water," one source tells Politico. The insiders say that Clinton was revived with the help of Gatorade after becoming "overheated" on Sunday. They say she only has a mild case of pneumonia and should be back on the campaign trail later this week. In other coverage:

  • Campaign insiders tell the Washington Post that when she was diagnosed with pneumonia Friday, Clinton's initial plan was to just "power through" the illness. The Post notes that if Clinton had rested as her doctor advised, she wouldn't have made her controversial "basket of deplorables" remark Friday, nor would she have been filmed collapsing at a 9/11 memorial event Sunday.
  • Bill Clinton told CBS' Charlie Rose Monday that Clinton has become "severely dehydrated" on more than one occasion over the "last many, many years," but she's now feeling a lot better after getting some rest and there's no sign of more serious underlying health problems.

  • Sources described as "Clinton allies" tell the Hill that they aren't happy about the damage the campaign has inflicted on itself with its failure to be transparent about her health. "Why couldn't the campaign just have been aboveboard about this?" one ally says. "She got sick. Tell people she's sick and move on. I know they thought it would give the right-wingers something to pounce on, but who cares?"
  • The New York Times reports that the Clinton health scare has put running mate Tim Kaine in the spotlight. The former Virginia governor is still little-known nationwide, meaning the Oct. 4 debate with Mike Pence will be crucial. "You don't want a Sarah Palin situation where voters really have doubts about the second person on the ticket," says Princeton public affairs professor Julian E. Zelizer. "It's especially true if there are any kinds of concerns about age or health."
  • The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that Bill Clinton will take his wife's place at a campaign event in Nevada Wednesday. He will also headline a fundraiser in California on Tuesday in her place.
  • Clinton told CNN Monday night that she is feeling "much better" and didn't see the illness as "that big of a deal." The AP reports that she texted campaign employees: "Like anyone who's ever been home sick from work, I'm just anxious to get back out there."
(More Hillary Clinton stories.)

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