In the wake of Hillary Clinton’s Sunday collapse at a 9/11 memorial ceremony, Democrat leaders are asking: “What if … ?” “What if she hasn’t been candid and is a lot sicker than they thought?” “What if it becomes apparent that she is too weak to campaign vigorously?”
“What if we have to reconsider her nomination because she chooses to step aside?”
Clarification from dem operatives @HillaryClinton pneumonia: Expect emergency DNC meeting to CONSIDER replacement. #HillarysHealth
— David Shuster (@DavidShuster) September 11, 2016
“Clarification from dem operatives @HillaryClinton pneumonia: Expect emergency DNC meeting to CONSIDER replacement,” MSNBC David Shuster tweeted Sunday evening.
The Clinton camp has insisted the nominee has no serious health problems and that attention to the issue amounts to right-wing conspiracy-mongering. But the latest incident has even mainstream media outlets like The Washington Post finally acknowledging the legitimacy of Clinton’s health concerns as an election issue.
“Hillary Clinton’s health just became a real issue in the presidential campaign,” read a Washington Post headline after the Clinton collapse Sunday.
The once unthinkable idea of the scandal-marred 2016 bid of Hillary Clinton being prematurely ended by a medical collapse has suddenly become an actual possibility. Democrats would have to be ready to replace her atop their ticket.
The move would be unprecedented on the presidential level in modern history, but despite the fact some states are already voting and most have certified ballots, the precedents that do exist suggest Dems could still pull off a nominee swap. A move like that could clear the way for a Democratic white knight candidate like Vice President Joe Biden.
The rules of the party itself are straightforward enough. The Democratic Party chair could call a special meeting to fill a vacancy on the national ticket. But the ballots already have been certified in a majority of states.