Nixon, Reagan & more — Speculation surrounding presidential candidates' health is old news

Practice Management

For decades, presidential candidates have encountered rumors surrounding their healthcare. STAT delves into the history of five past candidates who dealt with health rumors.

1. Richard Nixon. Rumors stirred when The New York Times broke news in the 1960s about President Nixon's relationship with psychiatrist Arnold Hutschnecker, MD. The NYT report raised questions about the former president's "emotional stability," STAT reported. Dr. Hutschnecker said he treated President Nixon when he was vice president, which facilitated their physician-patient relationship. However, NYT reported President Nixon saw Dr. Hutschnecker twice while he was president.

 

2. Ronald Reagan. During an October 1984 debate, many Democrats, including then House Speaker Tip O'Neill, questioned President Reagan's health, saying he appeared "old and tired." Donald Ruge, MD, President Reagan's physician at the time, reported he was in 'excellent' health.

 

3. Michael Dukakis. Rumors swirled that the 1988 Democratic candidate had a history of depression. During a White House press conference, President Ronald Reagan referred to the Massachusetts governor as "invalid." Following the news, Gov. Dukakis' physician said he was "in excellent health." In an interview with STAT, the former governor said the rumors squashed his campaign, causing him to lose to President George H.W. Bush by 17 points.

 

4. Bill Clinton. During the 1996 campaign, the Republican candidate Bob Dale requested President Bill Clinton release his medical records, telling NYT, "Why won't the president of the United States provide the American people with a full accounting of his medical history and records? After all, as Bill Clinton's White House has proven time and again, partial disclosure is no disclosure at all." Reports circulating at the time alleged President Clinton hid past drug use.

 

5. John McCain. Some alleged Republican presidential candidate had melanoma, causing him to release more than 1,000 pages of medical records in May 2008. The Washington Post reported that Obama supporters made melanoma allegations in online videos, opinion columns and newspapers ads. Dermatologist Wendy Epstein, MD, wrote an analysis in The Washington Post, in which she said the candidate had a higher chance of a cancer recurrence than his physicians previously reported. Mr. McCain's campaign said his medical records were, "certainly more significant than the one-page doctor's note Obama released!"

 

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