Sanders Refuses To Release Medical Records After Vowing To Do So Before Heart Attack
When Americans pick their next president, they should be aware of that candidate’s health. At least that is what Sen. Bernie Sanders used to think, until he had a heart attack.
The Vermont independent and self-declared socialist vowed in September that he would release his medical records before any votes were cast.
The promise came after Sanders canceled three events because he said he had a hoarse voice. But he told NBC News that he would release all of his medical records before voting began.
“I think it’s the right thing to do,” the candidate said at the time. “The American people have the right to know about whether the person they are going to be voting for for president is healthy.”
He is correct, the voters should know about the health of their potential president before they place their votes.
There is no legal requirement for candidates to release their health records, but when several of the contenders are in their 70s and two of them are knocking on the door of 80 — former Vice President Joe Biden, 77 and Sanders, 78 — it would be good to know.
Sanders felt that way in September, but in October he had a heart attack and now, as he showed during an interview with Chuck Todd on NBC’s “Meet The Press” on Sunday, his mind has changed.
And supporters of rivals like former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg aren’t happy.
?BOMBSHELL? 78 yr old Sanders who just had a heart attack REFUSES to release medical records after saying he would! Sounds like Trump?! Are Democrats really going to take a risk like this? RELEASE THE RECORDS before NH! And Pete does WAY MORE events than you Bernie! Vote Pete! pic.twitter.com/oJ9q8I6iGv
— Pete’s Alter Ego!!! (@destroyurego) February 9, 2020
As The Washington Free Beacon reported, the top-tier candidate told Todd that his campaign has “released as much documentation, I think, as any other candidate.”
“But no other candidate has had a heart attack,” the host responded.
“You can start releasing medical records and it never ends,” Sanders said.
“We have released the substantive part of all of our medical records. We have doctors, cardiologists, who have confirmed these findings. I am in good health.”
It would probably be the end of any questions if the records showed that Sanders is in fine health, so it makes one wonder what he wants to hide.
His refusal to release his records would also be less suspicious without his previous multiple, pre-heart attack, pledges to release his records.
“The people do have a right to know about the health of a senator, somebody who’s running for president of the United States, full disclosure,” he told Dr. Sanjay Gupta on CNN after the heart attack.
“And, we will make at the appropriate time, all of our medical records public for you or anybody else who wants to see them,” he said.
Sanders has only released letters from doctors who say that he is in reasonably good health, but it will likely take more than a note from the doctor to counter the likely onslaught of questions that would come from his opponents.
“Mr. Sanders, like everyone running for president and currently serving as president, should be totally forthcoming about his health. The inadequacy of doctor letters in lieu of records was underscored in 2016 by the ludicrous letter from then-candidate Donald Trump’s gastroenterologist,” The Washington Post editorial board wrote in a Jan. 4 piece.
“So far, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), 70, has provided the most information, releasing a letter from her physician and five pages of supporting medical data. Former vice president Joe Biden, 77, released a three-page letter from his physician outlining his current condition and medical history.”
Imagine the chaos for Democrats if, just before the presidential election, their candidate were to suffer some type of episode that would render him unable to assume the role of president.
It could be one of the reasons, other than his radical socialist agenda, that Democrats appear to be terrified of Sanders winning the nomination.
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