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Is it just a summer silly season story, or are there valid concerns that candidate for the GOP presidential nomination Michele Bachmann's history of migraines should disqualify her from office?
From the Associated Press at Crookston Times: "Hours after a report the Minnesota congresswoman has been "incapacitated" in the past by migraine headaches, Bachmann's spokeswoman fired back and the candidate later issued a lengthy statement that rejected suggestions her health would prevent her from serving as president. ... 'Let me be abundantly clear — my ability to function effectively has never been impeded by migraines and will not affect my ability to serve as commander in chief,' Bachmann said in a statement issued through her campaign. She also read the prepared remarks aloud during a campaign stop in South Carolina."
And from the Wall Street Journal: "(Releasing a note from her doctor) was an attempt by Ms. Bachmann, who has surged in national polls and spent Wednesday campaigning in Iowa, to quell questions from her rivals and other Republicans over reports that she suffers from debilitating migraine headaches. The letter, which the Bachmann campaign gave to reports, says in part: '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.'"
Some ideas:
- Speak with members and directors of local or statewide headache-sufferer support groups. What are their views on the issues? How debilitating can migraines be in their experience?
- Talk with local doctors? How debilitating can migraines be? What treatments do they recommend for their patients?
- Publish a poll. What do readers think about the Bachmann controversy?
Is it just a summer silly season story, or are there valid concerns that candidate for the GOP presidential nomination Michele Bachmann's history of migraines should disqualify her from office?
From the Associated Press at Crookston Times: "Hours after a report the Minnesota congresswoman has been "incapacitated" in the past by migraine headaches, Bachmann's spokeswoman fired back and the candidate later issued a lengthy statement that rejected suggestions her health would prevent her from serving as president. ... 'Let me be abundantly clear — my ability to function effectively has never been impeded by migraines and will not affect my ability to serve as commander in chief,' Bachmann said in a statement issued through her campaign. She also read the prepared remarks aloud during a campaign stop in South Carolina."
And from the Wall Street Journal: "(Releasing a note from her doctor) was an attempt by Ms. Bachmann, who has surged in national polls and spent Wednesday campaigning in Iowa, to quell questions from her rivals and other Republicans over reports that she suffers from debilitating migraine headaches. The letter, which the Bachmann campaign gave to reports, says in part: '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.'"
Some ideas:
- Speak with members and directors of local or statewide headache-sufferer support groups. What are their views on the issues? How debilitating can migraines be in their experience?
- Talk with local doctors? How debilitating can migraines be? What treatments do they recommend for their patients?
- Publish a poll. What do readers think about the Bachmann controversy?
