Bachmann’s doctor: Migraines occur infrequently
posted at 6:50 pm on July 20, 2011 by Tina Korbe
Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) today released the following letter from her doctor to clear up, once and for all, the question of whether her migraines would interfere with her ability to be president.
Dear Congresswoman Bachmann –
The enclosed summary regarding your experience of migraine headaches is provided to you as per your request. You are overall in good general health.
You have a well-established diagnosis of migraine headaches with aura for which you have had an extensive evaluation by both my office and by a board certified consulting neurologist. Your evaluation has entailed detailed labwork and brain scans all of which were normal. 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. You have not needed medical attention from me regarding your migraines with the use of the above-mentioned commonly used therapies.
Sincerely,
Brian P. Monahan, MD, MACP
So, there you have it. The Attending Physician of the U.S. Congress says she’s good to go. As Ed explained when this story first “broke,” the journalism behind the report was shoddy at best. But as I said yesterday, I don’t envy her any migraine. She doesn’t seem any more susceptible to the stresses of the presidency than any other candidate — if anything, her tenacious determination to dispel the rumors about these headaches just proves how on top of things she is (not to mention the depth of her desire for the position!) — but the whole episode still serves as a reminder that the presidency is obviously not for the faint of heart. Obama’s hair betrays that fact.
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alwaysfiredup, you are either irrationally risk adverse about a presidential candidate’s health, or you are trying to make Bachmann look bad by stating your “concerns.” It can only be one or the other – which is it?
Why is a president’s health so important? Seriously, from a risk management perspective, what’s the downside of a president that has bad menstrual cramps or prostate cancer? Do you really think that our federal government is so dependent on a single person that it’s unable to function if a president is under the weather?
alwaysfiredup, you’ve put it out there. It’s time for you to defend your sudden, irrational “concerns” about a candidate’s health.
blink on July 21, 2011 at 2:08 AM
Are you conflating physical fitness with political or moral fitness?
promachus on July 21, 2011 at 2:08 AM
Andrew Sullivan suggested that Sarah Palin wasn’t Trig Palin’s mother. I don’t want to “know more.” I can smell smear, if you will.
MeatHeadinCA on July 21, 2011 at 2:12 AM
I was asking you questions that you didn’t answer.
MeatHeadinCA on July 21, 2011 at 2:13 AM
There is certainly nothing wrong with looking at overall fitness by looking at a probability-of-risk-weighted level of fitness.
Here’s an example:
Candidate A is 50% fit for office based on all factors other than health.
Candidate A’s health warrants implies a 90% probability-of-risk-weighted level of health fitness.
Then Candidate A’s overall fitness score is 45%.
Candidate B is 80% fit for office based on all factors other than health.
Candidate B’s health warrants implies a 75% probability-of-risk-weighted level of health fitness.
Then Candidate B’s overall fitness score is 60%.
Therefore, Candidate B is more fit for office despite being less healthy.
Btw, rational people with common sense didn’t need this explained to them.
blink on July 21, 2011 at 2:14 AM
promachus, alwaysfiredup, and unseen, would the three of you rather have an anti-military communist as president who is in perfect health -OR- a military respecting, fiscal conservative that has a 0.0001% chance of having some level of impairment during a national emergency?
blink on July 21, 2011 at 2:17 AM
Of course, a military respecting, fiscal conservative that has a 0.0001% chance of having some level of impairment during a national emergency. What’s wrong with you.
promachus on July 21, 2011 at 2:20 AM
Bachmann has agreed, yes she does suffer from migraines. So the facts are not under dispute. This is not some cockamamie conspiracy theory. It seems to be your MO to find a gross and wild analogy so that you can equivocate your present case.
promachus on July 21, 2011 at 2:28 AM
And do you agree that there is a risk that any candidate will be experiencing impairment during a national emergency?
blink on July 21, 2011 at 2:31 AM
Am I going over the top for you?
I saw your fellow comrade thinks no question crosses the line. Better get all over that.
MeatHeadinCA on July 21, 2011 at 2:32 AM
But it sure is a cockamamie, irrational risk-aderversion story. Btw, you’re the one being irrationally risk adverse.
blink on July 21, 2011 at 2:32 AM
Ask whatever question you like. But those questions shouldhave basis in fact. Just because something is possible, doesn’t mean it is probable.
When you make a claim, it is upon you to produce evidence to back it up. The opposing party is not required to prove the negative. But once the claim has been established, the burden shifts to the other party. IN this case, eiether produce evidence that Trig is not Palin’s son or shut up. ANd yes, it has been established that Bachamnn does suffer from migraines and it’s up to her to prove that she’s fit to lead in spite of them. Only in your brain, do both things equate to one another.
promachus on July 21, 2011 at 2:42 AM
Is PMS a myth?
No. Not only in my brain. That’s factually incorrect.
Anyway, I’m out. I can see this is getting nowhere with you. I clearly hit a nerve with your campaign. I’ll let the other readers judge what your motives are – they seem clear.
MeatHeadinCA on July 21, 2011 at 2:46 AM
You haven’t hit anything. I am just astounded at your hypocrisy. That’s it.
promachus on July 21, 2011 at 2:52 AM
Ha ha ha ha! Says the person that’s asking about the minuscule possibility that Bachman would be impaired during a national emergency.
Admit it, promachus. You’re irrational and have no sense of realistic risk assessment.
blink on July 21, 2011 at 3:09 AM
Bachmann could be impaired in future because she has already been impaired in the past. That’s not improbable but very very probable. That is why I guess, her handlers shoved the reporter asking questions.
promachus on July 21, 2011 at 3:15 AM
She was hospitalized for migraines and out of commission for four days. That is a legitimate concern.
It’s too bad we didn’t find out about Clinton’s STDs or Obama’s coke habit because they were allowed by a leftist media to avoid opening their medical records. But if we had solid information about them during the campaign, it would have been a legitimate issue. And it is now.
Adjoran on July 21, 2011 at 4:06 AM
or one with addisons disease and issues with his back
cmsinaz on July 21, 2011 at 7:21 AM
Well, we know one thing for sure……it would take a medical condition to stop Bachmann from doing her job….unlike Palin who just up and quits.
csdeven on July 21, 2011 at 7:59 AM
and the beat goes on.
cjtony97 on July 21, 2011 at 8:05 AM
There are headaches and there are Migraines. I have had both. Migraines are incapacitating and much rarer for me than headaches. A migraine can literally blind you and make you physically ill and no amount of aspirin, Excedrin, etc. can resolve. I have a severe migraine once every couple of years.
Any president can be incapacitated for any reason for any length of time. That is why we have a VP and why most presidents have signed over temporary duties to their VP during those times.
I am no MB fan, in fact I distrust her, but Migraines do happen. It shouldn’t disqualify anyone from becoming president.
James on July 21, 2011 at 8:19 AM
Oh, did she un-quit? Why shouldn’t she be held accountable for as long as she may run for public office? She is a quitter. She quit half way through the first moderately tough job she ever had. AND Alaska is the 46th rated state in the union. She was elected by 114,000 people. She only got 47% of the vote. MOST Alaskans voted for a different person.
So yeah….Palin is a quitter and the beat will go on as long as she is politically active.
csdeven on July 21, 2011 at 9:33 AM
This migraine hoopla is a distraction Bachmann doesn’t need and could’ve avoided…keep all congressional aides and staff AWAY from any and all personal medical information. I don’t care if your busier than God–make the damn calls yourself…or be prepared to deal with BS like this in your future political public life.
RepubChica on July 21, 2011 at 9:44 AM
I have suffered from debilitating migraines for almost 40 years and it hasn’t impeded my ability to raise a family, get a PhD, and hold down a job. So, yes, migraines suck, but sufferers can learn to live with them, and Bachmann is no exception.
College Prof on July 21, 2011 at 9:45 AM
Anyone can be impaired in the future regardless of wether they’ve been impaired in the past.
From an actuarial perspective, you’re being irrational about this risk.
No, it’s improbable that any future impairment will jeopardize the nation. Too improbable to use as a basis for a candidate unless you’re an irrational idiot.
Oh please. There’s no need for her to duck a question that she’s handled just fine all along.
Look, it’s obvious that you’re trying to make something of this because you favor a different candidate. The truth is, you’re just making yourself look stupid.
blink on July 21, 2011 at 10:26 AM
Oh an occasional migraine is so much worse than this:
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=125593&page=1
maryo on July 21, 2011 at 2:50 PM
it’s a good thing we are in a primary and if we vote correctly in the primary we will never have to worry about making that choice. now if Bahcmann god help us wins the nomination yes i would vote for her over obama. but as long as we are in the middle of a primary i don’t need to worry about the false choice you have given. i can vote for the real leader i want not settle for the lesser of two evils in Bachmann.
unseen on July 21, 2011 at 3:50 PM
You missed my point completely.
I was trying to get you to admit that you are being irrational about this migraine issue. Your concerns about this issue for any president needs to be reasonably quantified even IF Bachmann blacks out for hours at a time. There’s only so much downside such black outs can cause and the risk is minimal.
I don’t care if you like Bachmann or not. I certainly haven’t made any decisions about her, but you need to stop being so irrational about this issue.
blink on July 21, 2011 at 4:08 PM
Which is worse/more a liability — migraine sufferer or smoker?
I’d say the smoker has/will have more health issues. Obama was a smoker most of his life…
Since the media cared little about his health risks let us see if they treat Bachmann the same way!
epb on July 21, 2011 at 4:35 PM
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