Here's a subject that has already come and gone in the presidential election news cycle, but it's apparently back to make the rounds yet again. In the period leading up to Joe Biden's disastrous debate performance against Donald Trump as well as in the immediate aftermath, you couldn't swing a dead cat without someone calling for the release of Biden's medical records. Those demands were quickly taken up by Democrats calling for Trump's records to be similarly revealed. Then the noise and fury seemed to fade into the background after Biden dropped out of the race. Now, however, similar calls are being heard. Perhaps trying to head a possible scandal off at the pass, Harris's physician, Army physician Joshua R. Simmons preemptively released at least some medical records pertaining to Harris, proclaiming that there were no serious concerns found. (CNN)

Vice President Kamala Harris is in “excellent health,” her doctor, US Army physician Joshua R. Simmons, said in a letter summarizing her medical history that was released by the White House on Saturday.

Harris has seasonal allergies and hives and is nearsighted, Simmons’ letter said. Her immunizations and preventive care recommendations are all up to date, and her most recent April physical exam and her routine bloodwork have shown no causes for alarm.

The vice president wears contact lenses, takes a vitamin D3 supplement, and at times uses over-the-counter and prescription allergy medications, including Allegra, nasal spray and eye drops, Simmons wrote. Simmons described her diet as “very healthy,” and said Harris does not use tobacco products and drinks alcohol “only occasionally and in moderation.”

Admittedly, most of what was released was fairly milquetoast in nature. Seasonal allergies and hives are not a significant issues for most people and are treatable with over-the-counter medication. Wearing contact lenses to deal with nearsightedness is similarly common. Describing her alcohol use as "occasional and in moderation" is a bit vague, however. She has frequently been described as "appearing drunk" but those are descriptions from media talking heads, not any sort of blood test prescribed by a physician, so I suppose we can give her the benefit of the doubt there. 

But what about her cognitive abilities? Those are the tests that people want Trump to take, but the results he's released thus far haven't seemed to be very in-depth. When CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta was asked to comment, he found the things that went unmentioned were more remarkable than what was included. The statement said there was no record of "diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cardiac disease, lung disease, cancer." If tests were conducted to detect such potential issues, why were the test results not included? After all, she may not be the president in name at the moment, but she is clearly filling that role. Why the vagueness in this report?

Trump has left himself open to these questions as well. His last statement from his personal doctor said that "his cognitive exams were exceptional." But that's where the statement ended. There are many different cognitive tests given to such patients in that age range. Which one did Trump take and what were these "exceptional" results that he achieved? At his age, it's a fair question to ask. Harris also experiences many "Kamala moments" when she appears to veer off the path and begin rambling about Venn diagrams and her memories of times in office in California that sound distinctly different from what others recall. Did she actually take a test? If so, which one was it and what was her score?

The world is currently on the verge of going up in flames (literally) and these two people both want to be the commander who holds the keys to the nuclear football. It's not a requirement for Presidents or candidates to release all of their medical records to the public, but doesn't the public deserve a bit better than this?