Media Firestorm Erupts After Matt Drudge Alleges That Patio Chair Is A Walker

Conservative media outlets, led by the Drudge Report, are floating the idea that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton used a walker during a photo shoot for People magazine -- a baseless allegation the magazine quickly debunked.

On June 4, People released an excerpt of its interview with Clinton, as well as the cover shot showing Clinton resting her hands on the back of a chair:

The Drudge Report quickly speculated whether the picture depicted Clinton using a walker, tweeting:

The Wall Street Journal's Capital Journal issued a similar tweet:

The Daily Caller and the Washington Free Beacon were among the other conservative outlets that promoted Drudge's angle.

But People quickly debunked the baseless claims.  Business Insider wrote that Nancy Valentino, senior vice president of communications at Time Inc., which publishes People, responded to the allegations (emphasis original):

Secretary Clinton is standing next to a patio chair in the backyard of her home where the photo shoot took place! I have also attached another photo from the shoot - thanks for checking in on this.

Furthermore, other pictures from the People photo shoot clearly show Clinton walking without the use of a walker.

Despite Americans' unwillingness to support the right-wing media's hit jobs against Clinton, conservative media continue to smear her with ageist and sexist attacks, frequently questioning her health.