CNN Panel Debunks Trump Surrogates' “Conspiracy Theory” Surrounding Clinton’s Health

John Berman: Rudy Giuliani Is “Trafficking Innuendo About Hillary Clinton's Health”

From the August 22 edition of CNN’s New Day:

Video file

[BEGIN VIDEO]

RUDY GIULIANI: She has an entire media empire that constantly demonizes Donald Trump. Fails to point out several signs of illness by her. All you got to do is go online. All you have to do is --

SHANNON BREAM: Her campaign and a number of people defending her saying there's nothing factual to the claims about her health, and that that's speculation at best. 

GIULIANI: So go online and put down “Hillary Clinton illness,” take a look at the videos for yourself. 

[END VIDEO]

JOHN BERMAN (CO-HOST): All right, wow. Donald Trump supporter Rudolph Giuliani, not just trafficking innuendo about Hillary Clinton's health, but blaming the media for not trafficking in innuendo about Hillary Clinton's health.

[...]

Phil, let me start with you, wow. Rudy Giuliani, wow, says, “Go look at the internet because it's all clear.” 

PHILIP BUMP: Right. Wow is correct. I mean there's a great poll by Fairleigh Dickinson back in May that found that Trump supporters are more likely than supporters of other candidates to believe in conspiracy theories. This is a conspiracy theory. There are all these videos that are taken out of context to make Hillary Clinton look as though she has any range of illnesses. It's not really clear what the political value to this is. It's not really clear that this will make any Hillary Clinton supporters rethink their votes if they believe these conspiracy theories to be true. I'm not sure why it happens, but I'm not surprised that it comes from Trump and his supporters simply by virtue of the fact that they have demonstrated a willingness to believe such things. 

ALISYN CAMEROTA (CO-HOST): Alex, has Hillary Clinton released her medical records? 

ALEX BURNS: She has released -- she has not released the -- all the documentation that is in her doctor's possession, but she released a report, she released a letter more recently sort of testifying to her health.

CAMEROTA: As much as former candidates have released? 

BURNS: Sure. We have seen an eroding standard of transparency in a lot of ways with candidates' health and candidates' financial disclosures over time. But yes, she has met the standards that modern presidential candidates typically meet. And I have to say, I'm with Phil here in finding this really kind of puzzling. That Donald Trump has raised conspiracy theories in the past. He has done a lot of name calling. But typically, it has played into some existing negative perception of the candidate. The idea of “Crooked Hillary” reinforced the suspicion that a lot of voters have that maybe she's not entirely on level. Maybe she’s not an entirely honest candidate. I don't think I've encountered no evidence in talking to voters or reading polls that there is widespread concern about Hillary Clinton's physical toughness and ability to do the job.

Previously:

NPR's Tamara Keith Dismantles Right-Wing Media's Clinton Health Conspiracy Theory

Rudy Giuliani Pushes Clinton Health Conspiracy On Fox: “All You Got To Do Is Go Online”

Fox Panelists Debunk Clinton Health Conspiracies Embraced By Some At The Network