After Clinton stumbles, surrogates go to bat for her
A keen-eyed visitor at the 9/11 Memorial on Sunday in New York captured a video of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton leaving the memorial early — and nearly collapsing as she was helped into her motorcade. The video sparked concerns over Clinton’s health and a conversation regarding the health criteria for presidential candidates — and attention to the fact that GOP nominee Donald Trump and Clinton, at 70 and 68, respectively, are the oldest presidential candidates ever. Clinton, who canceled visits to California on Monday and Tuesday to shake off her bout of pneumonia, was unable to shake off the lagging poll numbers, which showed steady gains by Trump, with Clinton only 1 or 2 percentage points ahead of the firebrand, and losing in once-safe Iowa, Ohio and Colorado. In Texas, Trump holds a slight lead over Clinton, who last week opened an election headquarters in downtown Houston. Meanwhile, Clinton surrogates came to her rescue, as President Barack Obama, her husband former President Bill Clinton, and daughter Chelsea all hit the campaign trail to stump for the Democrat. First lady Michelle Obama capped off the week with a rally in Virginia, one of this election season’s many swing states. Clinton’s recent stumbles were attributed to voters’ concerns over her long-term health and remarks saying some Trump supporters belonged in a “basket of deplorables.”