Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has said she is feeling much better and did not think the incident of her falling ill at a ceremony marking the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks was going to be that big.
‘I just did not think it was going to be that big a deal. It is just the kind of thing that if it happens to you and you are a busy, active person, you keep moving forward,’ Clinton, 68, told CNN in an interview on Monday night.
This was her first interview, after she fell ill during a 9/11 memorial ceremony in New York.
‘I think it is fair to say that people know more about me than almost anyone in public life. They have got 40 years of my tax returns, tens of thousands of e-mails, a detailed medical letter report, all kinds of personal details,’ she said.
Clinton said she is feeling so much better.
‘I should have gotten some rest sooner. I probably would have been better off if I had just pulled down my schedule on Friday. But, like a lot of people, I just thought I could keep going forward and power through it. And, obviously, that did not work out so well,’ she said.
Despite her being diagnosed with pneumonia on Friday, Clinton continued with her grilling schedule which finally resulted in her falling ill on Sunday.
The former secretary of state said it is something that has occurred a few times over the course of her life.
‘I’m aware of it and usually can avoid it. What happened yesterday (Sunday) was that I just was incredibly committed to being at the memorial -- as a senator on 9/11, this is incredibly personal to me. And I could, feel how hot and humid it was. I felt overheated. I decided that I did need to leave.
‘As soon as I got into the air-conditioned van, I cooled off, I got some water and very quickly I felt better. So, I felt fine, but I am now taking my doctor’s advice, which was given to me on Friday that I ignored, to just take some time to get over pneumonia completely,’ Clinton said.
Clinton said she felt dizzy and she did lose her balance for a minute.
‘But once I got in, once I could sit down, once I could cool off, once I had some water, I immediately started feeling better. And my daughter lives nearby, so I went over to her apartment and, you know, spent time with her and my grandchildren which is the best medicine for anything in life,’ she said.
Last week, Clinton said she had seasonal allergies.
‘What happened this time, though, was it did not dissipate and that is why when I got off the road on Friday, I did go to see my doctor and that is when I was diagnosed with pneumonia.
‘The funniest thing that happened to me on Sunday, was not a funny day, after all, but this was kind of humorous, is I got to the memorial, I saw my friend and former colleague, Chuck Schumer, and the first thing he says to me is I have had pneumonia and I have been resting for five days. And I looked at him, he said, you know, that is so funny, I have just been told I have pneumonia. So, apparently, there is something to this that is going around,’ Clinton said.
Clinton said she would get back on the campaign trail as soon as possible after taking some rest as advised by the doctors.
During the interview, Clinton lashed out at her Republican rival Donald Trump, 70, for not releasing his tax returns and not being transparent about him including his health.
‘You compare everything you know about me with my opponent. I think it is time he met the same level of disclosure that I have for years. You have got a medical report on me that meets the same standard as Mitt Romney and (US President) Barack Obama.
‘Donald Trump’s doctor said he would be the healthiest president in history. That is just not even serious. And I have released nearly 40 years of tax returns. He has not released one,’ she alleged.
‘This is a man with unknown numbers of partners and investors who says he is doing 120 foreign deals. The American people deserve to know what he is up to and what he is hiding. So, if we were not fast enough I have talked to my staff, we, you know, take responsibility for that. But the information is out there. You cannot say the same thing about Donald Trump,’ Clinton added.
IMAGE: Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Photograph: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
