Accessibility links

Breaking News
USA

Clinton Returns to Campaign After Resting With Pneumonia

update

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton arrives to board her campaign plane at Westchester County Airport, in White Plains, Sept. 15, 2016, to travel to Greensboro, N.C., for a rally.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton arrives to board her campaign plane at Westchester County Airport, in White Plains, Sept. 15, 2016, to travel to Greensboro, N.C., for a rally.

Hillary Clinton returned to the presidential campaign trail Thursday for the first time after being laid low all week with pneumonia.

"It's great to be back," the Democratic candidate told an audience in Greensboro, North Carolina. She admitted that she tried to "power through" her illness before realizing it wasn't working and that she needed to stay home and rest.

"I'm not great at taking it easy, even under ordinary circumstances," she said. "But with just two months to go before Election Day, sitting at home was pretty much the last place I wanted to be."

Clinton said she considered herself lucky to be able to afford time off if she gets sick. She said millions of Americans have no backup if they fall ill and are just one paycheck away from losing their homes or facing other catastrophes.

Watch video report from VOA's Zlatica Hoke:

Clinton Resumes Campaign After Health Break
please wait

No media source currently available

0:00 0:02:27 0:00

She said she was running for president to make life better for children and their families.

"Every child, no matter who they are, what they look like or who they love, is part of the American dream, now and way into the future," she said. "Let that be our message. Let that be our mission."

Later, Clinton appeared before the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute in Washington, saying she would send Congress comprehensive immigration reform within her first 100 days in office. She said her plan would include a path toward citizenship for many undocumented immigrants.

Clinton also tore into Republican rival Donald Trump, who in comments to The Washington Post again refused to say that President Barack Obama was born in the United States.

Clinton urged voters to "conclusively" stop Trump, and what she called his bigotry, in the November election.

Trump on 'Dr. Oz'

Meanwhile, Trump appeared on Thursday's broadcast of "The Dr. Oz Show," a talk show hosted by Dr. Mehmet Oz, and presented a letter from his doctors proclaiming him to be healthy after he took a physical exam last week.

"We are pleased to disclose all of the test results, which show that Mr. Trump is in excellent health," the campaign said, "and has the stamina to endure — uninterrupted — the rigors of a punishing and unprecedented presidential campaign and, more importantly, the singularly demanding job of president of the United States."

But Trump, who is known to be fond of fast food, admitted to Oz that he takes drugs to treat high cholesterol.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump delivers an economic policy speech at a luncheon at the Economic Club of New York in New York City, Sept. 15, 2016.
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump delivers an economic policy speech at a luncheon at the Economic Club of New York in New York City, Sept. 15, 2016.

He told the doctor that just like many other Americans, he wants to lose weight. Trump is 1.9 meters tall (6 feet 3 inches) and weighs 107 kilograms (236 pounds). He is overweight by medical standards, yet it is Trump who has suggested Clinton does not have the strength and stamina to be president.

Clinton mocked the way Trump disclosed his medical condition by appearing on a daytime TV talk show, calling him a "showman."

If Trump, 70, wins the November 8 election, he would be the oldest person elected U.S. president, while Clinton would be the second oldest. She turns 69 on October 26. Ronald Reagan was just short of 70 when he was first elected president in 1980.

A new New York Times/CBS News poll of likely voters gave Clinton a 46 percent-to-44 percent lead over Trump but said they were tied at 42 percent each when two other candidates, Libertarian Gary Johnson and the Green Party's Jill Stein, were considered.

XS
SM
MD
LG