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Mitchell Frustrated With Clinton for Health Episode: We've 'Been Trying to Fact-Check' Conspiracy Theories

September 12, 2016

MSNBC correspondent Andrea Mitchell criticized Hillary Clinton's campaign on Monday following her fainting spell and subsequent handling of the event, saying she made the press look bad after "we've all been trying to fact-check" the theories about her health.

Mitchell chided the campaign for how they handled the situation before praising Clinton's energy.

"This was so botched. This was so mishandled. The whole issue of transparency and this only reinforces all of the conspiracy theories. I mean, we've all been trying to fact-check and pointing out that there's nothing wrong with her," Mitchell said. "I'm out on the campaign with her. Aside from that cough, she has more energy than I do or half of the press corps which is a lot younger than her."

Mitchell continued her criticisms of the Clinton campaign, saying it had an "obligation" to inform the public of pneumonia diagnosis.

"The fact they did not say anything on Friday when they had an affirmative obligation to the public through us after telling us that the cough in Cleveland on Labor Day was just seasonal allergies, which is what she thought, but after she had an exam on Friday morning, they had an affirmative obligation to tell us about the diagnosis of pneumonia, and then the secrecy yesterday and for an hour-and-a-half the press corps, the protective press pool, the pool of reporters, which is supposed to be with her just for this kind of emergency, they are kept back at the ceremony," Mitchell said. "They're not told she's gone to Chelsea's apartment. Then they're brought there so that we can see her coming out looking very spry and hugging the little girl, and then eight hours after this first happened they finally tell us about the diagnosis of pneumonia that occurred on Friday."

She also hit Trump's campaign for not being transparent, saying there were major problems with both campaigns.