Political Update: Health woes, polls shift

The candidates’ health seems to be the topic of the week.

What started with Hillary Clinton’s apparent collapse has lead to Donald Trump finally releasing documents to the public, but still no tax returns.

Seeing double

A close up of Hillary Clinton's collapse shows her foot dragging and unresponsive suggesting lack of consciousness https://t.co/2RIsuDzB9X

— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) September 11, 2016

The collapse heard around the world has once again opened the door to conspiracy theorists and naysayers across the country saying Clinton is hiding an ailment that makes her unfit to be president.

https://twitter.com/RealMarkWiepert/status/775231721532952576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Yes, people are going as far as saying that Clinton is using a body double to hide her ailment from the public, or that she is much more ill then what is seen.

The election really can’t get here soon enough. People have way too much time on their hands and want to find something to criticize Clinton that isn’t email-related.

totally agree w you 👍 earlobes don't lie pic.twitter.com/XPwBE3QaO5

— Jackie (@risetoflyy) September 13, 2016

Some conservative pundits, like Sean Hannity, have taken the opportunity to rile up the public. He also treats her pneumonia diagnosis like a life-altering sickness.

Thankfully, other media personalities are ready to call Hannity out for pushing conspiracy theories onto the public.

https://twitter.com/seanhannity/status/775883043496013824

It’s time to get over this health conspiracy.

It feels like such a reach for people to say that she is hiding brain damage or suffering from a disease that affects her motor skills. This is just not true. Is it so unbelievable that a person who is sick pushes themselves so hard they might collapse, especially when that person is running for president?

Trump gets physical

Trump has capitalized on Clinton’s health debacle by releasing and discussing a recent physical with Dr. Mehmet Oz.

The much-televised and hype-heavy manner in releasing the medical records fits Trump perfectly — right down to him asking the audience on whether he should share the documents with the always-honest doctor.

Trump discussed his lack of exercise and desire to lose weight. The major emphasis was that Trump is a healthy 70-year-old man who is physically fit to be president for a long time to come.

Possible flip?

Recent polls in battleground states have begun to shift in Trump’s favor, leaving Democrats dumbfounded as we inch closer to Election Day.

Trump now leads Clinton by five percent in Ohio and three percent among likely voters in the same state and Florida.

With a little over 50 days left to the election, Trump seems to be proving his doubters wrong. There has been a lot of talk of a Clinton landslide victory, but Trump and his supporters have another outcome in mind.

We will see if this recent surge lasts until November. With the way things have gone, however, I wouldn’t doubt that Trump will do something to lose the confidence of new supporters.

Opinion editor Frank Campos is a media production senior and can be reached at [email protected].