Karl Rove suggests Hillary Clinton has brain damage
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images


Karl Rove has found another reason Hillary Clinton is supposedly unfit to be president: a mysterious fall that he thinks may have left her mentally impaired.
Speaking at a conference Monday night, Rove said Clinton, should she run for president in 2016, would need to level with voters about what happened to her after she took a tumble in December 2012, according to the New York Post.
"30 days in the hospital?," Rove said. "And when she reappears, she's wearing glasses that are only for people who have traumatic brain injury? We need to know what's up with that."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Clinton was diagnosed with a blood clot. And as The Washington Times notes, she only spent three days in a hospital — not 30 — though she later returned briefly for more tests.
A rep for Clinton responded: "Please assure Dr. Rove she's 100 percent."
Update: Rove on Tuesday walked back the remark in an appearance on Fox News, saying he never used the term "brain damage," and that he was merely talking about a "serious health episode" that would undoubtedly become an issue when reporters scrutinize Clinton's health history ahead of a White House bid. Clinton "would not be human if this didn't enter in as a consideration," he said, adding, "Look, she'll be 69 by the time of the 2016 election. She will be 77 if she serves two terms, and this ends up being an issue."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.
-
Western Alaska reels as storm aftermath prompts mass evacuations
UNDER THE RADAR Alaskan lawmakers point to climate change as airlifts relocate hundreds from coastal communities devastated by the remnants of Typhoon Halong
-
Sudoku hard: October 17, 2025
The Week's daily hard sudoku puzzle
-
Codeword: October 17, 2025
The Week's daily codeword puzzle
-
Pentagon reporters turn in badges after refusing rules
Speed Read They refused to sign a restrictive new press policy imposed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
-
Supreme Court points to gutting Voting Rights Act
speed read States would no longer be required to consider race when drawing congressional maps
-
Trump says he authorized covert CIA ops in Venezuela
Speed Read He is also considering military strikes inside the country
-
‘Vile, racist’ leaked chats roil Young Republicans
Speed Read Leaders of Young Republican groups made racist, antisemitic and violent comments in private chats
-
Trump ties $20B Argentina bailout to Milei votes
speed read Trump will boost Argentina’s economy — if the country’s right-wing president wins upcoming elections
-
News organizations reject Pentagon restrictions
Speed Read The proposed policy is Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s latest move to limit press access at the Pentagon
-
Trump declares end to Gaza war, ‘dawn’ of new Mideast
Speed Read Hamas freed the final 20 living Israeli hostages and Israel released thousands of Palestinian detainees
-
Trump DOJ indicts New York AG Letitia James
Speed Read New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted as Trump’s Justice Department pursues charges against his political opponents