# Do we ever hear of POTUS getting illnesses? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [April 17, 2023, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-ever-hear-of-potus-getting-illnesses/982759 "2023-04-17T00:22:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-ever-hear-of-potus-getting-illnesses/982759/1 "2023-04-17T00:22:25Z")
Is it ever in the news that the President of the United States has a cold, or sore throat, or stomach flu, or one of the myriad things that everyone is subject to now and then? I remember Trump had a COVID scare a few years ago. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-ever-hear-of-potus-getting-illnesses/982759/2 "2023-04-17T00:31:33Z")
Not sure if this qualifies as what you’re thinking of as “illness,” but in 1985, Reagan spent a week in the hospital after having cancer surgery – surgeons removed a cancerous polyp, and two feet of his large intestine, in the procedure. Needless to say, it was rather well-covered in the news at that time. > **[Reagan Undergoes Cancer Surgery, July 13, 1985](https://www.politico.com/story/2010/07/reagan-undergoes-cancer-surgery-july-13-1985-039636)** > > On this day in 1985, President Ronald Reagan underwent surgery at Bethesda Naval Medical Center in Maryland to remove a cancerous polyp in his large intestine. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-ever-hear-of-potus-getting-illnesses/982759/3 "2023-04-17T00:42:51Z")
I’m thinking of something a little less consequential. My original title was going to be “minor” illnesses, actually. Does it ever get reported that POTUS has the flu, or a cold, or a tooth extraction, or even so much as a doctor’s appointment? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-ever-hear-of-potus-getting-illnesses/982759/4 "2023-04-17T01:03:48Z")
How about Bush [vomiting into the Prime Minister’s lap?](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_H._W._Bush_vomiting_incident) ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-ever-hear-of-potus-getting-illnesses/982759/5 "2023-04-17T01:05:20Z")
> [@ekedolphin](#): > > Does it ever get reported that POTUS has the flu, or a cold, or a tooth extraction, or even so much as a doctor’s appointment? When W Bush had a colonoscopy, he temporarily transferred power to his VP, Dick Cheney. > **[Bush colonoscopy leaves Cheney in charge](https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2007/jul/20/usa.dickcheney)** > > US president will undergo routine medical check at Camp David tomorrow. When his dad puked on the Japanese prime minister, it was explained as a bout of the flu (and totally not too much Saki). > **[BUSH IN JAPAN; Bush Collapses at State Dinner With the Japanese (Published 1992)](https://www.nytimes.com/1992/01/09/world/bush-in-japan-bush-collapses-at-state-dinner-with-the-japanese.html)** When a president has a doctor’s appointment- they get an annual physical- there’s usually a press conference. > **[Biden's physician says he remains "fit for duty" after routine physical](https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/biden-physical-exam-medical-checkup-walter-reed-national-medical-center/)** > > The president's check-up was his first physical in more than a year. ETA: Ninja’d on the Japan part. I should have seen that coming. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-ever-hear-of-potus-getting-illnesses/982759/6 "2023-04-17T01:23:23Z")
Others have covered the big stuff common in older folks. IIRC, routine minor ailments don’t make the news. If POTUS has a cold, we don’t hear about it. The only exception I can think of would be if some big event like a summit was rescheduled as a result. Then it’s the event change that’s newsworthy and the reason is an oh-by-the-way. I can’t quite place it, but I seem to remember some significant trip postponed by either Biden or Obama, or whoever was coming to the US to meet them due to illness of one of the principals. But that’s a vague memory. It wasn’t COVID, whatever it was, and may well have pre-dated COVID. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-ever-hear-of-potus-getting-illnesses/982759/7 "2023-04-17T02:09:06Z")
Back in 1962, the young, vigorous John F. Kennedy canceled a campaign stop in Chicago because of “a cold.” Turns out he was knee-deep in the Cuban Missile Crisis. That may be one reason why they don’t let on about POTUS minor ills (fear of starting a rumor) unless it interrupts something public. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-ever-hear-of-potus-getting-illnesses/982759/8 "2023-04-17T03:50:58Z")
> [@ekedolphin](#): > > Trump had a COVID scare a few years ago. Trump had COVID, not a scare. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-ever-hear-of-potus-getting-illnesses/982759/9 "2023-04-17T05:00:33Z")
I had COVID (and a relapse) on the exact same days Biden did last summer. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-ever-hear-of-potus-getting-illnesses/982759/10 "2023-04-17T14:41:04Z")
> [@susan](#): > > Trump had COVID, not a scare. He looked pretty scared to me! \ ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-ever-hear-of-potus-getting-illnesses/982759/11 "2023-04-17T14:55:15Z")
I recall back in the day Nixon’s phlebitis was covered quite extensively. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-ever-hear-of-potus-getting-illnesses/982759/12 "2023-04-17T17:00:11Z")
I bet COVID was scared. “What have I gotten myself into?!” Back to the main subject, I don’t know what the advantage of announcing the POTUS having the sniffles or constipation might be. And I also wonder if medical privacy laws apply too. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-ever-hear-of-potus-getting-illnesses/982759/13 "2023-04-17T17:58:52Z")
LBJ had medical issues covered by the press. JFK was known to have existing medical issues when he was elected but his back problems were used to highlight the PT109 story and I don’t know what else was made public. In my lifetime also but when I was to young to actually hear of it at the time Ike had a serious problem, possibly a heart attack. I don’t know what the press knew it reported. Going back further Garfield (not the cat) lived for two months after being shot by an assassin and the press covered the unsuccessful attempts to treat his wounds. Teddy Roosevelt was also shot but the bullet passed through a book and a steel object before penetrating his chest muscles but stopping short of any vital organs. It was done in public and certainly covered in the press. I think many minor illnesses were never exposed by the press and reports of some would have been misleading. FDR really never could walk more than a few steps a a result of polio but this was remarkably well covered up in the press. His declining condition in his last years must have been observed by the press but I don’t know how much coverage it received. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-ever-hear-of-potus-getting-illnesses/982759/14 "2023-04-17T18:05:49Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > LBJ had medical issues covered by the press. LBJ **bragged** about his medical issues, like the time he pulled up his shirt to show off his recently-acquired gall bladder scar. Lord knows what he would have done if he’d had a vasectomy. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2023, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-ever-hear-of-potus-getting-illnesses/982759/15 "2023-04-17T18:35:47Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > In my lifetime also but when I was to young to actually hear of it at the time Ike had a serious problem, possibly a heart attack. I don’t know what the press knew it reported. It was widely reported. In fact, it crashed the stock market. [https://news.yahoo.com/amphtml/president-eisenhower-14-billion-heart-000000730.html](https://news.yahoo.com/amphtml/president-eisenhower-14-billion-heart-000000730.html) A few years later, when he was again struck by Illness, the economy again took worried notice. > **[Stock Market Dips On News of Illness; STOCKS GO DOWN ON ILLNESS NEWS...](https://www.nytimes.com/1957/11/27/archives/stock-market-dips-on-news-of-illness-stocks-go-down-on-illness-news.html)** ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2023, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-ever-hear-of-potus-getting-illnesses/982759/16 "2023-04-18T14:30:28Z")
I hear he didn’t need a vasectomy to show off that region of his body.