These speculations aren’t going away until the Democrat nominee disproves them – which, as she showed in that coughing fit in Cleveland, she pretty clearly isn’t going to do any time soon.

Clinton’s health issues are a major political problem for her. They could lose her the election, because so much of elections are about image – and running a half-dead candidate is one of the worst ways to present an image people will positively respond to.

So what exactly is wrong with her? Why does she come off as half-dead? What’s with those appearances wearing the weird Dr. Evil long coats in places where it’s hot?

This video is circulating all over the internet since it was uploaded to YouTube last week. It’s made by a medical doctor analyzing video evidence of Hillary’s various anomalous behaviors – the freezes, the head-nodding, the weird hand placement, the bug-eyed look, the inability to climb stairs and the falling – in which he concludes those are all symptoms of advanced Parkinson’s she’s trying to hide from the public.

We could probably do without some of the political conclusions at the end, as they detract from the medical expertise being shared in it – the public can decide for itself whether having an incapacitated president take office so that aides or others we don’t elect actually run the country in her name is a good idea. But if you match up the video evidence with the medical literature on Parkinson’s, there is an interesting case to be made here.

There is a good deal of speculation about Hillary and Parkinson’s. Even the evil pharmaceutical kingpin Martin Shkreli was tweeting about it last month…

I'm dead serious. I reviewed a number of videos and I think @HillaryClinton has early onset Parkinson's Disease. It appears she takes L-dopa

— Martin Shkreli (@MartinShkreli) August 7, 2016

A few weeks back there was a lot of buzz about one of Hillary’s aides being seen carrying an auto-injector for Diazepam, an anti-seizure drug. This would also be consistent with Parkinson’s, as the drug is one used to manage Parkinson’s-induced anxiety disorders and other symptoms. From The National Parkinson Foundation website…

Benzodiazepines (anti-anxiety medications)
An older class of medications called benzodiazepines is used to treat anxiety disorders and target the brain chemical GABA. Most of these medications have been around for many years. They include:

diazepam (Valium®)
lorazepam (Ativan®)
clonazepam (Klonopin®)
alprazolam (Xanax®)

These medications can be very effective for anxiety, sometimes working better than antidepressants. They take effect very quickly, often providing some relief after a single dose, though they have to be taken regularly for a lasting effect. Also, they can help with other symptoms of Parkinson’s, including certain types of tremor, muscle cramping and sleep changes. Major drawbacks of using benzodiazepines include memory difficulties, confusion, increase in balance problems and tiredness. These medications should not be stopped suddenly, as patients can have serious withdrawal symptoms such as seizures and severe stiffness called spasticity.

NOTE: Benzodiazepines should be used with caution in older patients with Parkinson’s or in those with dementia. If used regularly, they should never be stopped suddenly to avoid serious withdrawal symptoms.

We’re not saying Hillary has advanced Parkinson’s disease. We are agreeing with the doc on the video that it would provide a believable explanation for the various behavioral anomalies and decisions being made in her campaign. And if that diagnosis is correct, it’s likely there will be a lot more evidence in front of the public of her condition before the campaign is over.

And this might actually end up being the most important issue of the whole election.

In the video, the Parkinson’s is put forth as a reason why Hillary hasn’t given a press conference in nine months – she can’t withstand the glare of the cameras and the multiple questions being thrown her way for an extended period of time without exhibiting behavior that would alarm the public. That’s a fairly valid bit of conjecture, and if she continues dodging press conferences it’s going to be a pretty convincing argument against electing her.