Focus of election shifts to candidates' physical health

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton stumbled and left early from Sunday morning’s 9/11 commemoration ceremony, CNN reported. Hours later, her doctor stated that Clinton has pneumonia — a respiratory infection that affects the lungs.

Republican nominee Donald Trump has questioned Clinton’s health throughout the election, but in the wake of Clinton’s diagnosis, he responded with empathy.

“I hope she gets well, gets back on the trail and we’ll see her at the debate,” Trump said to Fox & Friends on Monday.

Also, in response to Clinton’s illness, Trump promised to release his own physical examination to reveal his health.

Clinton tweeted that she is feeling fine and getting better, and is anxious to get back on the trail. However, the severity of her illness is not disclosed to the public.

Clinton said Monday that she could resume campaigning in a couple days because she did not think that her pneumonia was “that big a deal.” Clinton added that she had ignored doctor’s orders to rest.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 million people have to seek care in a hospital due to pneumonia and about 50,000 people die from the disease.

Clinton’s sickness brings up the question: What happens if a presidential nominee dies during the election?

If a candidate dies before Election Day, their party would hold an emergency meeting for delegates to vote for a new nominee, whether it is the runner-up from the primaries or someone who wasn’t running for president previously. That person would require a majority vote from the national committee in order to receive a nomination.

If a candidate dies between Election Day and the Electoral College vote, federal law says the electors are free to vote for whomever they like.

If a candidate — now the president-elect — dies after the Electoral College vote, the vice president-elect would then become president.

To present, there has never been a presidential nominee who has died between their party’s convention and Inauguration Day.