During Monday night’s debate, one critically unimportant thing became clear to millions of Twitter users worldwide: Donald Trump was sniffling.
Howard Dean took action: “Notice Trump sniffing all the time. Coke user?” he speculated on Twitter.
Notice Trump sniffing all the time. Coke user?
— Howard Dean (@GovHowardDean) September 27, 2016
But the former presidential candidate, current Hillary Clinton supporter, and medical doctor didn’t stop there. On Tuesday afternoon, Dean told MSNBC’s Kate Snow that he doesn’t plan on stopping asking questions about Trump’s “striking” behavior.
“Well, you can’t make a diagnosis over the television, I would never do that,” Dean told Snow after she asked about his tweet. “But he has some interesting— that is actually a signature of people who use cocaine. I’m not suggesting that Trump does, but—“
“Well, you are suggesting it, actually, in a Tweet,” Snow interjected.
“No, I’m suggesting we think about it. Here’s the interesting constellation,” Dean said. “So, he sniffs during the presentation, which is something that users do. He also has grandiosity, which is something that accompanies that problem. He has delusions.”
He continued: “He has trouble with pressured speech. He interrupted Hillary Clinton 29 times. He couldn’t keep himself together. So, look, do I think at 70 years old he has a cocaine habit? Probably not. But, you know, it’s something that—I think it would be interesting to ask him and see if he ever had a problem with that.”
A stunned Snow pressed on, asking if Dean was suggesting the media ought to ask Trump about his relationship with cocaine.
“No I don’t think he has a cocaine habit,” Dean said, noting that he wouldn’t make a diagnosis on air regardless. “I was just struck by the sniffing and then by his behavior, which all sort of came together, these four symptoms.”
Snow said Dean’s veiled accusations sounded like former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani sowing doubts about Clinton’s health, which the Clinton campaign said was wildly irresponsible. Dean responded that Trump was not being transparent enough for anyone to assume he was completely healthy—or drug-free.
“Donald Trump has not only made his tax returns public or medical history public in any meaningful way. Hillary Clinton has done that and asked any questions they want to raise,” Dean said.
“Something funny was going on with Trump last night,” he continued. “Do I think it was cocaine? Probably not. But, you know, again, the sniffling, the grandiosity, the delusions, the pressured speech. This guy has already proven himself to be unstable. The question is, why is he unstable?”
Trump is, of course, a famous teetotaler who says he’s never touched alcohol, cigarettes, or even coffee since his brother Fred Jr. died of alcoholism in 1981.
RNC communications director Sean Spicer appeared flabbergasted when he spoke to Snow shortly after Dean’s appearance.
“I have to wonder where Dr. Dean went to medical school to ask a question like that. I mean, that is — for a person that is an actual medical doctor to ask a question like that… It sort of blows my mind that you would suggest…drug use for no apparent reason,” Spicer said, calling Dean’s comments “pretty pathetic and unreal.”
Watch below:
Forgive me if I repeat myself…
Howard is not helping Hillary with comments like this. Much as it may be fun to contemplate Drumpf trying to bolster his debate courage with a snort or two, that is wild speculation of a sort that the Drumpf campaign is famous for and only damages the Clinton campaign.
It’s not really fair–people also snort heroin and bath salts.
That was my first thought at the beginning of the debate. And in my family a number of us have nasal allergies and we never sniff that loudly.
I fail to see what is “bizarre” about the suggestion. It crossed my mind half-way through, and was the farthest thing from my mind at the start of the debate. And it wasn’t just the sniffling, which I barely noticed. It was his entire demeanor, which slipped into smug flailing as the debate wore on.
The only time I’ve witnessed that type of bizarre juxtaposition of behavior is when in the presence of individuals clearly on something. So I find it an entirely reasonable question to raise.