Obama’s Year-End News Conference Interrupted By Medical Emergency

President Barack Obama speaks during a news conference in the briefing room of the White House in Washington, Friday, Dec. 16, 2016. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
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An apparent medical emergency interrupted President Barack Obama’s final news conference of 2016 on Friday.

While responding to a question on the humanitarian crisis in Syria, the President broke off in the middle of a sentence.

“What’s going on? Somebody’s not feeling good?” Obama asked. “We can get our doctors back there to help out.”

He resumed his response, but broke off again.

“We need to get a doctor in here, I think,” a reporter said. “Can that be arranged?”

“Can somebody help out, please, and get Dr. Jackson in here?” Obama asked. “In the meantime, just give her a little room.”

A few minutes later, the doctor apparently arrived.

“There he is,” the President said. “Okay. Doctor’s in the house.”

The stricken reporter was a 66-year-old woman who fainted twice in the packed briefing room and was being treated by Obama’s physician, MSNBC’s Chris Jansing reported.

This post has been updated.

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