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Obama Doc: Candidate in 'Excellent' Health

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May 29, 2008 12:39 PM

ABC News' Dr. Tim Johnson, Susan Wagner, and Sunlen Miller Report: Democratic frontrunner Senator Barack Obama, D-Ill., has been given a clean bill of health to run for president.

According to a memo released to reporters from his primary care physician, Obama's health has been "excellent" and overall in "good physical and mental health needed to maintain the resiliency required in the Office of President."

Dr. David L. Scheiner, MD on staff at the University of Chicago Hospital and Rush University Medical Center has been Obama's primary care physician since March of 1987 and completed a review of Obama's records for the last 21 years.

Scheiner says that Obama has been seen regularly for checkups, his last being in January of 2007, and treated for minor problems like upper respiratory infections, skin rashes and minor injuries.

"A complete review of systems was unremarkable," Scheiner writes, "his build was lean and muscular with no excess body fat. His physical examination was complete normal."

Obama's cholesterol levels are excellent, both for good cholesterol HDL and bad cholesterol LDL.

"Laboratory studies included triglycerides of 44(normal under 150), cholesterol 173 (normal under 200), HDL 68 (normal over 40), and LDL 96 (normal under 130)," Scheiner's note cites.

Obama, 46, is known for his morning workouts and healthy diet and most recently was ranked among the "Men's Fitness 25 Most Fittest Men in America."

But Obama is also a well documented smoker – only recently giving up the addiction to run for president. The report does not mention any medications Obama is taking except for Nicorette gum.

"His own history included intermittent cigarette smoking," Scheiner says, "He has quit this practice on several occasions and is currently using Nicorette gum with success."

Obama has admitted that during the course of the campaign he’s snuck a few cigarettes, "I fell off the wagon a couple times during the course of it, and then was able to get back on," he told Chris Matthews,  "But it is a struggle like everything else."

Obama regularly chews Nicorette gum while not at public events, and Scheiner’s report makes note that this remedy has worked with "success."

The report mentions Obama's history of cancer in his family: his grandfather died of prostate cancer, and his mother died of ovarian cancer. Obama's screening for prostate cancer was very low according to the report.

The release of Senator Obama's medical records today follows the release of the presumptive nominee, Senator John McCain's last week.

May 29, 2008 in Kucinich, Dennis | Permalink | User Comments (35)

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Hope his doctor has more credibility than his pastor!

Posted by: ch | May 29, 2008 2:49:49 PM

Since when is Obama's former Cocaine use healthy? Permanent brain damage DOES result from even one time drug use. Bush was also a Cocaine user. We have seen his questionable judgment.

Obama self-congratulates himself on his "good judgment." When does it begin? Before he repeatedly lit up the crack pipe or after Rev. Wright? Before his racist comments against "typical white people" or after his "bitter, small town American" comments?

Perhaps neuropsych evaluations should be conducted to see what led these powerful/weak men to experiment with drugs in the first place. Escaping from reality does reveal character. It shows a lack of it.

Obama, the powder, uh.. I mean the power to change. Hillary, not cool but smart enough to truly help the middle class.

Posted by: Carlos | May 29, 2008 2:50:19 PM

Why did it take mc-more-war to denounce the hagee endorsement? I'm sure this will hurt him in the fall will the ever important Catholic vote. Obama 2008!

Posted by: pt | May 29, 2008 3:11:03 PM

I meant to say:
Why did it take mc-more-war so long to denounce the hagee endorsement? I'm sure this will hurt him in the fall with the ever important Catholic vote. Obama 2008!

Posted by: pt | May 29, 2008 3:14:18 PM

pt...Hillary has also backed off from the 6 month deal ,because both know we want to do this in the most expeditious but safe way for our troops..

Posted by: truthtell | May 29, 2008 3:28:40 PM

Wow, the hate emanating from these blogs is mind-boggling (and mostly from Clinton supporters). I wonder what someone from another country would think of America if they just read this blog. I am usually a participant in this exercise in free speech, but I feel like I just opened a door and saw monsters inside. I think I will shut it again quickly. You guys probably ought to get back to work before you pop a blood vessel. Or go pet a kitten or something. Wow.

Posted by: louielouie | May 29, 2008 3:56:26 PM

I don't understand why everyone is hating on Obama. Out of all the candidates, he has been the most honest, and trustworthy. Clinton lied about sniper shooting in Bosnia, what else would she lie about. You people are clueless, you all are used to being lied to. I, personally, am relieved to see a politician so brutally honest. I think it ticks you all off that a black man is actually the presumptive nominee. Would it kill us if we had someone young and vibrant instead of an old man who looks like he'll croak any minute or a woman who plays like she is in touch with reality?

Posted by: Karen Williams | May 29, 2008 4:09:25 PM

Obama has been associated with cheap thugs like Rev Wright, Farrakhan, and other extremists. His mentality is questionable!

Posted by: Lonestar state | May 29, 2008 4:10:34 PM

louielouie,
...and I am not surprised to hear that the comments from Obama's website are full of hatredthat people thought they were visiting one of Osama Bin Laden 's group!

Posted by: Lonestar state | May 29, 2008 4:35:01 PM

I just read every comment. I cannot believe the ignorance I have just witnessed. Your spelling and your grammar are just appalling. Your political savvy is non-existent. Your sexual innuendos about McCain are absolutely uncalled for and not even funny. If this is a representation of our voters.......God help us. No wonder our country is going to hell! Your ignorance can be fixed. But if you all are just stupid, then the USA is in deep trouble. None of the candidates that we have running for president are qualified. They are all out to destroy this country. What we need to do is only let informed citizens vote. This is a very serious decision. Millionaires should not be the only ones who run for president. We need to get back to basics. Washington egos need to be destroyed. Perhaps another American Revolution is in order. God Save America, Please!!!!

P.S. Not everyone on this blog site slaughtered the English language.

Posted by: former teacher | May 29, 2008 8:22:07 PM

I'll bet Obama has a nice six pack. He must work out. It will be good to see a smart and fair and handsome president.

Obama '08!

Posted by: Healthy | May 29, 2008 8:42:47 PM

pt wrote:
"Obama lost the Jewish vote with his lie about Auschwitz."

Have you no shame? He shared a painful family story related to PTSD and got the name of the concentration camp wrong, but the story is essentially true.

His great uncle Charles Thomas Payne was one of the soldiers who liberated Ohrdruf, a subcamp to Buchenwald. The horror he witnessed has been descibed by, among others, field marshal Montgomery.

Obama's story has been verified by Charles' son (see PolitiFact.com/St. Petersburg Times), his brother (see the CNN Wire blog) as well as Raymond E. Kitchell, the WWII veteran that runs the www.89infdivww2.org-site.

The way the republicans have tried to twist this story - even by downplaying the horrors that took place at Ohrdruf - to portray Obama as a liar, is beyond words.

Posted by: El_Pajaro | May 29, 2008 10:18:10 PM

When I read through these comments, I find that a lot of them are completely absurd. For instance, many claim that Senator Obama is mentally ill. I find it strange that a person can be considered mentally ill simply because he points out all of the things that many American people already know in their hearts but are too ashamed, or stubborn, to admit for themselves.

For those that say he is weak because he struggles with quitting smoking: Smoking is an extremely difficult habit to overcome, especially for those who have been doing it for many years. The fact that he continues to try to quit smoking while running for the highest corporate CEO position in the world is quite admirable.

Clinton is a woman with no credibility and is extremely dangerous for America.

McCain is a thicker, older, more sarcastic, and conceited version of George Bush and is even more dangerous for America.

I am not an Obama supporter.

I am neither Democrat, nor Republican.

I am an American in the United States of America.

Ron Paul 2008

Posted by: Troy | May 30, 2008 12:47:25 AM


Wonder how long he had to stay away from the C LINES before he went in for his physical?

Obama is a corrupt and dangerous man. He has no credibility, intergity, judgment or experience for the job. He is an empty suit with an empty resume.

Posted by: Marie | May 30, 2008 5:02:38 PM

Besides having a history of hard and soft drug use Sen. Barack Obama has been a heavy smoker for decades! Accoding to the New York Times, he has struggled to give up smoking in the past and and at present. He is right now frighting a serious nicotine craving. Considering his family history of cancer and his own long history of smoking, if elected president he's carrying far more serious helth rish to the White House than John McCain's age factor!

Posted by: simonnurkle | May 31, 2008 11:00:18 AM

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