Are Michelle Bachmann’s headaches news?

Listen to Are Michelle Bachmann’s headaches news?

The story that erupted on a website called “the Daily Caller” was headlined “Stress-related condition incapacitates Bachmann; heavy pill use alleged.”

It begins with an anecdote about the day (one year ago) when Bachmann’s former communications director told her that he was leaving to take another job. According to a former Bachmann aide, this announcement caused Bachmann to suffer “a debilitating medical episode” that landed her in a hospital for 24 hours.

The story goes on to declare that Candidate Michele Bachmann frequently suffers from weekly stress-induced migraine headaches — implying that if she became President and the phone rang at 3 a.m., she’d just yank out the cord.

Bachmann’s reply:

“I have prescribed medication that I take on occasion, whenever symptoms arise, and they keep my migraines under control.”

So what’s going on here? The web site that broke this story is run by conservative Tucker Carlson — which makes it look like rival republicans are trying to knock Bachmann out of the race early. And that smacks of dirty politics.

But there is a LEGITIMATE issue here too. Bachmann voted against letting the government negotiate lower prescription drug prices, and she’s made a firm promise…

“I will not rest,” she’s said, “until we appeal Obamacare.”

… a law that was intended among other things to insure that expensive migraine medications of the type she apparently uses are available to everyone.

Raising the question — what about the people in this country who like her can perform just fine when they have their meds, but unlike her, can’t afford them?

Subscribe to the Dave Ross Commentary podcast