Doctor says Democratic hopeful is in good physical, mental health

McClatchy Newspapers

CHICAGO — In a one-page letter released Thursday, Sen. Barack Obama’s primary care physician said the Democratic presidential hopeful has been in “excellent health” during the 21 years he has been a patient.

Obama’s campaign, however, declined to say whether the 46-year-old’s full medical records would eventually be released.

Presumptive Republican nominee Sen. John McCain, 71, released more than 1,000 pages of medical documents last week to make the case that he is vigorous enough to be president. McCain’s doctors detailed his successful treatment for melanoma and concluded he is physically fit for the job, an assessment Obama’s doctor also made.

“Sen. Barack Obama is in overall good physical and mental health needed to maintain the resiliency required in the office of president,” wrote Dr. David Scheiner, a general internist at the University of Chicago Hospitals and Rush University Medical Center.

Should he become his party’s nominee, Obama has said he has no plans to use McCain’s age against him and has discounted suggestions that the Arizona Republican is too old to be president.

“I don’t think that’s going to be the issue that people vote on,” the Illinois senator told the Chicago Tribune late last month. “‘People respect John McCain. They know he’s a tough guy. He’s gone through things that I think most of us can only imagine.”

McCain, a Vietnam veteran and one-time prisoner of war, often jokes about his age and war injuries. He would be 72 by the time of the November election and the oldest man ever elected president, should he win. Ronald Reagan, the oldest man to become president, was 69 when first elected.

Obama’s doctor said the senator was “completely normal” during his last medical checkup on Jan. 15, 2007.

But the doctor also noted Obama’s family history of cancer and his former longtime habit of cigarette smoking. Although he still regularly chews Nicorette gum, Obama has said he stopped smoking before starting his presidential bid in February 2007.

Obama’s blood pressure was reported to be excellent, at 90 over 60. Optimal is considered to be below 120 over 80.