Michele Bachmann: Headaches Controlled By Medication
Presidential candidate says migraines would not affect ability to serve.
July 19, 2011 — -- After addressing a crowd of about 200 in Aiken, South Carolina today, GOP presidential contender Rep. Michele Bachmann (R- Minn.) confirmed to reporters that she suffers from migraine headaches, but said they were controlled by medication and her condition would not affect her ability to serve as president.
"I've maintained a full schedule between my duties as a Congresswoman and a presidential candidate traveling across this nation," Bachmann said. "I have prescribed medication I take on occasion whenever symptoms arise and they keep my migraines under control. But I'd like to make it abundantly clear, my ability to function effectively will not affect my ability to serve as Commander in Chief."
Bachmann declined to answer a question from ABC News about whether she had ever had to skip Congressional votes because of migraines. Her security staff blocked reporters when they tried to follow her and ask her further questions.
Bachmann made the statement in response to a widespread report by The Daily Caller which alleged the Minnesota congresswoman's migraines could "incapacitate" her "for days at a time."
Hours after the story broke, the Bachmann campaign put out a statement in which spokesperson Alice Stewart said it was "bogus" to say she was incapacitated by the headaches.
"It absolutely does not affect her ability to do her job. And these are difficult, long, stressful hot days, so it is bogus to say that she's incapacitated," she said.
Neither Bachmann nor Stewart addressed the specific allegation in the Daily Caller story that Bachmann has been hospitalized for the headaches, including once instance on Friday, July 30, 2010.
According to Congressional records, of the 15 votes that took place that day, Bachmann did not participate in nine of them.
Bachmann has previously come under scrutiny after hidden camera video shot by gay rights activists apparently showed a therapist at the private counseling clinic Bachmann owns with her husband provide therapy which he said could help turn a gay client straight.
READ: Bachmann Silent on Allegations Her Clinic Offers Gay Conversion Therapy
ABC News' Matthew Jaffe contributed to this report.
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