Attorney General Michael Mukasey Receives 'Clean Bill of Health' After Thursday Collapse

Nov. 21, 2008 — -- U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey told reporters he feels "great" as he left a Washington hospital on his way to the Justice Department this afternoon.

"As you may have heard, I collapsed briefly last night at the conclusion of a speech," Mukasey said in a statement released earlier today. "All tests at the hospital have come back with good results, and I feel fine."

He also thanked his colleagues for their "good wishes" and "good work."

Mukasey, 67, was delivering remarks on the Bush administration's anti-terrorism policies at the Federalist Society's annual meeting when he collapsed at the podium around 10:20 p.m. ET Thursday.

Justice Department spokeswoman Gina Talamona said doctors gave the attorney general a "clean bill of health" Friday.

Earlier Friday, Talamona said test results had been "reassuring," and that doctors found "no indication that he suffered a stroke or any heart-related incident."

She later added that results from various tests, including a CT scan, MRI, stress echo cardiogram and treadmill stress test, had come back normal. "Everything looks great," she said.

Mukasey spent an "uneventful night" at the hospital and was "very alert." The incident "really appears to have been a fainting spell," likely triggered by hot lights and the late-night speech, Talamona said.

"He is ready to sprint to finish the race. He is really ready to get back to the office," she said, adding that the deputy attorney general, Mark Filip, planned to brief him at the hospital.

Talamona, who said the attorney general "gets up early every morning and works out on the elliptical [machine]," said doctors characterized Mukasey as "very fit."

President Bush spoke to the attorney general this morning before departing for the APEC summit in Peru. "The AG sounded well and is getting excellent care," according to a White House statement.