Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
GOP Candidates Distance Campaigns From 'Repeal-And-Replace' Mantra Of The Past
Politico Pro: For GOP Candidates, Obamacare Is Not This Year's Rallying Cry
The rallying cry to repeal Obamacare, a staple of Republican campaigns, is falling behind national security and the economy as the most prominent themes on the stump this year. Donald Trump typically makes a passing mention to repealing the Affordable Care Act, but he hasn’t dived into the details. He recently promised to replace the health law with “something.” (Haberkorn, 8/10)
The Washington Post: Pundits, Take Note: Narcissists Aren’t 'Crazy.' They Also Aren’t Likely To Change
Donald Trump has spawned a new industry, what might be called Trumpology — the study of his mental state and personality. Numerous pundits have suggested that the Republican presidential nominee has some kind of mental illness or medical condition that explains his boastfulness, intemperate outbursts and thin-skinned response to criticism. A recurring theme among these commentators is that Trump displays textbook signs of what psychiatrists call "narcissistic personality disorder." Not that Hillary Clinton has been spared the long-distance psychiatric evaluations. ... But psychiatric kibitzing is a slippery business. Largely lost in the conversation about Trump is the fact that a personality disorder is not a mental illness, strictly speaking. (Achenbach and Nutt, 8/10)
And in other news about Republican candidate Donald Trump —
The Washington Post: Zika May Be Linked To The Disability That Donald Trump Mocked
One of the lowest points of Donald Trump's campaign for the presidency has involved accusations that he mocked a reporter with a disability. “Now, the poor guy — you've got to see this guy," Trump said while jerking his arms in front of his body at a rally in South Carolina in November. ... [It] drew worldwide attention to a rare congenital joint condition known as arthrogryposis. Arthrogryposis typically affects development of the arms and legs and results in the joints being fixed in a bent or straightened position. ... A new study published in the BMJ on Tuesday suggests another intriguing possibility — that arthrogryposis may be yet another condition linked to Zika. (Cha, 8/10)
