BLAIR'S HEART PROBLEM SECRET FOR 5 YEARS (BILL CLINTON REVEALS TO SUNDAY MIRROR)

Daily Mirror ^ | 10-26-2003 | James Saville And Dan Evans In Barcelona

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

FORMER US President Bill Clinton has revealed that Tony Blair has known of his heart problem for FIVE YEARS.

Downing Street insisted that last weekend's scare was an unexpected one-off.

But Mr Clinton told the Sunday Mirror that his old friend had nursed his health secret for years.

"I've known about this for a long time," Mr Clinton said when asked during a visit to Spain this week. "He told me about it quite a few years ago.

"As soon as I heard what happened I called to check he was OK. We had a talk and he sounded in good shape.

"Basically, the whole problem is brought about by a combination of too little sleep and too much coffee.

"It's a common condition which doesn't interfere with his work and he has learned to live with it.

"He's still a relatively young man and exercises regularly so that gives him the strength to fight off these little blips." Mr Clinton, who has lost over two stone in recent months, said Mr Blair told him of the complaint after he became PM in 1997.

"He told me it was no big deal. But I knew the moment I heard what must have happened," said Mr Clinton

Father-of-four Mr Blair, 50, was taken to Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Bucks, last Sunday. He was then rushed to Hammersmith Hospital, West London, where he was given electric shocks to correct his heartbeat.

The PM was released four hours later and claimed the next day that he was "100 per cent recovered".

His wife Cherie has now banned him from drinking caffeine. Mr Clinton's revelation will fuel speculation, but Mr Blair insists that he is looking forward to a third term in office.

The previous Labour leader, John Smith, died of a heart attack, at 55, in 1994.

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

How dare Clinton reveal this. He just has to be the first, the mister insider, the mister know-it-all.

Like being the leader of the free world wasn't enough.

[BigWaveBetty]

Unfreakinbelievable! Clinton, the world's biggest scumbag.

[manna]

Do you ever wonder why ANYONE would want to be friends with these people? I do ... a lot!

[greyfoxx39]

The Clintons, the gift that just keeps on giving, time after time after time after.........

[Pukin Dog]

Talk about a knife in the back.

This is going to be big trouble for Blair. It could only be payback for Blair's support of Bush. Nasty.

[CFC__VRWC]

Looks like Bill's giving Tony some paybackfor his support of President Bush and Iraq war. Nothing like leaking info about a man having a long-standing heart condition to erode public support.

It reminds me about how Al Gore "didn't mention" Bill Bradley's heart condition at every moment possible during the 2000 campaign.

[Miss Marple]

I can only hope that Tony reveals something about Clinton.

What a disgraceful comment! And you are right...he always has to be the one in the know, Mr. Insider.

UGH!

[BigWaveBetty]

One would imagine that when this story gets out many of the clintoon friends would re-evaluate their friendship with those two.

What is Blair going to say?

1) Yup, I'm a liar and I've been hiding this condition from the voters.

Or..

2)Bill clinton is a liar, there's no heart condition.

[mountaineer]

Maybe while Bill and Tony were swapping medical histories over a pint of bitter, x42 happened to mention how many STDs he'd accumulated in his sleazy life, and laugh about how - unlike other presidents - he refused to release his medical records.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

And, Dr. Clinton's percription for Astroturf was received with some puzzlement at 10 Downing Street.

[BigWaveBetty]

HLL made a thread.

[BigWaveBetty]

Oh, if only Tony knew and would reveal that info, but even if he knew he'd probably keep it to himself being the gentleman that he is.

[em2vn]

Trailer park white track, with a good education and no morals. What a rotten S.O.B. it takes to pull such a stunt. I forgot. We are talking about Bill Clinton.

[Miss Marple]

Look at the latest and nastiest thing Bill Clinton has done. I hope Blair refuses to see him the next time he goes to Britain.

[RANGERAIRBORNE]

Wow. This really reinforces my longstanding perception of Billy Clinton- he has never gotten past the Junior-High school level, emotionally. Whether he did this just to emphasize how much smarter he is than everyone else, or it is "payback" for Blair's support of the Iraq War, it is absolutely childish. Like gossip in the 8th grade.

But what can we expect from the "man" who ran for President so he could get chicks?

[mountaineer]

As soon as I heard what happened I called to check he was OK. We had a talk and he sounded in good shape."

Left unsaid: "Which really bummed me out, because I was hoping with him at death's door, I could somehow be elected Prime Minister, that stupid U.S. Constitution having prevented me from being President-For-Life. The Brits love me, you know (well, except Paula, but she can just put some ice on it)!"

[Final Authority]

Leader of the free world is not enough. He wants to be President of the EU. Blair could stand in his way but a true outsider may be the pick.

[mountaineer]

He really does sound like the unpopular kid who insists, "Yeah, I already knew all about it, big deal!" As several writers have noted, he's still the fat kid in husky clothes who wants so badly to be cool.

[kayak]

There are times when I wish I were prone to using profanity because this is certainly one of those times that I'd like to cut loose with a string of nasty words. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!