Conspiracy theorists are in overdrive alleging that Hillary Clinton used a “body double” after she overheated from pneumonia on September 11.
They say she looked different before and after 9/11. You can see an extensive gallery of Getty Images photos of Clinton on 9/11 and in the days right before it here. The photos show she previously opted for a different look – monochrome, usually brightly colored, pants suits in colors like olive and teal – and styled her hair more, which might be why some people think she looked different on 9/11.
Others think the body double theory is nutty and a distraction from important issues.
Talk to me about Hillary’s transparency when #trump releases his taxes. #HillaryHealth #HillaryClinton #HillaryBodyDouble
Others were enjoying the latest bizarre spectacle in the presidential race:
On Twitter, the hashtag #HillaryBodyDouble was trending as people dissected before and after photos of Clinton being shepherded into a black van and emerging a short time later from daughter Chelsea’s apartment. They compare everything from her earrings to the length of her fingers.
However, one well known Clinton impersonator, Teresa Barnwell, has denied she was in New York City.
The conspiracy theories stem from Hillary’s surprise medical episode at the 9/11 memorial. She was videotaped being assisted into a black van by aides, left her shoe behind on the sidewalk, and her knees appeared to be buckling.
Hillary’s campaign now says she is suffering from pneumonia, a diagnosis made on Friday, and they cancelled campaign appearances in California. Clinton’s campaign says she will release more information on her medical history later in the week and insisted she has pneumonia, not another underlying medical condition, and will be back on the campaign trail soon.
Clinton reappeared on the campaign trail on September 15, and her doctor released a letter saying she was fit to serve as president and has no major underlying health issues.
Conspiracy theories about Clinton’s health – that she secretly has Parkinson’s disease, and so forth – were thriving online even before her 9/11 medical situation. However, the most bizarre of those theories sprouted up after it: The theory that Clinton used a body double. Major sites like The Huffington Post and The Washington Post took note of the theory. “An ailing Hillary Clinton has enlisted the help of a body double in an attempt to convince naysayers she is well enough to run for the Presidency,” the Huffington Post story started, before attributing the allegation to conspiracy theorists. “Conspiracy theories blossom after pneumonia diagnosis,” said The Washington Post.
It’s not the first time conspiracies have arisen around Clinton. They have also flown around relating to the unsolved murder of DNC analyst Seth Rich.
The actor Scott Baio even made a joke about the body double theory when he tweeted, ““Does anyone know the whereabouts of this woman today? Was she in NYC? Lol” appearing to refer to Hillary impersonator Teresa Barnwell, who said she was not in New York.
Side-by-side comparisons ran rampant on Twitter:
Some conspiracy theorists studied Hillary’s fingers:
And chin:
TWO DIFFERENT People At Memorial Today, Hillary Clinton Stunt Double? t.co/0p2eeYcFtE
Others felt the person who emerged from Chelsea’s apartment was too thin to be Hillary, comparing the photos from 9/11 to those of Clinton at a campaign rally on September 8, 2016:
She is lying again how do u lose 40lbs in a couple of hours #hillarybodydouble #WakeUpAmerica
Some people didn’t buy the body double goofiness but did think Hillary looked a lot thinner (of course, according to her campaign, she is sick).
While I’m not buying the body double theory, I must say Hillary looked 50 pounds lighter on 9/11 than she usually does in her feed bag suits
People felt Hillary looked different from the morning of 9/11 to the afternoon:
Trump Fans Are Now Saying That Hillary Clinton Was Replaced With A Body Double
Others thought the body double “theory” was pretty goofy.
Her hair is slightly different & that’s proof that it’s a body double?!? Do *you* own a hairbrush? #HillaryBodyDouble
But some were convinced, and that perhaps says something about the ability of conspiracy theories to take root online in mere hours.
Compare for yourself. Here are pictures of Clinton on 9/11 and a few days before.
Here are photos of Clinton emerging from Chelsea’s apartment:
(Getty)
(Getty)
And here are photos from Getty of Clinton at the 9/11 ceremony:
(Getty)
(Getty)
Here is are pictures of Clinton from Getty from a rally on September 8:
(Getty)
(Getty)
(Getty)
Here is Clinton at the Commander in Chief forum on September 7:
(Getty)
