Bernie Sanders ‘Up and About,’ Expects to Compete in October Debate

Bernie Sanders is recovering well from a procedure to place stents in a blocked artery, according to a statement put out by the candidate’s wife, Jane Sanders, on Thursday.

“Bernie is up and about,” Jane Sanders reported, adding that the 78-year-old Bernie has been “cracking jokes with the nurses and doctors” who “are pleased with his progress.”

Jane Sanders said her husband has received no further medical interventions and is expected to be discharged from the hospital “before the end of the weekend,” after which he’ll fly home to Burlington, Vermont for a continued “few days” of rest.

Allaying concerns that Sander’s cardiovascular incident will keep the Democratic Socialist on the shelf for an extended period, Jane Sanders added that Bernie is “looking forward to the October debate” — scheduled for the 15th of this month in Westerville, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus. 

Sanders was hospitalized after experiencing “chest discomfort” at a campaign event on October 1st, the campaign disclosed yesterday. Medical evaluation revealed a single blocked artery — the campaign did not offer any medical description beyond that — that was reopened with the insertion of two stents, small wire-mesh tubes that press out against the arterial wall, ensuring free flow of blood. Stenting is a common procedure, according to the Mayo Clinic, and many patients are able to return to work within a week.

Sanders, who had no previous disclosed history of heart disease, is the oldest candidate in the race. While he has so far avoided the questions about his stamina and acuity that have dogged rival Joe Biden, 76, Sanders will certainly now be under significant scrutiny from voters seeking reassurance about his ability to serve four or even eight years in office. If elected Sanders would be 79 on inauguration day, older even than Ronald Reagan at the beginning of his second term.