Donald Trump isn’t concerned about poor Hillary Clinton’s health, he’s just sexist

She coughed during that speech in Harlem and she needed to take a sip of water – how can she possibly be president?

The poor, sick lamb – Clinton – is the first woman to become a presidential nominee in history

The latest batch of emails released by WikiLeaks have sparked yet more outrage and anger against Hillary Clinton.

Were the damning emails about the misuse of her personal email server? Were they about her ties to Wall Street, or her relatively late turnaround on gay marriage?

Re: None of the above.

"Hope you are resting comfortably. Please take this as an excuse to get much needed rest.”

These well-meaning words, sent by former aide Sidney Blumenthal in 2009, have given the right-wing pundits a fresh burst of vigour when it comes to their "prove-Clinton-is-unwell-campaign" – cleverly veiled by concern and pity for the candidate.

The attack has a degree of inevitability. As Bernie Sanders quit the Democratic race and handed over to Clinton, she was free to unleash her disdain against Donald Trump.

And when Republicans Ted Cruz and John Kasich stepped aside, much of Mr Trump’s time was freed up from attacking Heidi Cruz to attacking “Crooked Hillary” instead.

But the line of attack has taken a vicious and sexist turn. For at least a week now, the Republican-Trump machine has been consistently peddling conspiracy theories about the Democrat’s physical ability to do one of the toughest jobs in the world, despite Clinton having released a letter from a doctor in late July which declares her being in “excellent health”.

Trump and his cronies, including Fox News-come-political-adviser Sean Hannity, have taken to pointing out her coughing, blinking and “exaggerated head-bobbing" as signs that she could not possibly be well enough to run the White House.

She tripped once on the stairs – she can’t possibly be president. She coughed during that speech in Harlem and she needed to take a sip of water – it’s obvious she can’t be president!

"What about some of the weird pauses she has, the coughing fits she has? There are moments when I’m literally watching her and I’m thinking, OK, the facial expressions are odd," said Hannity on Fox News. "They seem off.”

During Clinton’s long career as a lawyer, senator and secretary of state, an email asking her to “rest" is all it takes for the rumour mill to swirl so viciously that comedian Jimmy Fallon asked her this weekend to prove her strength by asking her to open a jar of pickles.

She laughed, and opened it.

All politicians are arguably fair game. But there is no precedent to compare these Trump-style attacks with.

The poor, sick lamb – Clinton – is the first woman to become a presidential nominee in history.

It does seem coincidental, however, that there is now a concerted effort, consisting of “experts” wearing white lab coats on Fox News, to prove the “brain damage” and “deteriorating” health of such a seemingly fit and healthy woman.

It is the lowest of the low. The speculation on her health is also perhaps an indication of growing desperation among the Trump campaign, now that his businesses as well as his polling numbers are suffering.

Trump has accused the "co-founder of Isis" – Clinton – of everything, except being a woman.

But his attack against her physical well-being plays straight into the hands of the "weaker sex” stereotype.

Make no mistake: for all his insults, gaffs, faux-pas and lawsuits, his conspiracy theory against Clinton’s health is the most evident example of Trump’s misogyny yet.