BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - The top U.S. military spokesman in Iraq appeared to briefly lose consciousness during a news conference Saturday, bumping his face into a podium microphone. He left the room for a period but returned smiling and answered more questions. There was no immediate explanation for the apparent fainting spell suffered by Army Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, the deputy head of operations in Iraq, who delivers daily briefings to Baghdad-based journalists alongside the top U.S. coalition spokesman Dan Senor.
Kimmitt had left the podium for a few minutes earlier in the press conference, which was broadcast live internationally. He returned, looking pale, to take more questions. Just after answering a question, Kimmitt leaned toward Senor and whispered, "I gotta go." Senor nodded and said, "OK," and then told reporters the next question would be the last.
As he listened to the question, Kimmitt's eyes rolled upward and he began leaning forward into the podium. The podium's small black microphone struck him on the right side of the mouth. After a few seconds leaning against the microphone, he slumped backward but remained standing. Senor stepped toward him and said, "You all right?" "No, I'm not," Kimmitt mumbled. Two aides approached the podium and led him out a side door.
Senor continued answering questions. About 15 minutes later, Kimmitt returned again and resumed answering questions. When one reporter prefaced a question by saying, "I hope you're feeling better," Kimmitt smiled but offered no explanation.
| Stress, lack of sleep or something more? |
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