ABC's Graph on Clintons Suddenly Vanishes

We've all made spelling errors - third-grade spelling tests aren't a cure all for everything, including the words, "Capitol Hill". But this ABC.com story Thursday sent out as a news alert included the following graph. Within an hour, that graph was gone. Date: February 11, 2010 4:53:44 PM EST Subject: ABC News Has Learned Former President Bill Clinton Rushed to N.Y. Hospital Sources on Capital Hill tell ABC News that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was seen leaving the Oval Office a short time ago and did not seem "too concerned" or "in a rush." In the updated story, this is what was reported: Clinton's daughter Chelsea and his wife, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, both were by the former president's bed, according to Schwartz. Sources told ABC News that Secretary Clinton was "very concerned when told about the president, given his heart history" and that it made everyone "very nervous." Her husband had his 2004 bypass operation at the same hospital. Secretary Clinton's planned departure Friday for a trip to Qatar and Saudi Arabia has been delayed, a U.S official told ABC News. ABC said it was updating its story, that "no complaints were received" and "coverage evolved with the ongoing situation." A spokesperson told FishbowlDC:"Our reporting on Secretary Clinton's early demeanor, based on an impeccable source, provided some insight into the former President's condition at a time when little was known. Throughout the night we continued to report relevant updates on the President's condition to our audience." Read the entire updated story after the jump... Former President Bill Clinton Gets Two Stents in Coronary Artery Clinton Taken to Hospital After Feeling Discomfort in His Chest Former President Bill Clinton was taken to a Manhattan hospital late this afternoon and two stents were installed in one of his coronary arteries. The former president is hospitalized for a procedure related to his heart. Clinton, 63, who had a quadruple heart bypass operation in 2004, complained of brief episodes of chest discomfort over the past few days, even while at rest, said his cardiologist, Dr. Allen Schwartz, chief of cardiology at New York City's Columbia Presbyterian Hospital. Schwartz performed an angiography, finding no evidence of a heart attack or damage to Clinton's heart. Today's procedure "makes him less susceptible to future heart attacks," Schwartz said. "His prognosis is excellent." Pictures taken of Clinton's arteries and of bypass grafts he received four years ago revealed that one of the grafts was blocked. Because of that problem, doctors placed two stents in his carotid artery. A stent is a wire mesh tube used to prop open an artery. The blockage was typical of the "natural history" of bypass treatment, which has a 10 to 20 percent failure rate five years after the surgery, according to Schwartz. "This was not a result of his lifestyle or diet, which have been excellent," he said, adding that Clinton is "in excellent condition, as evidenced both by what he does and objective testing." Clinton's Heart: Did Stress Play a Role? The former president's counselor, Douglas Band, released a statement earlier today saying that Clinton, currently the U.N. special envoy to Haiti, is in "good spirits and will continue to focus on the work of his foundation and Haiti's relief and long-term recovery efforts." Clinton's doctor described the ex-president as "up and walking around and visiting with his family," adding that the former president probably will be able to go home Friday and be back to work on Monday. "The goal of the treatment ... is for President Clinton to resume his very active lifestyle," he said. ABC News' chief political correspondent George Stephanopoulos, who once worked for Clinton in the White House, noted Clinton's non-stop work ethic and said the former president has worked "20 hours a day for the last 20 years." Clinton's daughter Chelsea and his wife, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, both were by the former president's bed, according to Schwartz. Sources told ABC News that Secretary Clinton was "very concerned when told about the president, given his heart history" and that it made everyone "very nervous." Her husband had his 2004 bypass operation at the same hospital. Secretary Clinton's planned departure Friday for a trip to Qatar and Saudi Arabia has been delayed, a U.S official told ABC News.

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ABC's Graph on Clintons Suddenly Vanishes

Betsy Rothstein

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Betsy Rothstein