If the president were unconscious during an operation, he'd have to make provisions to hand power over to the vice president, as provided for under the 25th Amendment to the Constitution. To sidestep this issue, President Clinton opted for a local anesthetic and endured considerable pain. But a transfer of power to Al Gore for a few hours wouldn't have made any discernible impact on the republic. Part of the explanation is that all news organizations get a creepy thrill from even the distant prospect that a president will die or be severely impaired on the job. Roosevelt did use a wheelchair, but he never allowed himself to be photographed in it.
Reporters are right to pledge never to hide such a serious matter from the public.
And FDR's example exposes the larger fallacy of thinking too much about even major aspects of a president's health. Though physically weaker than any other inhabitant of the Oval Office, Roosevelt stayed there the longest. Inc. All rights reserved.