U.S.THE BBN INTERVIEW

Talarico's flu absence draws fire from the New York Post

Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico, thirty-seven, was off the trail for over ten days with what he called the flu; he still leads the race.

On air: Vera Bullock on BBN Tonight
Published 10:25 PM ET, Sunday, October 11, 2026

▶ As it aired · U.S.

Watch it as it aired: Vera Bullock on this story, from BBN Tonight at 10:25 PM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are New York Post's, the jokes are ours.

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Interviews“Currently? I'm on day thirty-one of a flu myself, and the yacht has never been happier.”Cornelius Haggerty-Vo▶ Full · 1:34Publicist defends Talarico's flu vanishing actInterviews · Oct 11

At a glance

First reported by New York Post: “With all these ‘sick’ Democrats like James Talarico, one wonders: how are they in the lead?”
Covered on BBN on Sunday, October 11, 2026, at 10:25 PM ET on BBN Tonight, by Vera Bullock.
Topics: James Talarico, LeBron James, Democrats.
BBN covered this story before: Caroline Wren says Talarico owes voters answers on absence (October 10).

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

New York PostWith all these ‘sick’ Democrats like James Talarico, one wonders: how are they in the lead?

What BBN said about it

Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorNew York Post asks how Texas Senate candidate James Talarico, thirty-seven, is leading after vanishing from the trail for more than ten days with what he says was the flu.
Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorCornelius Haggerty-Vo is a publicist who joins us from a yacht. Why is this working?
Cornelius Haggerty-VoVera, thanks for having me. What you call a vanishing, I call the narrative of rest.
Cornelius Haggerty-VoVoters trust a man who is too sick to ask for their vote.
Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorBut he was missing for more than ten days. Doesn't a candidate usually need to be seen?
Cornelius Haggerty-VoSeen is cheap. The narrative of rest, fourteen days of it, is premium.
Cornelius Haggerty-VoYou can't buy that kind of scarcity, and I've tried, on this boat.
Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorFourteen? The reporting says more than ten.
Cornelius Haggerty-VoI round up for the brand. The narrative of rest, three weeks of it, is what separates a candidate from a cough.
Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorThree weeks. So by your logic, the strongest candidate is one nobody ever sees.
Cornelius Haggerty-VoNow you're getting it. I would put the whole campaign under this cashmere throw, monogrammed, and let the polls do the shouting.
Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorLet me ask you plainly: did you advise the Talarico campaign, yes or no?
Cornelius Haggerty-VoI can neither confirm nor deny that I was horizontal for any of it. The narrative of rest, a full month, belongs to everybody.
Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorA month. Cornelius, how long would you hide a client?
Cornelius Haggerty-VoCurrently? I'm on day thirty-one of a flu myself, and the yacht has never been happier.
Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorYou've been on live television for six minutes, Cornelius.
Cornelius Haggerty-VoWhich is why I'm leading in every poll that matters.

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