Talk about selective editing.  Charlie Rose of CBS was interviewing Bill Clinton about Hillary's health when the ex-president dropped what should have been a bombshell – that Hillary faints "frequently."  But in later versions of the interview that were broadcast, CBS editors dropped the word, which set off a storm of protest.

The Hill:

"Well, if it is, then it’s a mystery to me and all of her doctors," Bill Clinton said when Rose asked him if Hillary Clinton was simply dehydrated or if the situation was more serious. "Frequently — well, not frequently, rarely, on more than one occasion, over the last many, many years, the same sort of thing’s happened to her when she got severely dehydrated, and she’s worked like a demon, as you know, as secretary of State, as a senator and in the year since."

But the "CBS Evening News" version cut Clinton's use of "frequently" out. And a review by The Hill of the official transcript released by the network shows that Clinton saying "Frequently — well, not frequently," is omitted as well.

Chuck Ross of The Daily Caller first discovered the edit of the television version.

Oddly, unlike the "CBS Evening News" version, Clinton's use of "frequently" can be heard on a version played on "CBS This Morning."

Time constraints unlikely played a role, since it takes less than three seconds for Clinton to say "frequently — well, not frequently."

The Hill has reached out to CBS News for comment.

The "explanation" by CBS News belongs in the Campaign Funnies Hall of Fame:

CBS News has responded to a controversial edit of a Charlie Rose interview with former President Bill Clinton that did cut out his comment that Hillary Clinton "frequently" fainted in the past.

"The clip in question from former President Clinton’s interview with Charlie Rose ran in its entirety on CBS THIS MORNING, CBSNews.com and on CBSN, CBS News’ 24/7 digital streaming news service," the network said in a statement.

"One clip that ran on CBS Evening News was edited purely for time while on deadline for the live broadcast."

Here's the excerpt.  Note how editing the word "frequently" changes the entire tenor of the answer:

BILL CLINTON: She’s doing fine. She was even better last night before she went to sleep. She had a good night’s sleep. She just got dehydrated yesterday.

CHARLIE ROSE: Is that what happened? She just got dehydrated. Because when you look at that collapse, that video that was taken, you wonder if it’s not more serious than dehydration.

BILL CLINTON: Well, if it is then it’s a mystery to me and all of her doctors. Rarely, on more than one occasion, over the last many, many years, the same sort of thing’s happened to her when she got severely dehydrated, and she’s worked like a demon, as you know, as secretary of State, as a senator and in the year since.

CHARLIE ROSE: But, more importantly, she’s on a grueling campaign. And you know what that’s like, and she's older than you when you ran.

BILL CLINTON: And she had two and a half hard days before the day when she got dizzy. Today she made a decision, which I think was correct, to cancel her campaign day to take one more day to rest.

The edit by CBS News was extremely helpful – to Hillary.  There is no doubt that Bill Clinton immediately realized the import of using the word "frequently" when describing Hillary's fainting spells and sought to edit himself later in the sentence.  But it raises a question.

Did the ex-president contact CBS and request that the word be deleted?

The idea that it was cut for time constraints is laughable.  This has all the earmarks of a Clinton whitewash.  And CBS News was a willing partner.