"We are also human beings, and sometimes we catch a cold."
Ahmadinejad delivered this tongue-in-cheek health prognosis to quell rumors that he was seriously ill, after a series of cancelled public appearances, saying he was merely suffering from exhaustion. One cleric warned the then 52-year-old Iranian president that his tireless work habits could put him in the hospital, while another official blamed Ahmadinejad's political rivals for starting the gossip in an attempt at "psychological warfare" that aimed to torpedo his chances at a second presidential term.