Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) froze up for the second time in just over a month in another scary moment that has given rise to renewed questions about the geriatric lawmaker’s fitness for office.
The Kentucky Republican was answering questions at a press conference when he suddenly went into brain freeze when asked about whether he plans on running for reelection when his current term expires, losing his train of thought and staring blankly into space until an aide intervened.
The 81-year-old’s latest health incident happened on Wednesday while he was speaking at a Chamber of Commerce event in Covington, Kentucky with the moment captured by a local television outlet, a video that would soon go viral on social media as questions once again swirled about his fitness for office.
(Video: Grabien)
“What’re my thoughts about what?” McConnell asked after the question was initially posed by a member of the media.
The reporter repeated, “What are your thoughts on running for re-election in 2026?”
The Republican leader then just stared blankly with his eyes bulging for about ten uncomfortable seconds before the female aide came to his side, asking “Did you hear the question, senator? Running for re-election in 2026?”
McConnell continued with his catatonic gaze into the distance for several more seconds before the aide said, “Alright, I’m sorry you all, we’re gonna need a minute,” as another man appeared and said something to him before he was able to resume taking questions.
“Leader McConnell felt momentarily lightheaded and paused during his press conference today,” said a spokesperson from his office.
Last month, the elderly senator was speaking to the press with his fellow GOP senators who were giving an update on the progress of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) when he trailed off and just stood there in front of the shocked audience, including his GOP colleagues and members of the press corps.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell appeared unable to speak halfway through a press conference. He was led away from the press conference and towards his office by fellow GOP Sen. John Barrasso. A short time later, McConnell returned and told CNN’s Manu Raju he was “fine.” pic.twitter.com/wsrvFa2ZQO
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) July 26, 2023
‘”There’s been good bipartisan cooperation and a string of uh…uhh,” he said before freezing. After the awkward pause, Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) who is a doctor, stepped in.
Earlier this year, McConnell missed a significant time at work when he was hospitalized after taking a nasty spill during a private dinner at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Washington, D.C.
McConnell’s latest episode, along with the struggles of other elderly and unfit lawmakers, drew a strong response on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Severe aging health issues and/or mental health incompetence in our nation’s leaders MUST be addressed. Biden, McConnell, Feinstein, and Fetterman are examples of people who are not fit for office and it’s time to be serious about it,” wrote Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.)
Severe aging health issues and/or mental health incompetence in our nation’s leaders MUST be addressed.
Biden, McConnell, Feinstein, and Fetterman are examples of people who are not fit for office and it’s time to be serious about it.
1/2
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) August 30, 2023
“These politician’s staff and family members should be ashamed of themselves by enabling and allowing their loved ones to remain in office all to hold power,” Greene added. “We are talking about our country’s national security and it’s all at stake! 25th amendment and other measures need to be on the table.
2/2
These politician’s staff and family members should be ashamed of themselves by enabling and allowing their loved ones to remain in office all to hold power.
We are talking about our country’s national security and it’s all at stake!
25th amendment and other measures need…
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) August 30, 2023
U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) said that it’s time for term limits.
“For goodness sake, the family, friends, and staff of Senators Feinstein and McConnell are doing them and our country a tremendous disservice. It’s time for term limits for Congress and the Supreme Court, and some basic human decency,” he wrote.
For goodness sake, the family, friends, and staff of Senators Feinstein and McConnell are doing them and our country a tremendous disservice. It’s time for term limits for Congress and the Supreme Court, and some basic human decency.
— Rep. Dean Phillips (@RepDeanPhillips) August 30, 2023
“John Fetterman isn’t well. This is all just very sad. As a general rule, no one over 80 should have jobs this important. Voters ultimately hold the blame though,” tweeted Outkick founder and nationally syndicated radio host Clay Travis.
Mitch McConnell isn’t well. Joe Biden isn’t well. Dianne Feinstein isn’t well. John Fetterman isn’t well. This is all just very sad. As a general rule, no one over 80 should have jobs this important. Voters ultimately hold the blame though. pic.twitter.com/rBB1t5jA73
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) August 30, 2023
More reactions to McConnell’s latest contribution to the argument for congressional age and term limits.
Embarrassing
— Vince Langman (@LangmanVince) August 30, 2023
Press the reset button please.
— Carolina. (@realCarola2Hope) August 30, 2023
Get all these corrupt mummies out of office.
— Vermonster ☠️ (@pnshdvermonster) August 30, 2023
Politics aside, this is sad to see with anyone.
— Nick Stewart (@Naykolai) August 30, 2023
As one mentally misfiring codger to another, President Joe Biden said that he plans to call McConnell.
“I just heard, literally, coming out. And Mitch is a friend, as you know, not a joke,” Biden said during remarks at the White House. “We have disagreements politically, but he’s a good friend.”
President Biden reacts to Mitch McConnell’s second freeze of the summer:
“Mitch is a friend, as you know. Not a joke. I know people don’t believe that’s the case … I’m going to try and get in touch with him later this afternoon. I don’t know enough.” pic.twitter.com/Lpr7i1jgqB
— The Recount (@therecount) August 30, 2023
“So, I’m going to try to get in touch with him later this afternoon. I don’t know enough to know,” the president added.
Two television medical experts speculated that McConnell’s freezes could be the result of Parkinson’s disease which may be the reason why nobody has called 911 out of fear that the senator may have had a stroke.
Fox News medical contributor Dr. Marc Siegel told anchor Bret Baier that his best guess “would be Parkinson’s disease because that, in its later stages, can give you a freeze.”
(Video: Grabien)
“It can also explain why no one around him in these freezes is panicking and saying, ‘This could be a stroke. This could be a seizure.’ It could be those things too, by the way, but again, then you would rush him into immediate treatment and analysis. You’d do an MRI, you would do an EEG to see if it could be a seizure, but if it’s Parkinson’s, you already know about that and somebody diagnosed that clinically by doing an examination, and treatment helps by the way,” he added.
Over on CNN, Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta told anchor Wolf Blitzer, “It could be something like when somebody comes off of their medications for things like Parkinson’s. When the medication start to wear off, they may start to have freezing episodes as well.”
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