During a press conference in Covington, Kentucky on Wednesday (August 30), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell – who is in the midst of his seventh term in office – was asked about his thoughts on running for re-election in 2026. He had the reporter repeat the question twice because he couldn’t hear.
He finally understood the question and chuckled briefly, but immediately froze up for about 10 seconds before one of his aides came up beside him and asked if he had heard the question. He mumbled, ‘Yes,’ in response, but then froze for another 5 seconds before his aide told the reporters to give him a minute.
Another one of his aides came up by his side and asked him if he wanted to head outside with them – further asking if he wanted to ‘come with us.’ He appeared to mumble, ‘Okay,’ but signaled that he was ready for another question. They asked if anyone else had a question and reminded them to speak up.
RELATED: Mitch McConnell Freezes During News Conference; Returns Moments Later and Says He’s ‘Fine’
Bypassing the question that was asked before the frozen moment, he was then asked about Daniel Cameron – Kentucky’s current Republican attorney general who announced in May 2022 that he would be running for governor. “I think the governor’s race is going to be very close,” McConnell responded.
The final question he received was about Donald Trump and his recent indictment in Georgia, but Mitch McConnell bypassed that question as well before being escorted away from the podium. A statement later revealed that McConnell ‘felt momentarily lightheaded and paused during his press conference today.’
This is now the second time in the past four weeks that McConnell’s press conference was cut short after freezing up – the first such incident occurring on July 26 at a weekly news conference. He was asked a question, but froze up – motionless and speechless – for roughly 30 seconds before being escorted away.
He was escorted back to his office for several minutes before returning to the podium and claiming to be ‘fine.’ He later revealed that President Joe Biden reached out to him following the incident and McConnell joked that he was ‘sandbagged’ while at the podium – a reference to Biden’s comment after tripping.
People Continue to Question Mitch McConnell and His Health
Mitch McConnell has always considered himself ‘stronger than mule piss,’ but it’s clear that his age is catching up with him and it’s something both Republicans and Democrats are keeping their eye on as his mishaps continue – aside from his two frozen moments, he also suffered two falls in the past 5 months.
“Leader McConnell tripped at a dinner event Wednesday evening and has been admitted to the hospital and is being treated for a concussion,” a spokesperson revealed back in March. The fall happened at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Washington, D.C. and he allegedly suffered a fractured rib and concussion.
The second fall, which went unreported at the time, happened sometime in July while exiting an airplane at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. He apparently face-planted after the fall and was being pushed around the airport in a wheelchair – something that was a ‘prudent and precautionary measure.’
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At 81 years old, Mitch McConnell is one of the older Senators in office today, but he’s not the only one – former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is 83 years old and Dianne Feinstein of California is currently 90 years old. The median age of Congress members today is 59 years old – which is alarming.
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