E-Paper
Mitch McConnell update: Governor Andy Beshear shares worrying news about Senator's health; ‘haven’t heard a thing'
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear shared a worrying update about Republican Senator Mitch McConnell amid mounting speculations about his health.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear shared a worrying update about Republican Senator Mitch McConnell amid mounting speculations about his health. The Democrat Governor noted he had received no communication from McConnell or his office regarding the 84-year-old's health, calling the development ‘concerning’.
Beshear was speaking on SiriusXM on Monday, when he made these remarks. “I haven't heard a thing. Not an email, not a letter, not a call, not a video... absolutely nothing,” he said, adding “When you represent the people of Kentucky, and you've been in a hospital for a month, and you've missed all the votes, you owe your boss an explanation. It's been reported that he's had 20-minute conversations with different individuals, so call into a news station for 5 minutes or put out a short video.”
Beshear's comments come when there is an increasing clamor for proof of life.
Mitch McConnell health update
McConnell was hospitalized on June 14 and since then has been largely absent from the public eye. Though there has been online speculation about the Senator having died, there is nothing to back these claims. McConnell's office, in fact, released two photos as proof of life.
Also Read | Mitch McConnell's staff under fire over hospital photos: ‘Should put out video…’
One showed the Republican next to his wife, Elaine Chao in the hospital bed, holding the day's newspaper in his hands. The other showed McConnell in his hospital room. However, critics have claimed both photos are AI-generated. Laura Loomer, a Donald Trump loyalist and far-right activist claimed the first photo was made using AI, while several claimed that the second photo was artificially generated too, since McConnell was seen wearing what appeared to be the same shirt on both instances.
Beshear is not the only one asking for answers. Republican lawmaker Thomas Massie has called for transparency as well and many want McConnell to release a video statement as proof of life. In fact, Beshear said as much when he asked the Senator to put out a video or make a call to a news station to share an update.
McConnell released a statement along with his first photo from the hospital, saying “My doctors have confirmed that I didn’t break any bones or suffer a concussion. I didn’t have a heart attack or a stroke. I don’t have any tumors or hemorrhages. But I was briefly unconscious and was taken to the hospital. While receiving excellent care over the past several weeks, I’ve also had to deal with a mild case of pneumonia.” Notably, McConnell is set to retire in January 2027 when his term comes to an end, as the Senator is not seeking re-election. Nonetheless, the prolonged absence has raised fresh questions about transparency when it comes to lawmakers disclosing their health conditions.
