Mitch McConnell freezes mid-sentence, escorted away at news conference
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) left and later returned to a news conference on July 26 after he stopped talking midway through a sentence. (Video: The Washington Post)
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Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Wednesday abruptly left a news conference after he froze midway through his opening remarks and appeared to be unable to resume speaking immediately. McConnell began the GOP’s leadership weekly news conference by saying lawmakers were on a path to finishing a major defense budget bill this week.
“We’ve had good bipartisan cooperation and a string of —” McConnell said.
He then froze and remained silent for about 20 seconds, staring straight ahead, before other members of GOP leadership intervened. Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), standing at McConnell’s side, asked whether he was okay, but McConnell did not respond verbally.
“Do you want to say anything else to the press?” Barrasso asked McConnell, before suggesting that McConnell take a break.
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“I’ll take him back,” Barrasso said to the other members of the leadership team, guiding McConnell away from the dais.
McConnell, 81, returned after several minutes, and after the news conference was over, was asked by reporters to address what had taken place.
“I’m fine,” McConnell said simply.
An aide to McConnell who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss the matter publicly said the minority leader felt “lightheaded.”
“He felt lightheaded and stepped away for a moment. He came back to handle Q and A,” the aide said.
Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), who spoke at the Democrats’ news conference immediately afterward and was asked about what had happened, told reporters, “I always wish Leader McConnell well.”
The incident took place about four months after McConnell fell and suffered a concussion and a broken rib at a private dinner at a Washington hotel in early March. The Kentucky Republican was absent from the Senate for nearly six weeks as he recovered from his injuries. He returned to the Senate in April.
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In the past two months, McConnell has struggled at times. Having overcome polio as a child, his gait has always been a bit stilted, but it has been visibly more cautious. On multiple occasions, he has not been able to hear questions that reporters have asked him. At one point during a news conference in early June, Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) had to lean in and explain to McConnell what the question was.
Barrasso, who was an orthopedic surgeon and previously served as president of the Wyoming Medical Society, said Wednesday that he pulled the GOP leader aside and walked down the hall with him to check on him.
“I just wanted to make sure everything was fine with him, and it was,” Barrasso, the No. 3 GOP leader, told reporters afterward. “I’ve been concerned since the first time — since he was injured a number of months ago,” he added. “I continue to be concerned.”
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But after McConnell returned and engaged with reporters, Barrasso said, he seemed to be as good or better than he’s been in recent weeks.
“I think he’s made a remarkable recovery, he’s doing a great job leading our conference, and he was able to answer every question that the press asked him today,” Barrasso said. “And you may note that he answered more questions today than he usually does.”
Maegan Vazquez and Mariana Alfaro contributed to this report.
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Source: The Washington Post
