Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) had another awkward freeze moment on Wednesday, during a press conference with reporters in Covington, Ky. The 81-year-old senator was asked if he plans to run for reelection, and he froze for about 30 seconds.
An aide eventually came up to him and asked, “Did you hear the question, senator?” But McConnell still offered no response. It’s a painfully awkward moment, as difficult to watch as when Joe Biden or John Fetterman attempts to speak.
Mitch McConnell froze up while answering a question. This is the second time this has happened in public. I’m concerned about his health. There should be age limits. pic.twitter.com/A7Ri7rfdbI
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) August 30, 2023
According to a report from NBC News, “Once McConnell re-engaged, he responded briefly to another question about Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, a Republican; his aide needed to repeat the question to him. McConnell was then asked about former President Donald Trump, another question that had to be repeated. McConnell brushed off the question because he does not usually engage in Trump-related topics. He then left.”
Related: The Top Five Politicians Who Aren’t Healthy Enough To Be in Office
The incident comes weeks after a similar occurrence back in July, when McConnell froze for nearly 20 seconds during a press conference.
NOW – Mitch McConnell froze and appeared unwell at presser.pic.twitter.com/OHvOaX77L9
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) July 26, 2023
Mitch McConnell was reelected to the U.S. Senate in 2020, and he won’t be up for reelection until 2026.
There has been wide speculation about McConnell, his health, and his future in the Senate this year. He was absent for weeks following an injury he sustained from a fall earlier this year, and rumors spread that his retirement was imminent. Sources claimed at the time that Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), and John Thune (R-S.D.) were reaching out to fellow Republican senators in the event that a leadership vote was needed.
McConnell eventually returned to the Senate, but speculation regarding his health has persisted. According to reports, he’s fallen multiple times this year, and Republicans in the Kentucky state legislature, clearly anticipating the possibility of a vacancy, changed state law so that the Democrat governor of Kentucky wouldn’t be able to nominate a Democrat as McConnell’s replacement.
Earlier this month, McConnell was heckled with chants from his own constituents, telling him to retire.
Mitch McConnell is booed, and drowned out by chants of “retire, retire, retire”, for five minutes straight as he tries to talk to his own constituents in Kentucky. pic.twitter.com/zyZIHLJaoy
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) August 7, 2023
The issues surrounding McConnell’s age and health are clearly not going away, and the number of aged politicians in our government — on both sides of the aisle — who are clearly not physically or mentally well enough to serve should be prompting bipartisan calls for term limits. Unfortunately, Democrats care too much about their power to do so. That’s unfortunate because until we get everyone behind establishing reasonable term limits, the dinosaurs of Congress will be around forever.
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