Second Summer Incident: Mitch McConnell Experiences Frozen Speech and Struggles to Speak

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., experienced a momentary struggle during a press event on Wednesday, which marked the second time in recent weeks that the Republican leader’s speech came to a halt and he required assistance from those around him.

During an event in Covington, Kentucky, McConnell, 81, seemed to have trouble hearing when asked about his stance on running for reelection.

However, he then froze at the lectern and remained silent for about 30 seconds. When a staff member approached him to inquire if he had heard the question, he did not appear to respond immediately.

“All right, I’m sorry, you all. We’re going to need a minute,” the aide stated during this interval.

McConnell eventually indicated that he was ready for another question and was asked about Daniel Cameron, Kentucky’s Republican attorney general, who is running for governor.

After his aide loudly repeated the question into his ear, McConnell replied, “I think the governor’s race is going to be very close,” with his voice lowering in volume as he finished his response.

Before leaving the lectern, McConnell avoided answering a final question about former President Donald Trump’s recent indictment in Georgia.

A similar incident occurred on July 26 in Washington, D.C., where McConnell froze and momentarily lost his ability to speak at a press conference.

In that instance, his fellow senators came to his aid, and after a few minutes, he returned to the lectern and continued addressing reporters.

At the time, McConnell dismissed speculations about whether this health scare was related to a concussion he had suffered earlier in the year from a fall at a political fundraiser.

According to a spokesperson for McConnell, the Senate leader “felt momentarily lightheaded and paused during his press conference today,” as reported by NBC News.

An aide to McConnell also mentioned that while the senator “feels fine, as a precautionary measure, he will consult a physician before his next event,” according to NBC.

These recent concerns about McConnell’s health come at a critical moment for Republicans in Congress, who hold a slim majority in the House and 49 seats in the Senate.

On Tuesday, Republican House Majority Leader Steve Scalise revealed that he had been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a rare blood cancer. The 57-year-old Louisiana lawmaker stated that the disease is “very treatable” and reassured that he would return to Washington, although he did not specify when.

Congress is scheduled to reconvene in September after a month-long recess, with the Senate returning on September 5 and the House on September 12.

President Joe Biden, when asked about McConnell during a briefing on the severe weather affecting the U.S. southeast, expressed his intention to reach out to the senator.

“We have political disagreements, but he’s a good friend,” Biden stated. “So, I plan to contact him later this afternoon.”

Biden had previously wished McConnell well after his fall in March, and the senator mentioned that the president had called him following his verbal freeze in July. McConnell reported saying, “I told him I got sandbagged.”

Republicans are not the only ones facing concerns about their health and fitness to serve in Congress. With a median age of 59 years old, both the House and Senate are older today than at any point in modern history.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, who, at 90, is the oldest member of Congress from either party, has faced significant bipartisan scrutiny for retaining her Senate seat despite experiencing a series of debilitating health issues.

Earlier this year, Feinstein was absent from Washington for three months while recovering from shingles, causing Democrats to lack a vote in the Senate, where members are not allowed to vote remotely.

This month, the Democratic lawmaker was briefly hospitalized after a minor fall at her residence.