Key takeaways:
- Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) was briefly escorted away from a weekly press conference after freezing up mid-sentence while giving his opening remarks.
- McConnell’s office released a statement after the incident, saying that the senator was “feeling fine” and that he had simply “lost his train of thought.”
- The incident has raised questions about McConnell’s health and ability to continue to serve in the Senate, as his absence would be a major loss for the Republican party.
On Wednesday afternoon, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) was briefly escorted away from a weekly press conference after freezing up mid-sentence while giving his opening remarks.
McConnell, 81, abruptly stopped speaking in front of reporters and appeared unable to restart, prompting concerned-looking aides and members of his leadership team to come to his side. His Republican colleagues asked if he was OK, and Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, a top McConnell deputy who previously worked as a physician before serving in Congress, escorted McConnell away from the cameras and reporters.
McConnell returned to the press conference a few minutes later, taking several questions and answering them as normal. He had been making his opening remarks about an annual defense policy bill when he stopped talking.
McConnell’s office released a statement after the incident, saying that the senator was “feeling fine” and that he had simply “lost his train of thought.” The statement also said that McConnell was “fully able to do his work and is looking forward to a busy day.”
The incident has raised questions about McConnell’s health and ability to continue to serve in the Senate. McConnell has been a key figure in the Senate for decades, and his absence would be a major loss for the Republican party.
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