Capitol doctor confirms Sen. McConnell’s good health day after freeze-up.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell Cleared to Continue Schedule After On-Camera Episode
One day after Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) froze in front of reporters, Congressional Attending Physician Dr. Brian Monahan said that the senator is cleared to continue on his current schedule.
Dr. Monahan released his evaluation on Aug. 31, the day after Mr. McConnell had his second on-camera episode, where he was unresponsive to questions from reporters for about 30 seconds. This came five weeks after another freeze-up incident and several months after the senator was treated in March after a fall that resulted in a concussion.
“I have consulted with Leader McConnell and conferred with his neurology team. After evaluating yesterday’s incident, I have informed Leader McConnell that he is medically clear to continue with his schedule as planned,” Dr. Monahan’s statement (pdf) read.
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Regarding the incidents, the doctor explained that “Occasional lightheadedness is not uncommon in concussion recovery and can also be expected as a result of dehydration.“
President Joe Biden said on Aug. 31 that he is not worried about Mr. McConnell’s capacity to serve.
“I spoke to him today. He was his old self on the telephone,” the president told reporters at the Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters.
When asked if he had doubts about Mr. McConnell’s leadership abilities, he responded, “No, I don’t.“
President Biden, who will turn 81 in November, has worked with Mr. McConnell, also 81, for decades, beginning with their tenure in the Senate.
During a Wednesday gathering in Covington, Kentucky, a reporter asked Mr. McConnell what he thought about running for reelection in 2026.
A video of the incident shows the Senate Republican leader asking the reporter to repeat the question twice before responding with “That’s a …” and pausing while staring ahead for approximately 30 seconds.
An aide approached the senator and inquired, “Did you hear the question, senator, about running for reelection in 2026?”
Mr. McConnell responded with an unintelligible phrase. His staff attributed the incident to light-headedness.
President Biden previously commented on the incident shortly after the video began to circulate, saying, “Mitch is a friend, as you know. Not a joke.
“We always—people don’t believe that’s the case, but we have disagreements politically, but he’s a good friend. And so, I’m going to try to get in touch with him later this afternoon. I don’t know enough to know,” said President Biden on Aug. 30 after giving a speech about the government’s response to Hurricane Idalia and the Maui fires.
Wednesday’s incident occurred just over a month after Mr. McConnell suddenly stopped speaking while taking questions from reporters, raising concerns about his health and ability to fulfill his duties.
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