Republican Senators are considering convening a special gathering to assess their leadership following McConnell’s recent episodes of “freezing up.”
At 81 years old, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has been medically cleared to continue his duties after he experienced a second occurrence of freezing in the last month on Wednesday.
On Wednesday, an incident occurred at a press conference in Covington, Kentucky where Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell suddenly entered a catatonic state and was unable to speak. An aide came to his aid and quickly concluded the press conference.
While this episode was publicly witnessed, it is likely that similar episodes have occurred in private as well.
At the end of last month, Senator McConnell displayed an unresponsiveness and vacant expression during a Senate press conference.
This followed his hospitalization in March due to a concussion and broken bone sustained from a fall, which was followed by a period of rehabilitation before his return to the Senate mid-April.
As suggested by the Capitol physician, McConnell may be experiencing small seizures.
“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. Occasional lightheadedness is not uncommon in concussion recovery and can also be expected as a result of dehydration,” Capitol physician Brian Monahan said in a statement on Thursday.
Politico reported:
A handful of GOP senators are weighing whether to force a fraught internal debate about their leadership’s future after Mitch McConnell’s second public freeze-up in a month.
Some rank-and-file Republicans have discussed the possibility of a broader conversation once senators return to Washington next week, according to a person directly involved in the conversations who confirmed them on condition of anonymity. The party leadership is not currently involved in those discussions, and nothing has been decided yet, this person added.
It takes just five Republican senators to force a special conference meeting, which is the most direct way to have a specific discussion about the minority leader after his public pause on Wednesday revived questions about his condition. But the Senate GOP also holds private lunches two or three times a week, giving members another forum for hashing out the direction of the party’s leadership — one that could forestall the need for a special confab.
The GOP has not hada leader for a long time and will not put one in servaice that will work for the ppl The RNC only wants rino they that will take then crawl for the dems
Strong words but often all too true.
i’m sorry but McConnell is no help to the real republican party – he is good friends with biden and is also married to a Chinese woman who has companies in China!!! HOW IS THIS GOOD THING!!!
At least a committee should have an in-depth consult with his neurologist and primary physician to see if he’s fit to continue to serve. Personally, I’d like to see him and other leaders replaced by men or women in their late 40s to 50s with education in political science and governance to serve as leaders. They should be vibrant constitutionalists with a strong commitment to serving the REPUBLIC.
However, the reality is that serving on committees and in leadership is often based on seniority with the ability to raise funds for the party.
when my daughter was younger she would go into a stare – when i finally took her to doctors they said eplipesy – not the grand mal but the petite mal – she did take meds for it and grew out of it by age 11. i’m sure mcconnell’s could be a precursor to strokes, given his age
Just an excellent move for our Senate.
Terrible thing when you have to run around the senate floor trying to find enough senators who are responsive enough to hold a vote on anything..government is beginning to look like feeding time at the rest home..65 should be retiring time just like it is for the rest of us..these antiquated fossil’s have proved they are certainly no better then anyone else
AGE is NOT the problem; competence is. DJT is almost as old as Joke Biden but there is a world of difference in their cognitive abilities! They should require regular cognitive tests for ALL elected officials!
Mitch needs to go. However, if he is replaced, it would most likely be another swamp rat.
I think we need a congress cleanout on both sides. When did congress become an old folks home. ( i can say that, im 70).