According to The Hill, “bandages and what appeared to be bruises” on the hands of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) caught attention on Capitol Hill this week, raising questions of the long-time Republican leader’s health as he continues a bid for re-election.
At 78 years of age, McConnell is no spring chicken, and if he wins on Nov. 3, he’ll be in Congress for another six years. The majority leader announced Thursday, however, that there are “no concerns” about his health, as The Hill reported.
“Of course not”
According to the Lexington Herald-Leader, the questions were first raised of McConnell on Tuesday. The outlet reported that “[t]he Senate majority leader’s hands and arms showed bruising in photos captured by the Associated Press,” and “[h]e also had bruises on his face in a photo taken by Getty Images.”
McConnell’s apparent condition doesn’t seem to have slowed him down any, as he was on the Senate floor, giving speeches as usual on Wednesday and Thursday, according to the Herald-Leader. But that didn’t stop the speculation.
The Hill reports that at least two journalists approached McConnell on Thursday to ask him about his condition.
Asked, in the words of The Hill, “if there were any health issues that he needed to inform Kentuckians and the American people about,” McConnell said: “Of course not.”
The majority leader didn’t respond to a question about whether he is currently undergoing treatment for any disease.
Questions remain
The senator’s office also declined to respond to an email from The Hill regarding McConnell’s health.
The Republican’s tight-lipped stance has those on the left hitting hard for answers.
“It’s understandable that Senator McConnell might not want to discuss questions about his health so close to an election,” Kentucky Democratic Party spokesperson Marisa McNee said, according to the Herald-Leader.
“But as Senate Majority Leader,” McNee added, “he is a public figure which requires more disclosure and transparency than just the average private person.”
According to the Herald-Leader‘s report, “McConnell has a history of health issues. He’s a polio survivor, he had triple bypass heart surgery in 2003 and he broke his shoulder after falling in August 2019,” the report added.
The post McConnell, 78, brushes off questions about his health following reports of apparent bruising first appeared on Conservative Institute.
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