CNN conservative pundit Scott Jennings admitted Thursday that Republicans could do more to clarify Sen. Mitch McConnell's (R-KY) health status.
Jennings told CNN anchor Jake Tapper that McConnell, who he claims he spoke with earlier this week, has "always been pretty guarded abouthis own health issues."
Tapper asked the MAGA analyst if he had spoken with the longtime Republican lawmaker again since their reported 17-minute chat on Tuesday. Jennings, who is a Kentucky voter and has known McConnell since he was a teenager, said he had spoken with senior members of the senator's team.
"My personal view is that they doneed to actually have a littlemore transparency with thepeople of Kentucky," Jennings said. "I counseledhim and his team as such."
McConnell has been hospitalized for three weeks and it's unclear what his condition is.
"Itpains me when I think he'shurting," Jennings added. "But I do think whenyou're in a position of publiclife like he is, someinformation is a good thingand that hasn't been out there.My belief is I think the Senategoes back in on Monday, I'd beshocked if they didn't put outan update on him by Monday aboutwhether he's going to be ableto go back to the Senate nextweek. And I should say, I don'tknow whether he is or he isn't.And I'm not surewhether he's made that decisionor not."
Jennings denied that McConnell had died or was a "vegetable," despite speculation that he was.
"I've spoken with him and I've spoken to people who have been meeting with him over the last few days, so I think all that speculation could be put to rest," he said. "But I think it's frankly, I think it's up to them to tell the people of Kentucky when he's going back to work. I hope they do that by Monday. And I believe that they will."