An analyst on Thursday said that Sen. Mitch McConnell's (R-KY) voice sounded "distressing."
CNN political commentator Karen Finney told anchor Jake Tapper that McConnell's comments on the United States' relationship with Greenland struck a chord — and how President Donald Trump's talks of seizing the island nation could have global repercussions — something McConnell mentioned. That was when Tapper brought up the longtime senator's health.
"I just want to take a note to talk about how Sen. McConnell sounded in that clip, he's 83 years old," Tapper said. "He's had a number of public stumbles and health related episodes in recent years, he's not running for reelection, but as somebody who defended President [Joe] Biden, who had his moments as well, what was your reaction to that delivery?"
Finney responded, saying she was surprised by McConnell's delivery.
"It was distressing," Finney said.
"But, you know, I guess he's going to finish out his term and we'll see who who wins his seat," she added. "Look, you know, I kind of defended President Biden. I also was, you know, I did, as you may remember, question at times, you know, what's going on and what are we being told. But look, the most important thing is, can he still do the job? And according to what he just said, he made a very important, cogent point, despite the fact that he it is, noticeable that he doesn't sound well."
McConnell, the longtime Republican Senate leader who has served as Senate Majority Leader for 17 years, has experienced several notable health incidents in recent years, including a fall in 2023 that resulted in a fractured shoulder and subsequent periods of recovery. He has also dealt with other health challenges during his time in the Senate, leading to increased scrutiny about his age and fitness for office, though he has continued to work through these medical issues while gradually reducing his public appearances and eventually announcing his retirement from Senate leadership in 2024.
Editor's Note: Finney previously stated that McConnell had a stroke. That is incorrect. Finney later corrected her statement in a post on X, writing the following:
"I misspoke during the panel — Sen. McConnell didn’t have a stroke. It was an honest mistake. People who know me know I care deeply about getting the facts right and correcting the record when I don’t. For the record I also agreed with Sen. McConnell on Trump, Greenland, and NATO," she wrote.
