All posts tagged "mitch mcconnell"

Scott Jennings faces wrath of skeptical CNN panel over McConnell claims: 'Is he aware?'

Conservative CNN pundit Scott Jennings was grilled during a live broadcast after claiming he spoke with Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY)— again — and that the longtime Republican told him Tuesday that he was planning to return to Congress.

Jennings told the group of commentators that he spoke with the GOP senator on the phone, describing his condition as "improving position." He indicated that McConnell had said he's continuing his recovery and will return to Washington, D.C. after the recess to complete his final term in Congress, which ends in January 2027.

CNN anchor Pamela Brown asked Jennings to clarify how he was communicating with McConnell, whether he called the senator or an aide.

"He called me directly from his phone today," Jennings said. "We've had a relationship for a long time. I worked on a lot of his campaigns over the years, so it's not unusual for us to chat. But in today's case, he was really up on the campaigns. You know, he's a political operative at heart. We talked a lot about the Michigan Senate race. We talked about Maine a little bit, talked about just the map in general."

New York Times journalist and CNN contributor Lulu Garcia-Navarro expressed skepticism and asked why the public hadn't heard from McConnell.

"Scott, why isn't he calling in to a credible news organization? I mean, why is he talking to you and not talking to—" Garcia-Navarro asked.

"You saying it's not credible to call me, Lulu?" Jennings joked.

"I'm saying it's totally credible," Garcia-Navarro responded. "But as you said, you're calling your friend ... I'm just wondering how you view that. Why isn't he calling in to even one that he would consider friendly, like Fox News? That's the prevailing question."

Jennings suggested that McConnell might not be comfortable talking about his health, especially as a polio survivor.

The panel asked Jennings multiple questions to gather more information.

"Does he know about all of the brouhaha around this?" Garcia-Navarro asked.

David Chalian, senior vice President, Washington Bureau chief and political director for CNN, had a similar thought.

"Is he aware of the whole swirl?" Chalian asked.

Brown pointed out that McConnell hasn't voted since June, asking if he has spoken with any constituents since he was hospitalized.

"He told me today, he said, 'I know this is an unusual circumstance. I'm sitting here. The doctors tell me I don't have any life-threatening issues. It must seem rather strange,'" Jennings said. "I got the feeling he's somewhat aware of it and, frankly, somewhat frustrated by it."

Mitch McConnell's 'strange' health update sparks skepticism from critics: 'No video?'

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) put out a statement that he's been discharged from a rehabilitation center, but online sleuths aren't buying it.

McConnell was recovering from a fall he suffered in mid-June, but the lack of public appearances and two proof-of-life photos have drawn scrutiny and doubt. His absence has also caused problems for the GOP Senate, as he hasn't been able to cast a vote, including on his committees.

"Earlier today, I was discharged from the rehabilitation center to continue my recovery at home," a statement from McConnell's office read. "Elaine and I are grateful for the many well wishes."

Online critics demanded more evidence that McConnell is able to continue serving as a senator, and others called out the toll that his extended absence has taken.

"It's strange," posted writer and political commentator Charlotte Clymer on X. "No photos of Mitch McConnell leaving the rehab center. None of him arriving at the departure airport. None of him at the arrival airport. None of him arriving at his Kentucky home. None whatsoever. Just a statement."

"I'm glad to see this update. Now, let's hear from him," wrote Charles Booker, a Kentucky Democratic candidate for McConnell's open Senate seat. "Kentuckians deserve more than another written statement. They deserve to hear directly from their senator about his recovery and his ability to continue serving."

Booker also called out his opponent, GOP nominee for Senate Andy Barr, saying, "Barr claims he has McConnell's ear. If that's true, stop speaking for him and start urging him to speak to the people of Kentucky," and demanded of Barr, "Will you stand up for your constituents or protect Mitch McConnell?"

"If he had returned to vote, he could potentially have been deciding 50th vote (+VP) to rescue Todd Blanche's nomination," noted Bloomberg reporter Steven Dennis. "Lisa Murkowski and Bill Cassidy, who both voted to convict Trump of [inciting] insurrection, have the power to block Blanche."

Desiree Townsend, who's been building a reputation by hanging out around McConnell's rehab center, demanded, "How is it that not a single news organization filmed him leaving the hospital? Why is there no photo or video of him in his current condition at home?"

Mitch McConnell shares major health update amid speculation

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) shared new details about his health on Thursday after weeks of speculation.

"Earlier today, I was discharged from the rehabilitation center to continue my recovery at home," McConnell said in a statement.

He thanked his friends, supporters, colleagues and constituents, along with the doctors, nurses, therapists and staff.

"On the advice of my doctors, I'll maintain an intensive regimen of physical therapy from home during the state work period, and I'll continue to engage with my staff and colleagues on important Senate business," the statement said.

McConnell has not disclosed when he plans to return to Congress.

GOP senator snaps at pressure over Mitch McConnell's return: 'So unkind'

A GOP senator lost her cool when addressing questions about when Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) will return, per reports.

An article by The New York Times about McConnell's extended absence and health described how Republicans are responding to questions about the senior senator. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) responded by taking offense at those pressing for answers.

"Mitch was the longest-serving leader in Senate history," Collins said. "Couldn't we extend some grace to him? He is a survivor of childhood polio, which has made his recovery slower. But he has always been a fighter and will be back."

She also lashed out at Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) for demanding that McConnell "directly and verbally address the people of Kentucky and provide proof of your capacity to serve, or resign."

"This rush led by the governor, who must be running for president, is so unseemly and so unkind to a senator who has been such a leader for so many years," responded Collins, who serves alongside McConnell on the Senate Appropriations Committee as its chair. The Daily Beast's reporting noted that Collins has also faced questions about her tremors, which she says are benign.

The Times also spoke to John Feehery, a longtime senior congressional aide and Republican strategist, about a possible special election to replace McConnell. Feehery said it would be a waste of time and money, according to The Times.

"Mitch McConnell deserves the right to serve out the term however he sees fit," Feehery said. "He is certainly not the first senator to have health problems which require him to miss votes, and he certainly won't be the last."

Elaine Chao inadvertently throws a wrench in Mitch McConnell's proof-of-life claim: report

A small detail is raising new questions about Sen. Mitch McConnell's (R-KY) extended absence, according to a new report.

The most recent McConnell proof-of-life photo faces fresh scrutiny as sleuths zero in on the outfit of the hospitalized senator's wife, former Trump cabinet member Elaine Chao, according to reporting by The Daily Beast.

The proof-of-life photo taken on July 26 and released the next day shows Chao seated next to a smiling McConnell. Chao is wearing a white button-up shirt with "peach-colored seashells" on it.

However, Chao was photographed wearing the same shirt on July 15 as she left the Washington, D.C., rehabilitation center where McConnell is recovering, per The Daily Beast. Not only is her shirt the same, but the entire outfit looks identical to what appears in the photo.

She has the same "eggshell-white pants," and "her hair also appears to be the same shade and style in each image," The Daily Beast noted.

The photo of Chao leaving the hospital came more than a week before the most recent McConnell proof-of-life photo, though, The Daily Beast added.

The Daily Beast also compared Chao's appearance to photos of her taken around the same time and noticed differences. In a July 29 photo taken of Chao at the Aero Club of D.C., Chao "appeared with fuller-looking hair" that "was noticeably lighter and had a more reddish tint," The Beast reported.

The Daily Beast also shared a post from Jeff Yang, a family friend of Chao. Yang wrote that he found it "implausible" that Chao would be wearing the white button-up seen in the July 26 photo because it was a $12 shirt made by Chico's. "SHE WOULD RATHER DIE."

'Stop him!' Senator sics security on reporter pleading for info on sickly Mitch McConnell

A Republican lawmaker called for security and ran away after a TMZ reporter pleading for information about Sen. Mitch McConnell's (R-KY) condition.

Charlie Cotton, TMZ DC co-managing editor, was walking with Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-NE) on Capitol Hill when he pressed the GOP leader over McConnell's health status, X video shows.

"Do you think Mitch McConnell needs to do more to prove his health?" Cotton asked.

McConnell, hospitalized in Washington on June 14, hasn’t been seen in public since. Calls demanding McConnell prove he remains fit to serve have been met with staged photos and written statements.

On Thursday, Ricketts refused to address the concerns — or make eye contact with the reporter airing them.

"I think we should give Mitch the time he needs to be able to recover," Ricketts said, "and come back to the Senate."

The reporter pushed Ricketts on his response as he followed him around a metal detector neither man walked through.

"We can give him the time he needs," replied Cotton, "while also he provides—"

That's when Ricketts jerked back his thumb and looked to security.

"Stop him!" Ricketts called out.

Ricketts stormed off as Cotton tried to explain he was a reporter who had already been through security.

Sen. Pete Ricketts dodged questions from TMZ DC's @hicharliecotton about Mitch McConnell’s health, turning to security to try and shut down the conversation 🤔 pic.twitter.com/Gpr98qHlz4
— TMZ (@TMZ) July 30, 2026

'It's unbelievable': GOP senators lose patience as senator's absence ties agenda in knots

GOP senators sounded off on Sen. Mitch McConnell's (R-KY) extended absence and suggested a rule change to claw back leverage, according to a new report from NOTUS.

In a Thursday article, GOP senators discussed the key votes they're losing in Senate committees while McConnell has been hospitalized for most of the past two months.

"We're at 52," Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) told NOTUS, referring to how the GOP is effectively short of the 53 seats it nominally holds in the Senate. "This is the reality."

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) expressed her frustration with a nearly month-long standstill in the Senate Appropriations Committee, as she told NOTUS it's "impossible" to have conversations and advance bipartisan legislation to avoid a government shutdown. The committee is split at 14-14 with McConnell's absence, NOTUS noted.

"We miss not just his vote. We miss him," Capito said. "But it definitely has an impact on approps. It's probably the most deeply felt."

Sen. Jim Justice (R-WV) told NOTUS that Congress should pass a bill to prevent legislative impasses caused by long absences and allow parties to pick replacements for lawmakers absent for more than 30 days.

"That completely is so reasonable it's unbelievable to me," Justice said. "Let's just pray that he gets back really, really soon and gets back in a good, healthy way where we can move this along."

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) complained to NOTUS about absences in his party generally, saying, "Basically, we've been unable to do stuff today in committees" because of missing Republicans.

"All the committees I was in today had to be canceled or couldn't do business because Republicans weren't there," Hawley told NOTUS. "And I'm like, wow, we've got two weeks to go."

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, predicted McConnell "will be back in September," she told NOTUS.

CNN's Kasie Hunt throws Scott Jennings' prediction about his old boss back in his face

CNN conservative pundit Scott Jennings was teased on-air Thursday for suggesting that Sen. Mitch McConnell would likely release a new statement sometime by Monday.

During a segment with CNN anchor Kasie Hunt, Jennings was asked if he had heard anything new from McConnell. Jennings claimed earlier this month that he had a 17-minute phone call with McConnell, whom he has known since he was a teenager and previously worked for. The MAGA commentator has faced growing criticism over his comments, including a network statement that the company would not vouch for Jennings' comments — and that they don't represent the organization's reporting.

Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers have expressed concern about McConnell's absence since he went missing from Congress 39 days ago for undisclosed medical treatment. Two weeks ago, his team released an image of him with his wife Elaine Chao, but that hasn't quelled the skepticism and questions surrounding his unknown condition.

"I know he continues to do his rehab activities," Jennings said. "I know he's still following doctor's orders, and my assumption is sometime between now and Monday, they'll probably issue another update on how he's coming along. I don't know if they've made any decisions about whether he's going to be cleared to come back to work or not, but I would be surprised if we don't hear from them again by the weekend or by Monday."

Jennings argued that he thinks McConnell should "routinely" update his constituents on his health and "keep people apprised of the issues that he's looking in on, of the work that he's doing with his staff, and just be transparent about the things that he can do, even while he's convalescing and recovering."

"Truthfully, I think a little transparency on the front end here would have saved him a whole lot of grief," Jennings added. "But that didn't happen. And they are where they are now. But I think regular updates on things are good to do, and that'd be my advice."

Hunt commented, "I think last time that you and I spoke about this very topic, you said the exact same thing. You were like, 'Ask me on Monday.'"

Jennings joked that "the oracle of Kentucky" was right.

Fellow CNN panelist and commentator Xochitl Hinojosa had a direct question for Jennings: "At what point do you think that maybe he should resign from his seat?"

Jennings seemed surprised by the question.

"Give up his seat because he is not able to do the job of a U.S. senator," Hinojosa said.

"Well, he's not voting, Scott," Hunt added.

"And he's getting paid," Hinojosa said.

Republicans sweating as GOP lawmaker unleashes ultimatum for Mitch McConnell

A Republican lawmaker warned on Tuesday that Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) — who has been missing from Congress for six weeks amid a "secretive health crisis" — could jeopardize the narrow GOP majority in the Senate and issued an ultimatum, The Daily Beast reported.

Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) made it clear to McConnell that the GOP will need his votes in the Senate, and what he recommended the longtime Republican lawmaker should do next.

"Somebody needs to do something. Somebody needs to come out and put a little video out," Tuberville told journalist Nicholas Ballasy. "We didn’t get any information today in our luncheon. I don’t know why, what’s going on, but that’s not my business; that’s the leadership’s business, and we wish him well."

"Hopefully he gets over whatever happened. He’s had a tough couple of years, you know, from falling, hitting these hard floors and all that," Tuberville said.

He suggested McConnell return to Congress soon, before the Senate goes into recess on Aug. 8 and returns on Sept. 14.

"He’s gonna need to come back probably before this three-week session’s over with, because then we’re off for like five weeks," Tuberville added.

"We’re gonna need him because the Democrats’ not gonna give us any votes," Tuberville said.

Rumors have swirled over McConnell's health for weeks. The Republican leader's office released a statement and photo on July 12, raising further questions about his condition and recovery.

"It’s been two weeks since anyone has said they spoke to the aging senator," The Beast reported.

The week of July 6, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-ND), whip John Barrasso and CNN conservative commentator Scott Jennings all said that they spoke with McConnell on the phone.

Mystery 'reporter' outside Mitch McConnell's hospital has bizarre viral past: analyst

A former GOP operative revealed the viral past of the independent journalist who's been camped outside Sen. Mitch McConnell's (R-KY) hospital.

During an episode of Bulwark Takes, host Tim Miller went into detail about the history of Desiree Townsend, who also goes by the name Desiree Jennings.

According to Miller, Jennings has been doing "standups outside of the hospital of Mitch McConnell," whose recent hospitalization has raised concerns and stirred speculation.

"Her standups are kind of like a mix of Inside Edition and like Russia Today," Miller explained. "And like an insane person, she's going around like, 'We see Elaine Chao's eyebrows, and in the picture, they're different from in the last picture, and Mitch McConnell, how can you serve right now?'"

According to Miller, Jennings describes herself on her LinkedIn page as an "independent journalist," and her presentation makes her seem like a news correspondent from an established network.

"She's gaining momentum lately because a lot of people are interested in what's happening with Mitch McConnell," Miller explained. "It kind of has an air of authority, though in kind of an uncanny valley way."

Miller then explained that someone had flagged information about Jennings that shocked him. "I don't even think I can put words to it," he said.

Jennings used to be "an early viral sensation" and an ambassador for the Washington Redskins cheerleading squad who claimed she developed a rare neurological disorder called dystonia, according to a clip from Inside Edition that Miller played. The clip also featured Jennings bouncing and jerking up and down.

She claimed that she got the disease "after receiving a seasonal flu shot, causing dramatic spasms and slurred speech," continued the Inside Edition clip, which also revealed Jennings acting normally when she thought the cameras were gone. Miller laughed while noting that she also seemed to have a sudden British accent in the clip.

"My favorite part of the clip is she was able to both walk backwards and run, which is interesting," Miller said while cracking up. "It was like she couldn't walk sideways or forward, but she could walk backwards or sprint."