Sen. Mitch McConnell talks health and post-hospital rehabilitation
Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell said a fall and pneumonia led to a recent hospitalization and that he is currently in rehab to “continue to regain my strength.”
Sen. Josh Hawley is admonishing his Republican colleague Mitch McConnell over the former Senate Majority Leader’s fate after more than a month of absence from Congress.
The Missouri senator sent his congratulations to the 84-year-old McConnell and his family in a Fox News Digital interview published July 19, but said, “At some point, you have an obligation to tell your constituents and the country what’s going on.”
McConnell was first elected to the Senate in 1984 and represented Kentucky for seven terms. McConnell broke his public silence in a statement on July 12, addressing the hospitalization that sparked widespread criticism, conspiracy theories and online conversations.
He fell and briefly lost consciousness and was hospitalized, but while in the hospital he developed mild pneumonia and was later transferred to a rehabilitation center. The statement also included a photo of him and his wife, Elaine Chao, who was hospitalized.
“We have a slim majority, but it’s not easy,” Hawley told Fox, noting that Republicans have a narrow 53-47 advantage over Democrats in the Senate.
“We often hear from our leaders, “Well, we don’t have the votes for this.” Similar to voter ID, we don’t have the votes for that. Well, we might want to do something about it,” he said. Hawley told the outlet that she had “no idea” about McConnell’s condition and that she had “no knowledge of his health status.”
Asked about term limits, Hawley cited 92-year-old Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley as an example. “I have nothing against my older colleagues,” he said. “Chuck is very sharp in terms of tackling, spidering, things like that.”
“But I think we need term limits. People just come here and stay forever. And I don’t think that’s what the founders intended,” Hawley continued. “I don’t think that’s what people want. So I’ve always been a strong supporter of a constitutional amendment regarding term limits.”
