The state of Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s health has been one of the mostly closely guarded secrets in the Senate. But the wall of silence fellow Republicans have built around him is finally showing some cracks after he froze up at the microphone for nearly 20 seconds during a Wednesday press conference.
That’s as good an indication of his fragile condition as we’re going to get, because McConnell isn’t going to say anything. He continues to stonewall questions about his health, just like he did after the fall last March that put him out of commission for weeks, and after the other falls he’s had recently.
His press office tweeted out a photo of him meeting with constituents Thursday in what looked like a “nothing to see here” effort. His office also offered a terse update with the slightest hint of a warning: “Leader McConnell appreciates the continued support of his colleagues, and plans to serve his full term in the job they overwhelmingly elected him to do.”