Topline
Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., issued the first statement about his hospitalization on Sunday after nearly four weeks of silence—which sparked speculation about his condition and demands for transparency—and disclosed that he was taken to the hospital after a fall.
Key Facts
An email statement shared by his office also included a photo of McConnell sitting up in a hospital bed with his wife, Former Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, beside him.
In the statement, McConnell said he appreciated both the well-wishes he’s received and “honest questions” about what was keeping him from the Senate.
The senator noted that his childhood polio meant he has had to deal with “mobility challenges” throughout his life, which have become harder with age, and last month he “took a fall, which landed me in the hospital.”
McConnell said his doctors told him the fall didn’t result in broken bones or a concussion, and he didn’t suffer from a heart attack or stroke or have any “tumors or hemorrhages.”
The statement added that he was “briefly unconscious” after the fall and, while receiving care at the hospital, had to deal with a “mild case of pneumonia.”
What Did McConnell Say About Returning To The Senate?
McConnell said he won’t be able to return to the Senate floor to vote “quite yet.” But said he is working closely with his legislative staff on current issues and keeping in touch with Senate colleagues on “the appropriations process, midterm politics, and everything in between.” Without specifying a timeline, the statement added: “I’ll keep working hard to get back on the Senate floor as soon as possible. And I’ll keep you posted on the progress of my recovery.”
What Have McConnell’s Doctors Said?
In an accompanying statement, the senator’s attending physician said he has “experienced several falls throughout the year that have been attributed to his post-polio condition.” The fall last month caused McConnell to sustain “minor injuries,” but a detailed checkup revealed he had “no fractures, cardiac abnormalities, stroke, tumor, or hemorrhage,” the doctor said. McConnell developed pneumonia early during his hospitalization, but he “responded rapidly to antibiotic treatment,” the doctor added. The senator is now “fully participating in his intensive physical therapy program.”
tangent
In a separate statement issued on X, McConnell shared his condolences over the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. “Lindsey Graham was a good friend and a great American, and I was shocked and saddened by his passing. His constituents and colleagues have counted on his straight talk, conviction, and boundless appetite for a worthy fight. The Senate will miss him, and Elaine and I are keeping his family in my prayers.”
further reading
Longtime Kentucky Commentator Said He Spoke With McConnell This Morning—What We Know About His Health (Forbes)