District of ColumbiaGeneral NewsJohn BarrassoKentuckyMitch McConnellNews mediaPoliticsSurgeryUnited States Senate Brief Interruption at McConnell’s Press Conference As He Temporarily Stops Mid-Speech by Sophia Chen July 26, 2023 written by Sophia Chen July 26, 2023 5 comments Bookmark 51 Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell experienced an abrupt pause in his speech during a press conference on Wednesday, leading him to momentarily step away from the event. McConnell began his weekly press briefing discussing the ongoing defense bill, praising its bipartisan progress. However, he appeared to lose his train of thought midway, momentarily staring into the distance. Colleagues from the Republican leadership, unable to see his face from their position behind him, came forward and inquired if he wanted to return to his office after observing him freeze for approximately 20 seconds. The senator from Kentucky, assisted by an aide and Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, a former orthopedic surgeon and the Senate’s No. 3 Republican, slowly made his way back to his office without responding. After spending a few minutes in his office, McConnell returned to the press conference and continued taking questions from journalists. When asked about the incident, McConnell assured he was well and capable of performing his duties. According to an anonymous McConnell aide, the senator had felt dizzy and needed a brief pause. In a recent incident earlier this year, McConnell was absent from the Senate for close to six weeks due to a fall that resulted in a concussion and a fractured rib. His speech has shown slight hesitations lately, stirring health-related questions among his colleagues. Post the conference, Barrasso escorted McConnell to his office expressing his concern for the senator’s wellbeing. He commended McConnell on his recovery and his ability to answer all the press queries, however, he admitted he has been worried since McConnell’s previous injury. McConnell, despite facing competition from Florida Sen. Rick Scott, was successfully reelected last year to lead the conference. Nevertheless, there are rumors about potential successors, such as No. 2 Republican Sen. John Thune of South Dakota and Barrasso. Texas Sen. John Cornyn, another probable successor, voiced his support for McConnell post the incident, endorsing his leadership role. This recent stumble is the second significant injury for McConnell in the past few years. Previously, he tripped at his home in Kentucky, resulting in a shoulder fracture that required surgical intervention. McConnell, a polio survivor from his early years, has admitted to occasional difficulty with stairs. Since his initial election to the Senate in 1984, McConnell set a record as the longest-serving Senate party leader in history earlier this year. This year, several senators have taken health-related absences. Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California was away for over two months due to shingles, and Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., took a break to receive treatment for clinical depression. This report includes contributions from Big Big News writers Kevin Freking and Lisa Mascaro. Table of Contents Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Mitch McConnell’s healthWhat happened at Mitch McConnell’s press conference?Why did Mitch McConnell leave the press conference?What were McConnell’s recent health issues?Who assisted McConnell during the incident at the press conference?Who are the potential successors to McConnell?More about Mitch McConnell’s health Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Mitch McConnell’s health What happened at Mitch McConnell’s press conference? Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell paused mid-speech during a press conference, causing a brief interruption. He left the podium momentarily before returning to answer questions. Why did Mitch McConnell leave the press conference? McConnell felt dizzy and needed to take a brief break, according to an anonymous aide. After a few minutes in his office, he returned to continue the conference. What were McConnell’s recent health issues? Earlier this year, McConnell took a nearly six-week break from the Senate due to a fall that caused a concussion and a fractured rib. His speech has since shown slight hesitations, causing concern among his colleagues. Who assisted McConnell during the incident at the press conference? Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, a former orthopedic surgeon and the Senate’s No. 3 Republican, along with an aide, assisted McConnell back to his office. Who are the potential successors to McConnell? There are rumors about potential successors to McConnell, such as No. 2 Republican Sen. John Thune of South Dakota and Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming. Texas Sen. John Cornyn is also seen as a possible candidate. More about Mitch McConnell’s health Mitch McConnell’s Senate Profile About Sen. John Barrasso Profile of Sen. John Thune More about Sen. John Cornyn Polio and its impact You Might Be Interested In Russia Claims to Have Intercepted 36 Ukrainian Drones Amid Ongoing Conflict in Eastern Ukraine Crowd in the thousands overwhelms New York City’s Union Square, tosses chairs, climbs on vehicles Defense Claims Mismanagement in Baldwin Case; Prosecutors Allege Weapons Specialist was Intoxicated Far-right populist emerges as biggest vote-getter in Argentina’s presidential primary voting Rebeca Andrade Claims Victory in Vault World Championship, Simone Biles Earns Silver Early Winter Storm Threatens Sierra Nevada with Heavy Snow and High Winds District of ColumbiaGeneral NewsHealth ConcernJohn BarrassoKentuckyMitch McConnellNews mediapress conferenceSurgeryUnited States Senate Share 0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail Sophia Chen Follow Author Sophia Chen is a lifestyle journalist who covers the latest trends and developments in the world of fashion, beauty, and lifestyle. She enjoys exploring new fashion and beauty trends, and she is always on the lookout for new products and experiences to share with her readers. previous post Judge Suspends Hunter Biden’s Plea Deal Amid Concerns About Agreement Terms next post High school student who sat in Pence’s chair during Capitol riot is sentenced to 1 year in prison You may also like Bookmark A woman who burned Wyoming’s only full-service abortion... December 28, 2023 Bookmark Argument over Christmas gifts turns deadly as 14-year-old... December 28, 2023 Bookmark Danny Masterson sent to state prison to serve... December 28, 2023 Bookmark Hong Kong man jailed for 6 years after... December 28, 2023 Bookmark AP concludes at least hundreds died in floods... December 28, 2023 Bookmark Live updates | Israeli forces raid a West... December 28, 2023 5 comments KentuckyGal July 27, 2023 - 7:41 am omg, so worryin’. i’m in KY and we really need him! get well soon mitch. Reply SenFan76 July 27, 2023 - 1:02 pm McConnell’s a fighter, ain’t nothin’ gonna stop him! Reply Kathy4Mitch July 27, 2023 - 5:42 pm prayers for senator mcconnel. a great leader. Stay strong!! Reply BipartisanGuy July 27, 2023 - 5:50 pm As much as I disagree with him, I do hope he’s okay. We’re all human at the end of the day. Reply PoliticalWatcher101 July 27, 2023 - 6:44 pm Isn’t McConnell’s health going to be a big issue soon?? Just wondering. Reply Leave a Comment Cancel Reply Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ