Mitch McConnell booed at Kentucky speech after health scare: ‘Retire’
Senate Minority Chief Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., may barely be heard giving a speech to his Kentucky constituents over the weekend, over boos and chants of “retire,” “ditch Mitch” and “disgrace on you.”
He addressed the group on the Fancy Farm Picnic, an annual political occasion within the state, lower than two weeks after a scare that brought a new wave of concerns concerning the senator’s well being and age.
“That is my twenty eighth Fancy Farm, and I need to guarantee you it’s not my final,” McConnell mentioned Saturday. McConnell through the occasion praised native Republican leaders and criticized Democratic insurance policies, citing points starting from inflation to COVID-19 restrictions.
Throughout a press convention in Washington late final month, McConnell froze mid-sentence for almost 30 seconds. The 81-year-old Republican needed to be escorted from the lectern, and an aide to the senator advised USA TODAY on the time McConnell “felt mild headed and stepped away for a second” however was “sharp” upon his return.
McConnell is the oldest serving celebration chief in Senate historical past. He has fallen at least three times this 12 months, a supply near McConnell advised USA TODAY. He suffered a concussion and damaged ribs after a fall in March, and political observers questioned if he would attend the outside occasion over the weekend within the scorching and muggy climate, the Louisville Courier Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported.
McConnell is not the one lawmaker whose well being has fueled questions in latest weeks. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., final month mistakenly began studying an announcement throughout a listening to and needed to be prompted a number of instances to vote. She returned to Washington earlier this 12 months after she was hospitalized with shingles in March.