A month of silence from Mitch McConnell’s office has left Kentucky’s governor unwilling to accept another written statement as an answer.
Andy Beshear told Newsweek on Monday that a press release wasn’t going to cut it anymore.
“While our office has not yet received a response from the Senator or his office, his public statement offered a needed update that the people of Kentucky deserved,” he said.
He wasn’t asking for much beyond proof that McConnell could still do the job. “Moving forward, the Senator should show he can meaningfully engage in his elected position through interviews, videos or other means that can provide additional reassurance to our constituents.”
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The request had been on the table for a while.
Beshear had already written to McConnell’s office on July 8, nearly three weeks into the hospitalization, making the same appeal in writing.
“As Governor, I request that you fully update Kentuckians regarding the current status of your health. As public office holders, we have made a commitment to our constituents to do our best to represent them and to always be transparent. I believe this requires clear communication about one’s ability to serve.”
He’d already been making that case in public too.
Days earlier, Beshear compared the situation to his criticism of how the previous administration handled President Joe Biden’s health. “I publicly and privately urged the last administration to address the public’s concerns with the former president’s health. I’m calling on Sen. McConnell to do the same and provide voters an update on his own health. Let’s end the crazy speculation. Just tell us what’s going on.”
A day later, McConnell’s office finally offered a fuller explanation.
The statement said a fall on June 14 left him briefly unconscious before doctors diagnosed him with a mild case of pneumonia. Since then, he’s been transferred from the hospital to a rehabilitation facility.
McConnell’s own statement struck a patient but determined tone.
“As much as it frustrates me, this process takes time. And on the advice of my doctors, I won’t be able to return to the Senate floor to vote quite yet. But rest assured that, in the meantime, I’m not taking a break from the Senate business that matters to you.”
He also stressed that he has been following every recommendation from his medical team.
“I can assure you that I’ve been a good patient. At my age, I tend to do what my doctors tell me to do. I’ve submitted to every test they can think of to help figure out what caused this incident. And I’m continuing to do everything they ask to speed my recovery. In fact, with signs of continued progress, I’ve been able to move from hospital care to a rehabilitation center where I’ll keep regaining my strength.” The statement arrived with a photo of McConnell standing beside his wife, Elaine Chao.
Even so, not everyone feels the update answered every question.
Indiana Republican Rep. Marlin Stutzman said on NewsNation last week that he still hadn’t heard from McConnell personally. He argued that Republicans owe their longtime colleague the same level of scrutiny because, at the end of the day, he still represents an entire state.
Featured image via Political Tribune Gallery
