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Mitch McConnell is finally back at the U.S. Capitol.
Unfortunately for anyone hoping that the Kentucky senator’s return would put an end to the mystery surrounding his health, the 84-year-old Republican’s brief appearance on Monday only raised more questions.
McConnell returned to the Senate on September 14 after spending roughly three months away following a fall at his Washington, D.C., home that left him briefly unconscious.
He was subsequently hospitalized and treated for pneumonia before spending weeks in rehabilitation.
McConnell was discharged in August, and it was initially unclear if he would be able to return to the Senate.
And while McConnell was technically back at work, there was one particularly strange detail about his return:
The public had not heard his voice in 92 days.
That changed — somewhat — when McConnell spoke briefly to reporters outside the Senate chamber.
The longtime Republican power broker appeared frail and was using a wheelchair.
His voice was noticeably slower and sometimes faltered as he joked with reporters about whether anyone would still be waiting around to question him after his lengthy absence.
“I must admit. After two years — decades, actually — dodging your questions, I wasn’t sure how many of you would be here today,” McConnell said. “But I’m glad to see you. Time to get back to work, finish the job for this Congress.”
That was about as much access as the press received.
McConnell’s return came after weeks of speculation about his condition, fueled in part by the limited information coming from his office. During his absence, he released occasional updates and photos, but there had been no public video or audio confirming how he was actually doing.
His staff also appeared determined to keep the first day of his return tightly controlled.
McConnell was photographed in a hallway outside the Senate chamber, an area where reporters generally cannot record video except during certain leadership events. HuffPost reporter Jennifer Bendery suggested that McConnell’s staff may have been deliberately avoiding opportunities for the press to capture him on camera.
McConnell himself acknowledged that he isn’t completely recovered.
In a statement released Monday, he said he is “still not quite back to 100%” and explained that the lingering effects of childhood polio have complicated his recovery. Still, he promised Senate Majority Leader John Thune that he would do his best to show up for important votes while continuing physical therapy.
McConnell has already announced that he will retire from the Senate when his current term ends in January 2027.
So, after more than three months of silence, Mitch McConnell is speaking again.
Whether Americans will be hearing much more from him remains another question entirely.
Is Mitch McConnell Able to Speak? Senator’s First Apperance In 92 Days Raises … was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.