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The prolonged public absence of Mitch McConnell has spawned increasingly credible conspiracy theories that he has died.
Some believe that he may be being kept “alive” via machine to wait out the August 3 deadline for a special election.
His constituents deserve answers. So do the rest of the American people.
But this video of him being loaded into an ambulance and rushed to the hospital is not exactly reassuring.
He did not enter the ambulance under his own power
CNN has obtained a video from one of McConnell’s neighbors.
The footage, which dates to Sunday, June 14, shows emergency responders removing the former Senate Majority Leader from his home on a stretcher.
As the video continues, they work with all due haste to place him on the back of the ambulance.
Though McConnell is covered by a blanket and his face does not appear on camera, one bare foot does poke out from beneath the covers.
Two ambulances, a fire truck, and Capitol Police all filled the street, causing the commotion that prompted the neighbor to investigate — and film.
To be clear, the neighbor was not able to confirm with first responders whether or not it was McConnell on the stretcher.
The individual did ask, but received no response.
(It would not be great if Capitol Police identified patients.)
However, the neighbor spoke with an eyewitness who had confirmed seeing McConnell’s face.
Notably, McConnell’s office would go on to issue a statement confirming that he had been admitted to the hospital that morning — without sharing further details of import.
What is this really about?
In the weeks that have followed (more than three, at this point), the claim that McConnell is alive and well has come under a lot of scrutiny.
The 84-year-old politician has not spoken to the public.
Several Republican lawmakers have claimed to have spoken to him, often for extended conversations. However, no credible individuals have confirmed that he is even alive, let alone conscious.
Some believe that he may be brain-dead but on life support. If he remains “alive” (on paper, at least) until August 3, Kentucky can avoid a special election.
Even Kentucky’s governor is asking for real answers.
Critics have accused those responsible for this of elder abuse.
Certainly, it would be cruel to keep someone barely alive simply to avoid a political procedure.
Others have argued that, given his political history, having his barely-not-a-corpse body used as a political prop in order to circumvent the democratic process is exactly what McConnell would have wanted.
Ultimately, however, this isn’t about McConnell. It’s about his constituents in Kentucky. It’s also about the American people, who are missing a Senator.
If McConnell is dead, he leaves a legacy of brutal political strategies that undercut democracy and paved the way for Donald Trump to seize power, however much the two may dislike each other. If he is alive … surely he could just call in to a news network and say hi, right?
Mitch McConnell Hauled Onto Ambulance in Chilling Video Prior to Prolonged … was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.