ANOTHER HEALTH SCARE FOR MITCH
McCONNELL.
THE 81-YEAR-OLD REPUBLICAN
APPEARED TO FREEZE FOR ABOUT 30
SECONDS DURING THE Q&A WITH
REPORTERS IN HIS HOME STATE OF
KENTUCKY YESTERDAY.
WATCH.
>> DID YOU HEAR THE QUESTION
SENATOR?
RUNNING FOR REELECTION IN 2026?
>> I'M SORRY, WE'RE GOING TO
NEED A MINUTE.
>> THIS IS JUST THE LATEST IN A
STRING OF HEALTH-RELATED
UNDERSTANDS FROM MITCH McCONNELL
THIS YEAR.
THAT INCLUDES SEVERAL FALLS AND
A SIMILAR FREEZING EVIDENCE
EPISODE AT THE CAPITOL LAST
MONTH.
IT'S RAISING ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FUTNESS OF
THE 81-YEAR-OLD TO LEAD SENATE
REPUBLICANS.
JOINING US NOW IS DR. SANJAY
GUPTA AND SCOTT JENNINGS.
THAT'S WHERE YOU WANT TO START.
THE CONTRAST OF YESTERDAY REALLY
FEEDS INTO WHAT I HAVE BEEN
HEARING OVER THE COURSE OF THE
LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.
YOU TALK TO PEOPLE AROUND
McCONNELL.
I SPOKE TO THEM LAST NIGHT WHO
SAY OUR INTERACTIONS WE DON'T
SEE STUFF LIKE THIS.
WHICH ALMOST MAKE IT IS MORE
JARRING AND MORE UNSETTLING WHEN
YOU DO.
YESTERDAY WAS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF
THAT.
A COUPLE HOURS LATER, HE WAS AT
A FUNDRAISER FOR A SENATE
CANDIDATE IN INDIANA.
YOU WERE WITH HIM AS WELL
YESTERDAY.
HOW IS HE DOING?
>> HE WAS DOING GREAT LAST
NIGHT.
WHAT'S NOT BEING SHOWN IS 30
SECONDS LATER HE CAME BACK AND
ANSWERED SEVERAL MORE QUESTIONS
FROM REPORTERS AND TOOK OFF.
HE CAME BACK HOME TO LOUISVILLE.
HE MET WITH A GROUP AND ANSWERED
QUESTIONS.
HE WORKED THE CROWD.
AND ON TOP OF IT SHARP AND FULLY
IN COMMAND OF ALL THE POLITICS
AND ISSUES OF THE DAY.
SO I SHOULD ALSO YTELL YOU WHENI
WAS HIM TWO DAY AGO AND WATCHED
HIM GIVE A SPEECH AND ANSWER
SEVERAL QUESTIONS FROM THAT
CROWD.
SO HE'S KEPT UP A ROBUST
SCHEDULE.
SO IT'S REALLY KIND OF BEEN
BUSINESS AS USUAL FOR McCONNELL,
OTHER THAN THIS INCIDENT THAT
HAPPENED THAT YOU SHOWED THE
VIDEO OF.
IT'S BEEN A NORMAL ROBUST
SCHEDULE FOR HIM, FROM MY
PERSPECTIVE AND OBSERVATIONS.
>> TO HEAR HE HAS A ROBUST
SCHEDULE, THAT HE WENT TO A
FUNDRAISER AFTERWARDS, I DON'T
KNOW.
IT JUST SEEMS LIKE HE'S PUSHING
HIMSELF IN A WAY THAT MIGHT BE
PROBLEMATIC.
I WANT TO GET IT SANJAY GUPTA,
OUR RESIDENT DOCTOR HERE.
AS A NEUROSURGEON, WHAT DID YOU
SEE OR MAKE OF WHAT HAPPENED?
>> FIRST OF ALL, WHAT SCOTT IS
DESCRIBING IS REALLY IMPORTANT
TO KNOW BECAUSE WHATEVER THIS
IS, IT COMES AND GOES.
IT SEEMS TO COLT AND GO QUICKLY.
AND IN THE WORLD WHEN YOU'RE
LOOKING AT THE BRAIN, THAT'S AN
IMPORTANT SORT OF CLUE.
WHAT I SAW, AND THIS IS AN
APPROPRIATE TERM HERE, IS THE
TERM FREEZING.
THAT DOES SORT OF DESCRIBE THIS
FREEZING OF HIS BODY, FREEZING
OF HIS SPEECH, FREEZING OF HIS
FACE, HIS HANDS WERE VERY
CLENCHED TO THE SIDE OF THE
LECTERN.
ONE OF HIS AIDS CAME OVER AND
WAS TRYING TO RAISE HIS ARM AND
HE WAS PRETTY LOCKED IN THERE
FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS.
BUT THEN AS SCOTT MENTIONS, A
SHORT TIME LATER, HE SEEMS TO BE
MORE LIUCID AGAIN AND SEEMS TO
IMPROVE.
WHEN HE WALKS OUT OF THE ROOM,
HE'S MOVING HIS ARMS AND LEGS,
WHICH IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE
PEOPLE THINK IS THIS SOL SORT OF
STROKE OR PRECUR SORT TO STROKE.
LESS LIKELY GIVEN HOW QUICKLY
THE RECOVERY HAPPENS.
YOU THINK OF THINGS LIKE A
SEIZURE, A SORT OF MINI SEIZURE
THAT CAN CAUSE THESE SORTS OF
SYMPTOMS OR EVEN CERTAIN
MEDICATIONS OR COMING OFF
MEDICATIONS.
PEOPLE WITH PARKINSON'S WHEN
THEIR MEDICATIONS WANE OFF, THEY
MAY HAVE FREEZING EPISODES.
BUT AGAIN, IT COMES AND GOES.
WHAT IS CURIOUS IS WE HAVE SEEN
IT TWICE.
THE AIDS THAT RUSH TO HIS SIDES,
THEY DIDN'T SEEM SO SORT OF
AFFECTED BY IT.
ALMOST TO THE POINT YOU WONDER
IS THIS SOMETHING THEY ARE MORE
USED TO.
IF THIS WERE THE FIRST TIME IT
HAPPENED, I WOULD SAY YOU HAVE
TO GET TO THE DOCTOR AND FIGURE
OUT IF SOMETHING IS GOING ON
HERE.
THEY DIDN'T SEEM TO REACT THAT
WAY, WHICH WAS ANOTHER IMPORTANT
CLUE.
>> IF YOU SEE THE VIDEO, THE
WOMAN IS SOMEBODY FROM THE EVENT
ITSELF.
THE GENTLEMAN WHO YOU SEE READS
AND UNDERSTANDS THE LEADER QUITE
WELL IS FROM HIS SERVICE DETAIL.
TO WHAT SANJAY IS SAYING, PEOPLE
DON'T SEEM SURPRISED OR UN
UNSETTLED IN THEIR PUBLIC
RESPONSE TO WHAT THEY HAVE SEEN.
IS THAT THE CASE IN McCONNELL
WORLD?
>> THE WOMAN IS ROBIN TAYLOR,
SHE IS McCONNELL'S DIRECTOR.
SHE TRAVELS WITH HIM TO THE
EVENTS.
I SAW HER LAST NIGHT AS WELL.
SHE WAS TELLING ME ABOUT THE
BREAKNECK SCHEDULE FOR THE MONTH
OF AUGUST.
HE'S A NUMBER OF PRESS
INTERACTIONS, SPEECH
INTERACTION, BUT ALSO JUST
PRIVATE MEETINGS.
SHE'S SEEN HIM UP CLOSE ALL
MONTH.
AND HE'S BEEN ER PERFECTLY FINE
AND IN FULL COMMAND OF THE
DUTIES YOU'D EXPECT A SENATOR TO
P.
I THINK SHE WAS WONDERING
TRUTHLY WHETHER HE HAD HEARD THE
QUESTION.
BECAUSE SINCE HE HAD HIS
CONCUSSION, THERE'S BEEN SOME
MOMENTS WHERE HIS HEARING HAS
NOT BEEN QUITE AS GOOD AS IT
USED TO BE.
SO SHE'S GOTTEN USED TO MAKING
SURE SHE HEARD THE QUESTIONS
THAT ARE BEING ASKED.
YOU SAW HER REACTING TO IN THAT
MOMENT.
LAST NIGHT SHE TOLD ME AS SOON
AS THEY GOT BACK IN THE CAR
AFTER THE EVENT, HE WAS A
CHATTER BOX ALL THE WAY FROM
NORTHERN KENTUCKY DOWN TO
LOUISVILLE.
I CAN ATTEST AT THE BANKS EVENT,
HE HAD NO TROUBLE HEARING OR
SPEAKING.
AND NO TROUBLE TELLING EVERYBODY
HOW FOCUSED HE WAS ON WINNING
BACK THE MAJORITY.
IT WAS LIKE NOTHING HAD
HAPPENED.
IT WAS REALLY SOMETHING.
>> I WANT TO ASK HIS OFFICE SAID
THEY PLAN TO SEE A DOCTOR
BETWEEN THE EVENT AND THE
FUNDRAISER YESTERDAY.
DO WE HAVE A SENSE OF WHETHER
THAT HAPPENED OR HOW THINGS WENT
WITH THAT?
>> I DON'T KNOW.
I SUSPECT HE DID, BUT I'M NOT
ABLE TO SPEAK THAT.
>> SCOTT SPOKE OF THE OTHER
THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED
MEDICALLY TO McCONNELL.
HE EXPERIENCED SOME SERIOUS
MAJOR HEALTH ISSUES AND THERE
WAS A FALL.
CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH WHAT HE
WENT THROUGH, AND THIS HAS
HAPPENED OVER THE PAST EIGHT
MONTHS.
WE HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS THINGS
THAT HAVE HAPPENED WITH HIM.
WALK US THROUGH THAT.
>> PREFACE BY SAYING HE DID HAVE
A HISTORY OF POLIO AS A CHILD,
SO HE'S ALWAYS HAD DIFFICULTY
WALKING, IS MY UBSING.
IN 2019, HE HAD SIGNIFICANT
FALL.
I THINK HE DISLOCATED HIS
SHOULDER AT THAT POINT.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE TIMELINE
HERE, THERE'S BEEN SOME PRETTY
SIGNIFICANT EVENTS, A FALL BACK
IN FEBRUARY.
THAT SIGNIFICANT FALL YOU'RE
TALKING ABOUT LED TO A
CONCUSSION AND BROKEN RIBS AND A
HOSPITALIZATION, THAT WAS IN
MARCH.
HE'S HAD THESE EPISODES WHERE
HE'S HAD TROUBLE HEARING
REPORTERS.
IT'S TOUGH TO TELL IF HE LOSES
HIS TRAIN OF THOUGHT OR IF
THAT'S HEARING LOSS.
ANOTHER FALL IN THE MIDDLE OF
JULY, AND THEN THESE TWO
EPISODES NOW ABOUT A MONTH APART
WHERE FREEZING IS THE RIGHT TERM
IN TERMS OF WHAT HAPPENED
LASTING ABOUT 30 SECONDS.
AND AGAIN, AS SCOTT POINTED OUT,
LAST TIME, HE DOES SEEM TO
RECOVER QUICKLY FROM WHATEVER
THIS IS, BUT HE NEEDS TO GET IT
CHECKED OUT AND HAVE A
DIAGNOSIS.
>> SCOTT, POLITICS IS GOING TO
PLAY INTO THIS NO MATTER WHAT
YOU THINK ON A HUMAN LEVEL.
IF THIS SAME THING WOULD HAVE
HAPPENED TO BIDEN DURING A PRESS
CONFERENCE, THERE WOULD HAVE
BEEN AN UPROAR.
DO YOU THINK AGE IS GOING TO
PLAY INTO THE 2024 ELECTION
CYCLE BECAUSE OF WHAT'S
HAPPENING WITH McCONNELL, WITH
DIANNE FEINSTEIN AND PEOPLE
COMING AFTER FOLKS ON THE
REPUBLICAN SIDE, BUT THERE ARE
SOME DEMOCRATS, COMING AFTER
BIDEN FOR HIS AGE.
>> YES, WITHOUT QUESTION.
I THINK JOE BIDEN'S BIGGEST
POLITICAL PROBLEM, THERE WAS A
BIG SURVEY THAT CAME OUT
YESTERDAY ON THIS, IS THE BELIEF
THAT HE IS TOO OLD TO DO THE JOB
OR HE'S NOT UP TO DOING THE JOB.
IT'S A DIFFERENT JOB THAN
SENATOR.
I SHOULD NOTE McCONNELL IS NOT
UP FOR REELECTION UNTIL 2026,
BUT ONE OF JOE BIDEN'S BIGGEST
PROBLEMS IS A PERSISTENT BELIEF
THAT HE SHOULD HAVE NOT RUN
AGAIN OVER HIS AGE.
THAT IS A BELIEF THAT'S HELD BY
A LOT OF DEMOCRATS.
I DO THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL
VOTE FOR HIM BECAUSE THEY DON'T
WANT DONALD TRUMP OR SOME OTHER
REPUBLICAN.
BUT YEAH, IT'S GOING TO BE A BIG
ISSUE.
IT'S ALSO PROBABLY GOING TO
HIGHLIGHT THE ROLE OF THE VICE
PRESIDENT IN THIS NEXT ELECTION.
THAT WILL BE TRUE FOR BOTH
PARTIES IF THE REPUBLICANS
NOMINATE DONALD TRUMP, ALTHOUGH
HE'S BEEN QUITE VIGOROUS.
HE'S NO SPRING CHICKEN EITHER.
SO IN OUR POLITICS, ARE WE
HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT AGE,
ABSOLUTELY.
>> WE SHOULD BE HAVING A
CONVERSATION ABOUT TERM LIMITS.
THAT DOES COME AROUND EVERY NOW
AND THEN.
THANK YOU.
>> THANKS.