And now to a
story that we
are following out of Kentucky,
where Senate
Minority Leader Mitch
McConnell appeared to freeze again
while he was speaking with reporters
this happened about a month ago as well.
You may remember that
he just suddenly stopped
speaking during a news conference
there on Capitol Hill.
Late last month.
CNN's Manu Raju is following this.
Manu, tell us what happened.
Yeah.
After that initial freezing episode,
back in July,
the Senate then recess went back
and senators went back
home, including Senator McConnell.
Since then,
he has been traveling across the state,
giving speeches
and events like he did today
in Covington, Kentucky,
where he spoke
to a local chamber of commerce.
He's talking about a wide range of issues
and taking some questions from the crowd.
Then afterwards,
he had a press conference
with reporters,
and at that point,
he was asked a question
about whether he would run for reelection
in 20, 26
and similar to that episode in July.
Again, freezed for about 30 seconds
Sorry, I had a hard time here.
That's okay.
What are your thoughts on running
for reelection in 2020.
Sort of my thoughts about what
running for reelection in 20
Did you hear the question Senator.
Running for reelection in 20, 26.
Yes.
All right.
I'm sorry.
You all were going to need a minute.
Senator Bunning
had a sizable
those
Okay.
Somebody else have a question, please.
Speak up.
Now.
The 81 year old McConnell has had other
health episodes
this year, notably in March,
when he was at a Washington hotel.
And then he fell.
He hit
his head, had a concussion, broke ribs,
was hospitalized
for some time, had to recover
at a rehab facility,
came back to the Senate.
Since then, he
there also been two other
falling episodes
that we have reported that occurred
as well, one in Finland,
also another one at Reagan
National Airport here in Washington.
And when that episode happened in July,
I asked him whether or not
this was related at all
to that fall
that happened in March,
this freezing episode.
He said he felt fine
and his office at the time
said he was lightheaded
and they moved on.
But again, undoubtedly,
this will raise questions
about Senator McConnell's future.
He's the longest serving
party leader in history.
He has indicated
he will continue to serve
to the rest of this Congress,
uncertain
what will happen in the next Congress
or if he'll run again in 20, 26.
Guys,
listen, we should acknowledge
it's extremely difficult to watch,
difficult to watch, as difficult to watch
as the episode in July.
Anybody with an elderly relative
might have experienced
something similar here as you mentioned.
This is not
the first time
beyond these two incidences of him
freezing on camera, there was a fall.
There are other instances
you have asked
his team about
Has the answer been the same throughout?
Is there any acknowledgment
that this is now
I suppose you could call a pattern
of these events happening,
or do they just say he's
tired and try to move on?
Well, a
McConnell aide did tell me this afternoon
after this incident
that that leader would, in fact,
see a doctor get some,
as they said,
get for a, quote, prudential measure
or try to see
a physician
called a consult with a physician.
But the same aide said that he feels fine
so there is an expectation
that sometime today
he will get checked out by a doctor.
A spokesman also said
Leader McConnell felt
momentarily lightheaded
and paused
during his press conference today.
And that is a similar explanation.
As we heard back in July,
his office at the time
said he was lightheaded.
Republicans later told me that
the leader indicated he was dehydrated
And that's
what essentially had been
that there was a reason for that pause.
So uncertain
what the doctor will tell him
this afternoon.
But again,
and unnerving episodes, a leader again
appearing to freeze
and answering questions
to reporters, this time in Kentucky.
Guys,
certainly as Manu Raju live for us
from the Capitol. Thank you so much.