Biden says he has no concerns about McConnell’s health after speaking to him

by Brett Samuels - 08/31/23 2:33 PM ET

President Biden said he is not concerned about Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) ability to serve, one day after McConnell froze up during a public event in Kentucky.

“I spoke to him today,” Biden told reporters during a visit to Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters. “He was his old self on the telephone.”

Biden suggested McConnell’s issues were not unusual given the senator had a concussion earlier this year.

Asked if he had any concerns about McConnell’s ability to do his job, Biden said, “No, I don’t.”

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Biden, who will turn 81 in November, has worked with McConnell, who is 81, for decades, dating back to their time in the Senate together.

During a gaggle Wednesday in Covington, Ky., a reporter asked McConnell for his thoughts about running for reelection in 2026.

The Senate GOP leader twice asked the reporter to repeat the question, then responded, “That’s a,” before freezing and looking ahead for roughly 30 seconds, according to video of the episode.

At one point during the freeze-up, an aide walked up to McConnell and asked, “Did you hear the question, senator, running for reelection in 2026?” McConnell replied with a word that was inaudible. His team later attributed the incident to lightheadedness.

Wednesday’s episode came just more than a month after McConnell, during his weekly press conference in the Capitol, froze up while fielding questions from reporters. During that incident, he stared straight ahead without saying anything for nearly 20 seconds before being escorted away from the press conference.

McConnell’s doctor said in a letter released Thursday that the senator was cleared to continue with his schedule as planned.

Tags Joe Biden Mitch McConnell