Frail Mitch McConnell Is Dramatically Wheeled Back to Senate
Evan Vucci / Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast/Reuters Mitch McConnell was dramatically wheeled out of his home and taken to the Senate on Monday afternoon—92 days after he was last seen alive.
He was carried backwards out of his Capitol Hill town house in a wheelchair by aides, and briefly raised his hand.
But he did not speak as he was loaded into a wheelchair-adapted minivan and driven away.
He lives a block from the Capitol building.
The Kentucky senator was moved in time for the Senate’s first vote since early August, arriving in the Capitol itself shortly after.
He had previously missed 60 votes in the Senate since he was hospitalized.
McConnell’s wife Elaine Chao was absent, but he was accompanied by his $226,000-a-year chief of staff, Terry Carmack.
When he reached the floor of the Senate, he was approached by Republican senator John Barrasso, who as well as being the second most senior Republican, is a physician.
Returning Democratic senator Dick Durbin also approached him, shook his hand, and said “welcome back.” McConnell was moved at almost the same moment as his X account posted a new statement saying, “Today, I’ll cast my first Senate vote since I took a bad fall back in June.
My recovery has been a long and often frustrating process, and the lingering effects of childhood polio haven’t made it any easier.
I’m still not quite back to 100%, but I’ve assured [Senate Majority] Leader [John] Thune that, as I continue with physical therapy on the advice of my doctors, I will do my best to be present for tough votes when our Conference needs me.” He appeared thinner and even frailer than before, and was wearing orthopedic running shoes.
The 84-year-old senator’s appearance 92 days after he vanished from public view came as the Senate returned from its five-week August recess.
For weeks, the Kentucky senator’s team has refused to provide updates on his recovery since he was rushed to the hospital on June 14.
Up until he showed up inside the U.S.
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