These Tweets Have A LOT To Say About Mitch McConnell's First Public Appearance After Months Of Health Speculation
by Alexa Lisitza · BuzzFeedPosted 2 minutes ago
After a months-long absence, Mitch McConnell returned to the Senate this week, and people across the internet expressed surprise over his appearance.
TMZ reporters caught one of the first public sightings of the Kentucky senator in a video that has now been viewed over 22.2 million times on X.
In the clip, McConnell is seen leaving his home in a wheelchair and giving reporters a thumbs-up as aides help him into a van, then buckle his seatbelt for him.
Before the doors close, McConnell is seen staring straight ahead while smiling — an expression netizens have compared to that of someone who has been "lobotomized."
You can watch the scene here.
Responses to the now-viral clip have been loud. Here's what people are saying:
McConnell's absence came following a reported fall and subsequent hospitalization in June. (It also fueled a flurry of internet speculation concerning his health and whereabouts.)
In a statement this week, the 84-year-old said:
"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 Leader 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."