Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said he received calls from two different agencies suggesting U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell had died before the senator was released from the hospital on July 12, speaking in an interview with Katie Couric posted to YouTube on July 15.
In the interview, Beshear explained that the lack of public information about McConnell’s condition fueled widespread speculation. “It had been a month before anything had been put out, not even an official statement from Senator McConnell,” Beshear said. “In fact, I’d gotten two calls from different agencies — not state agencies — suggesting he’s passed.” Beshear did not identify which agencies contacted him or provide additional details about when the calls occurred.
McConnell, 84, was hospitalized on June 14 following a fall at his home in Washington, D.C. His office released minimal information during the month-long hospitalization, prompting questions from both political leaders and the public. Beshear has repeatedly called for greater transparency, saying public officials have a responsibility to reassure the people they serve. In his office’s first official statement on July 12, McConnell said he was briefly unconscious from the fall and that medical evaluation showed he had no fractures, cardiac abnormalities, stroke, tumor, or hemorrhage. He also disclosed that he developed pneumonia early in his hospitalization but recovered from it “quickly” with antibiotic treatment.
McConnell left the hospital and entered a physical rehabilitation center to regain strength. McConnell is alive and recovering in rehab, according to his office. Beshear later said the July 12 update was “a step in the right direction” but added that Kentucky voters “deserve to see a little bit more and hear a little bit more” about the senator’s condition.
Sources
- WHAS11 — Beshear’s statement about receiving calls from agencies suggesting McConnell had passed, and context on McConnell’s hospitalization and release.
- The Courier-Journal — Beshear’s interview with Katie Couric and McConnell’s July 12 statement on his condition and medical evaluation.
- USA Today — McConnell’s recovery in rehabilitation and disclosure of pneumonia diagnosis.
- The New York Times — McConnell’s entry into physical rehabilitation center after leaving the hospital.
