McConnell breaks weeks of silence about his hospitalization
· Axios
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) addressed his hospitalization Sunday, following a fall some four weeks ago.
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Why it matters: McConnell's comments are his first public explanation of the hospitalization that fueled weeks of speculation about his health ahead of his planned retirement.
Driving the news: McConnell said in a statement released by his office that he developed "a mild case of pneumonia" while hospitalized after a fall about four weeks ago. He was admitted after sustaining minor injuries in the fall.
- The Office of the Attending Physician said in a separate statement included in the same email that the 84-year-old seven-term senator had experienced several falls this year that were attributed to his post-polio condition.
What he's saying: "My doctors have confirmed that I didn't break any bones or suffer a concussion. I didn't have a heart attack or a stroke," McConnell said.
- "I don't have any tumors or hemorrhages. But I was briefly unconscious and was taken to the hospital. While receiving excellent care over the past several weeks, I've also had to deal with a mild case of pneumonia," he added.
- "And part of my decision to retire at the end of my term this coming January was being honest about the demands of Senate work. But I still have unfinished business to complete on your behalf, and I have every intention of finishing the job you elected me to do."
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional details about McConnell's statement.