For the past week, we’ve heard that Mitch McConnell collapsed in his DC home in June, and he has been hospitalized ever since. Since the news started percolating over the Fourth of July holiday, people have wondered if his Senate office is lying about his condition, especially since everyone seemed incapable of releasing a proof-of-life photo or video. Then, on Friday, CNN got their hands on a neighbor’s video of McConnell being loaded into the ambulance last month, and that led to even more speculation. Well, following Lindsey Graham’s passing on Saturday, McConnell’s office put together this package. A “new photo” of McConnell sitting up and alert with his wife Elaine Choa beside him, and a “personal statement” from McConnell and his attending physician. You guys…

“To my fellow Kentuckians –

“When you elected me to a seventh term and made me our Commonwealth’s longest serving Senator, you did so trusting that I’d keep showing up to fight for you every day. And over the past several weeks, Elaine and I have appreciated both your well wishes and your honest questions about what was keeping me away from the Senate. You all know how folks of my generation often hesitate to share the vulnerability that comes with growing older. Even in the public eye, I feel that same instinct – I can’t help it.

“But at the same time, I’ve had more than my share of experience with physical vulnerabilities. Surviving childhood polio meant spending my entire life with mobility challenges. They haven’t exactly gotten easier to manage with age. And last month, I took a fall which landed me in the hospital.

“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. 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.

“I can assure you that I’ve been a good patient. At my age, I tend to do what my doctors tell me to do. I’ve submitted to every test they can think of to help figure out what caused this incident. And I’m continuing to do everything they ask to speed my recovery. In fact, with signs of continued progress, I’ve been able to move from hospital care to a rehabilitation center where I’ll keep regaining my strength.

“As much as it frustrates me, this process takes time. And on the advice of my doctors, I won’t be able to return to the Senate floor to vote quite yet. But rest assured that, in the meantime, I’m not taking a break from the Senate business that matters to you. I’ve been working closely with my legislative staff on current issues, and with my Kentucky team who help me provide timely constituent services across our Commonwealth. I’ve also been keeping in touch with my Senate colleagues on the appropriations process, midterm politics, and everything in between.

“You’re right to expect your representatives to work hard for you. 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.

“I’ll keep working hard to get back on the Senate floor as soon as possible. And I’ll keep you posted on the progress of my recovery. Until then, I’m so grateful for your prayers and well wishes.”

[From CSPAN]

The Office of the Attending Physician backed up this new story, claiming that McConnell simply fell at home and sustained “minor injuries” but no broken bones or hemorrhage. The problem? Well, many think that the photo is AI and/or manipulated and/or from 2023. The inclusion of the Sunday newspaper is interesting, and while the “newspaper” image is from Sunday, the close-up of the newsprint looks extremely odd. Don’t get me wrong, McConnell could have fallen, and he’s apparently been falling a lot in recent years. But this proof-of-life photo and message stinks to high heaven. And it smells like a rotten turtle.

Photo courtesy of McConnell’s Facebook. Additional photos courtesy of Cover Images.