On Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell brushed off questions about his health . As The Hill journalist Scott Wong reported via Twitter , the top Republican was asked by a reporter if he is feeling well, but he ignored the question.
After the reporter asked whether there is an issue voters should be aware of, McConnell said “of course not.”
What prompted the question were recent photos of the majority leader.
Dozens of photos taken by Capitol Hill photographers appear to show the Kentucky senator with what seem to be bruises all over his hands and arms, and even on his face.
“Uhhhhh look at this picture of Mitch McConnell’s hands,” The Nation writer Annie Shields tweeted , attaching two photographs taken by The Associated Press.
The photos show that the senator’s hands seem to be heavily bruised. He is also seen wearing a patch on his thumb, and another one on his fist.
CBS News correspondent Kathryn Watson noted via Twitter that she has no information about McConnell’s condition, but suggested that the 78-year-old Republican may be on blood thinners.
“Yikes. McConnell’s hand,” political activist Amy Siskind wrote in a tweet , posting a zoomed-in picture of McConnell’s hand. The photo, like many others, appeared to show severe bruising.
In a tweet , the fact-checking website Snopes pointed out that neither McConnell nor any member of his office have publicly explained what is the cause of apparent discoloring and bruising, or even commented on the situation.
Vox reporter Aaron Rupar posted two photographs taken by Getty Images photographers, pointing to the senator’s apparently discolored skin.
I hope Mitch McConnell isn’t in poor health but his hands look gnarly (images from Getty) pic.twitter.com/2vXuqsbliw
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 22, 2020
“Maybe a doctor can tell us what is going on with Mitch’s health?” CNN contributor John W. Dean tweeted .
In a tweet , journalist Laurie Garrett wrote that the top Republican’s skin seems “swollen, red, and dotted with bandaids,” adding that it remains unclear whether he has any serious health issues.
“Without further info it’s hard to tell what’s going on. Typically, such acute swelling indicates cardiovascular issues,” she noted.
“This *is* odd. What the heck is going on,” author Steve Silberman asked in a Twitter message.
“This is really bizarre. Consensus in the comments is maybe on blood thinners. Is that what it is?” writer Anne Wheaton tweeted .
McConnell has long been one of President Donald Trump’s key allies in Congress.
He has, however, opposed Trump and Democrats’ efforts to pass another stimulus bill amid the coronavirus pandemic, repeatedly stating that his Senate would prefer a much smaller aid package.