McConnell says he’s ‘fine’ after freezing during remarks

By Manu Raju and Morgan Rimmer | CNN

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters that he’s “fine,” after freezing during a news conference on Wednesday.

McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, stopped speaking in the middle of remarks at his regularly scheduled weekly news conference on Capitol Hill. After a 30-second pause, his colleagues crowded around to see if he was OK and asked him how he felt. GOP Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming was seen gripping McConnell’s arm and whispered to him, “Hey Mitch, anything else you want to say? Or should we just go back to your office? Do you want to say anything else to the press?”

He said nothing, and was led away from the press conference and towards his office by an aide. He returned to the news conference a few minutes later.

McConnell, asked by CNN what happened and if it is related to his fall earlier this year, said “No, I’m fine,” and then moved on to other reporters.

A McConnell aide said that the senator “felt light headed and stepped away for a moment.”

“He came back to handle Q and A, which as everyone observed was sharp,” the aide said.

McConnell, 81, has faced questions over his health after suffering a concussion and broken ribs from a fall he endured earlier this year. He was hospitalized and forced to go to rehab for several weeks before returning to the Senate in the spring.