CNN: Scott Jennings Shares Bold Mitch McConnell Update on Kasie Hunt’s Show

Scott Jennings no longer seems quite so confident that Senator Mitch McConnell will return to work before the Senate reconvenes later this month, despite his previous claims to the contrary.

The conservative commentator appeared on CNN’s The Arena with Kasie Hunt on Wednesday (September 2), where Hunt asked him for an update on McConnell, who hasn’t been seen in public for over 80 days. Jennings, who previously claimed to have shared phone calls with McConnell, said he hasn’t spoken to the Kentucky Republican in “a couple of weeks.”

“I haven’t spoken to him for several days, just to be clear. I know he’s at home. I know he’s still doing his recovery,” Jennings stated. “The Senate goes back in on the 14th of September. I know they’re fighting to get him back to work. I know he wants to go back to work, and I know he wants to finish his term, and it’s his intention to do so.”

McConnell has been the subject of speculation since he was hospitalized on June 14 and has gone weeks without a public appearance. In July, the senator’s team sent an email update on his health, along with a photo of McConnell sitting upright in a hospital bed with his wife, former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, by his side.

Despite the update, McConnell still hasn’t spoken publicly about his condition or when he intends to return to work.

Jennings previously told Hunt that he expects McConnell to be back on the Senate floor by September 14 but he’s no longer as bullish on that prediction.

“There’s two weeks between now when the Senate goes back,” he said on Wednesday’s show. “The man’s a fighter. Overcoming polio proves that, and so my thoughts and prayers are with him. I hope he comes back to work. And there’s some big, big issues coming up later this fall.”

Hunt pressed Jennings on when exactly he last contacted McConnell. “It’s been several days, a couple weeks,” Jennings said.

“Several days? A couple weeks? That’s a long… sorry,” Hunt replied.

“I’m trying to be precise; it’s been a couple weeks since I spoke with him,” Jennings added. “His intention is to finish his term, and his intention is to hopefully go back to work.”

Hunt then asked Jennings if the White House should be saying more about McConnell’s situation.

“I think between now and the 14th, they need to tell the people of Kentucky his intentions on going back to the Senate floor,” the MAGA supporter stated. “There’s things coming up that are important to the people of Kentucky. So yes, I think between now and the 14th, they need to make clear their intentions about what his capabilities are going to be when the Senate goes back into its session.”