Conservative broadcaster Scott Jennings has crashed out over the reappearance of Sen. Mitch McConnell.
The 84-year-old Kentucky Republican finally returned to the halls of Capitol Hill on Monday, in a wheelchair, after an absence of 92 days.
McConnell raised eyebrows after releasing only two proof-of-life photographs after being hospitalized on June 14, leading to growing concerns over the senatorās health.
Jennings, one of his key allies, said he spoke with McConnell by phone several times as speculation about his condition grew.
After McConnell reemerged on Monday, Jennings shared an X post from the senator explaining his absence and saying he was ānot quite back to 100 percent.ā The CNN host added the āRyan Howard Taking Notesā meme to his post.
The meme originated from an episode of TV comedy The Office, where the character Ryan Howard says, āIām keeping a list of everybody who wrongs me.ā It is used online to represent a spite list, a grudge, or to note petty grievances.
Jennings then shared another post, adding, āOh look McConnell voted tonight and was the deciding vote to move ahead with one of Trumpās judicial nominees.ā
The Daily Beast has reached out to Jennings for comment.
The 48-year-old met McConnell as a teenager in Kentucky and later worked for him as a political adviser.
The CNN host said McConnell called him on the morning of July 7, and they spoke for around 20 minutes.
He was challenged to call McConnell live on CNN at least three times, but declined.
Jennings also said he had spoken to the senator on Aug. 11, and that he was undergoing rehab at home. He added that he expected McConnell to rejoin the Senate on Sept. 14 when it returns from break.
āItās pretty simple. An 84-year-old man whoās at the end of his term had a health issue. Heās recovering from it. Heās trying to get back to work. I expect he will get back to work,ā Jennings said.
McConnellās Monday reappearance did little to ease concerns of his health, however. He appeared thinner and more frail than before, while other senators did most of the talking during his brief time on the Senate floor.
Last month, Jennings was on CNNās Newsnight when Caroline Sunshine, a Disney Channel actress-turned-White House spokesperson for Donald Trump in 2018, threw doubt on the claims he had spoken to McConnell.
āI donāt believe you had a phone call with Mitch McConnell, Iāll tell you that,ā Sunshine told Jennings. āI donāt believe you had a 20-minute phone call with Mitch McConnell, and I donāt think a lot of people do, either.ā
Earlier this month, Jennings said he had not spoken to McConnell for āa couple of weeks.ā
āI know heās at home. I know heās still doing his recovery. The Senate goes back in on the 14th of September. I know theyāre 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 itās his intention to do so,ā Jennings said on CNN.
