July 22, 2026: Is Mitch Dead Today?
Greetings, fellow death watchers! Here’s some news for Wednesday, July 22. There’s been no further proof of life, and no one in KY politics, US politics more generally, or anyone else for that matter seems to have any clue whether or not Mitch is dead.
If I tried to post all of the coverage by the Daily Beast (which, at least in terms of “stories” covering Mitch seems to be the Hourly Beast), I’d be here all afternoon. But here are a few headlines from ye olde beastie as published on 7/22: Bombshell Poll Rocks McConnell’s Health Cover-Up (Martha McHardy); McConnell’s Kentucky Republicans Confronted on Disappearance (Sarah Ewall-Wice)
Huffpo’s Ben Blanchet’s “James Carville Isn't Having It With The 'Glee' Around Mitch McConnell's Health Issues” outlines Carville’s indignation over our supposed glee. Carville says, “Let me be clear. I don’t want anybody to get sick, OK? I just don’t . . . not Lindsey Graham, not Mitch McConnell, not even Donald Trump, OK?”
OK guys? LET HIM BE CLEAR ALREADY!
2. Rand Paul, seen below after cutting his hair with a Flowbee, tells Fox News that he had had no direct contact with his fellow KY senator: “Sen. Paul, who has served alongside Sen. McConnell since 2011, has not spoken with the 84-year-old senator since before his hospitalization in June. But he is hopeful to see McConnell back on Capitol Hill in the near future.
I’m kidding about the Flowbee. Paul wishes he had hair to Flowbee, but all he’s got is this toupee that clearly was used to wash a car before he put it on.
‘We wish him well, we hope he gets back soon, but I don’t have anything more than that. I haven’t had a personal conversation with him,” Paul says in an interview with FOX19 NOW. “I expect he’ll be back - if there’s an important vote - maybe even as soon as next week he’ll be back, we’ll see.’
Paul tells us he has been reading public reports to stay up to date on McConnell’s health.”
What PUBLIC REPORTS? Those made by randos like me? Shesh.
3. McKenna Horsley, who writes for the Kentucky Lantern, covers some of the hinderances to Beshear’s ability to do anything about the situation, despite calls that he do SOMETHING. ANYTHING. Her piece is quite insightful and lays out the political and legal options available to Beshear. “‘People who watch Kentucky politics closely understand that the chance Beshear could find a way to get a Democrat into that Senate seat is very low,’ [Political scientist Stephen] Voss said. “Beshear’s biggest problem with these Democratic voters and how he’s handling the situation is their ignorance.’
To begin with, legal experts say, Beshear has no authority to take any action on McConnell’s seat until the senator has resigned or died. “
So is Mitch dead? There’s no proof that he isn’t, but there’s even less proof, perhaps, that he’s alive.