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Why people think Mitch McConnell’s hiding something

The senator may have posted a proof of life photo, but many still want more information.

Mitch McConnell’s mysterious disappearance had everyone going a little wild.

After the Kentucky senator was abruptly hospitalized last month, little information was given on his condition or the cause of it. Politicians and internet conspiracists immediately started to wonder if there was more to the story. Far-right political activist Laura Loomer even went so far as to say he was “brain dead.” Things moved quickly.

It all seemed to come to a head when McConnell’s office shared a proof of life photo on Sunday with an accompanying statement in which the senator explained that he was recovering from a fall and undergoing some physical therapy. He’s smiling and holding the Sunday sports section of the Washington Post. But the image wasn’t enough to quell the questions about his health.

How did McConnell’s whereabouts become such a mystery? Annie Grayer is a senior reporter for CNN, where she has been following and breaking news about McConnell’s health journey. She joined Today, Explained co-host Sean Rameswaram to discuss why his nearly one-month disappearance rocked the country and why the public demanded more information than he gave.

Below is an excerpt of the conversation, edited for length and clarity. There’s much more in the full podcast, so listen to Today, Explained wherever you get podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Pandora, and Spotify.

When did you first hear that something was wrong with the former Senate majority leader?

His team actually put out a statement the day that he was hospitalized on June 14. It was a very short statement and all it said was Sen. McConnell was admitted to the hospital this morning. He is receiving excellent care. That short statement set off a firestorm of trying to figure out more because we learned so little from just that one sentence.

Why does this become a big mystery........

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