Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell revealed on Saturday he had a phone conversation with President Donald Trump, who is still in the hospital with COVID-19. McConnell tweeted about the call in the late afternoon, saying he and Trump talked about “the people’s business.” Many commenters condemned McConnell for continuing to focus on the Supreme Court appointment.
“Just had another great call with [the president]. He sounds well and says he’s feeling good. We talked about the people’s business — fighting the pandemic, confirming Judge Barrett, and strengthening the economy for American families,” McConnell tweeted. “Let’s keep our President & First Lady in our prayers.” McConnell’s tweet got thousands of comments and quotations, with many weighing in on the president’s illness and McConnell’s single-minded focus on the Supreme Court.
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Just had another great call with @POTUS. He sounds well and says he’s feeling good. We talked about the people’s business — fighting the pandemic, confirming Judge Barrett, and strengthening the economy for American families. Let’s keep our President & First Lady in our prayers.
— Leader McConnell (@senatemajldr) October 3, 2020
“This sounds like a real and normal conversation two people had on a Saturday,” one person tweeted, sarcastically. Another added: “I do believe you would do anything to get Barrett in before you get voted out, including propping up Trump in any way necessary.”
Many commenters also questioned McConnell’s health, calling for him to disclose his most recent coronavirus test and show the results online. Some suspected McConnell might have caught COVID-19 during his recent contact with Trump, or other Republicans who have been diagnosed recently. However, there is no evidence to suggest that McConnell is sick.
Trump was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Thursday night, according to the White House, and he announced the diagnosis in the early hours of Friday morning. Along with him, First Lady Melania Trump and senior adviser Hope Hicks have also contracted the coronavirus, and other cases seem to be linked to them as well. That includes Republican senators Mike Lee of Utah, Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin. All were present on Saturday when Trump announces Barrett’s appointment to the Supreme Court at the White House Rose Garden.
There have also been coronavirus cases in the staff at the Cleveland, Ohio venue where the presidential election was held on Tuesday, and within the staffs of Trump’s campaign.
Due to all these diagnoses, McConnell is trying to delay the Senate’s return to session this month, according to a report by The Hill. The Senate is scheduled to return to the capital on Oct. 19, but McConnell wants to extend that by two weeks. Democrats in the U.S. Congress may have a chance to block this attempt.
