Mitch McConnell froze at the podium for almost 20 seconds while delivering his opening statement at a leadership press conference Wednesday afternoon.
The Senate Minority Leader was speaking on the defense authorization bill when he stopped mid-sentence and stared straight ahead without an uttering another word.
Senator Joni Ernst was standing by his side and touched his arm, asking, “Are you good, Mitch?”
Senator John Barrasso, a doctor, put his hand on McConnell’s other arm, and asked, “Anything else you want to say? Let’s go back to your office,” Barrasso suggested. “Do you want to say anything else to the press? Let’s go back.”
McConnell seemed reluctant, but one of his aides led him down the hall to his office. He returned before the other senators had finished speaking.