CNN’s Kasie Hunt Challenges Scott Jennings To Get Ailing McConnell on the Phone: ‘You Think He’d Be Willing?’

CNN’s Kasie Hunt put network contributor Scott Jennings on the spot on Tuesday and challenged him to get Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) on the phone amid the senator’s health battle.

Jennings joined Hunt’s panel on The Arena, where he spoke about a call he had with McConnell earlier after the senator, 84, was hospitalized after being found unconscious in his home on June 14. The senator hasn’t been seen in weeks, but multiple allies, including Jennings, have said they’ve spoken to him by phone.

“I spoke to my old friend Mitch McConnell this morning, the senior Senator from Kentucky. He’s still recovering in the hospital. We talked for just shy of 20 minutes … about IRAN, UKRAINE, the unfolding situation in MAINE, my visit to the TR Presidential Library, and even a little bit of Senate history. I told him we want to see him back at work as soon as possible,” Jennings wrote on X earlier on Tuesday.

Wrapping up a segment on McConnell, Hunt asked Jennings whether McConnell would be willing to call into the show.

“As we wrap up here, do you think he’d be willing to call into the show? Could we get him on the phone now?” Hunt asked.

Jennings laughed off the request.

He said:

I wasn’t really expecting him to call this morning, to be honest so when the phone rang and I was able to talk to him, I was frankly pretty grateful. I mean, as I said, I’ve known him since I was a teenager. If it hadn’t been for Mitch McConnell and the McConnell Center at the University of Louisville, you know, I would never have been able to go to college. He’s been my mentor, and he changed the trajectory of my life.

So, you know, when things happen to him and happen to people in your life that you really care about, you just sort of naturally feel extremely worried. So when I heard his voice today, and he was clearly keeping up with stuff, that made me happy to hear from him because like everybody else, I’ve been, you know, somewhat in the dark about it, but to hear him talking and to know that he’s also talking to the Senate leadership, it made me pretty happy.

Hunt asked Jennings whether McConnell’s team should be more transparent by releasing photos and further information about the senator’s condition.

“I sometimes wonder, like, if I were laying in a hospital bed, would I want a bunch of people around photographing me? Probably not. Particularly if I were an 84-year-old person who’s normally private about his health. Probably not. But, look, I take the criticism. I think it’s a fair question about transparency. I think it’s a fair question about whether they’ve done enough. But ultimately, these office holders, you know, they’re in charge of their own operations,” Jennings said.

Hunt requested a McConnell phone call once more before ending the segment, to which Jennings only offered a chuckle again.

“We’ll let him know. Our phone lines are open here at The Arena should he wish to call in,” she said.

“Long time listener, first time caller,” Jennings joked.

Watch above via CNN.

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