Opinion: McConnell Should Return to Senate Soon, Columnist Says
Listen to the story
Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has become the subject of public concern about his health. A newspaper columnist named Gerth has written an opinion piece arguing that McConnell should return to the Senate soon if strength is the real problem.
The concern grew after a resurfaced video appeared, showing McConnell looking almost motionless on the Senate floor. The video was taken before an earlier hospitalization. It has raised questions about his ability to keep working.
Rand Paul, another senator from Kentucky, has also spoken about McConnell's expected return to the Senate. His comments came as part of wider discussion about McConnell's condition, which was covered in a segment called "Kentucky Edition."
The opinion piece suggests that if McConnell's difficulties are mainly about physical strength, then returning to work could actually help clear up public doubts. Gerth's argument is that a quick return would put an end to ongoing rumors about McConnell's health.
McConnell has served in the Senate for many years and is a well-known figure in American politics. His recent health issues have drawn attention from journalists and fellow lawmakers alike. The public and media continue to watch closely for updates on when he will officially return to his duties in the Senate.
Vocabulary10 words
- senator
- a person who works in an important part of government
- columnist
- a person who writes opinion pieces for a newspaper
- opinion
- what one person thinks about something, not a fact
- Senate
- an important group that makes laws in the United States
- resurfaced
- appeared again after being hidden or forgotten
- motionless
- not moving at all
- hospitalization
- a period of time spent in a hospital
- rumor
- information that people talk about but is not certain
- lawmaker
- a person who helps make new laws
- condition
- the state of a person's health
Quiz
Answer key
1. A video showed him almost motionless before a hospitalization 2. McConnell should return soon if strength is the problem 3. True
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has become the subject of public concern about his _____. A newspaper columnist named Gerth has written an _____ piece arguing that McConnell should _____ to the Senate soon if strength is the real problem.
The concern grew after a _____ video appeared, showing McConnell looking almost _____ on the Senate floor. The video was taken before an earlier _____. It has raised questions about his ability to keep working.
Rand Paul, another senator from Kentucky, has also spoken about McConnell's expected _____ to the Senate.
The opinion piece suggests that if McConnell's difficulties are mainly about physical _____, then returning to work could actually help clear up public doubts.
McConnell has served in the Senate for many years and is a well-known figure in American politics. The public and media continue to watch closely for updates on when he will officially _____ to his duties.
Discussion questions
- Do you think public figures should share details about their health? Why or why not?
- How important is physical strength for doing a job like being a senator?
- Why might a video like this cause public concern, even without more information?
- What responsibilities do journalists have when reporting on a politician's health?
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