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'VERY BITTER GUY'

Trump Appears to Cast Doubt That Mitch McConnell Had Polio

The senator is a childhood polio survivor who credits his recovery to life-saving vaccines.

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 10: U.S. President Donald Trump arrives at the US Capitol to attend the Republicans weekly policy luncheon on March 10, 2020 in Washington, DC. He is flanked by (L-R) Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, Vice President Mike Pence and Republican Policy Committee Chairman Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO).(Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

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By Julia Ornedo

It seems President Donald Trump is unaware of a key fact about Republican linchpin Mitch McConnell. The Kentucky senator survived polio after contracting the disease at age 2 and credits vaccines with saving his life. It was one of the reasons McConnell voted against vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s successful confirmation as health secretary on Thursday. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump seemed oblivious to McConnell’s history with polio. “I don’t know anything about he had polio,” Trump said. CNN’s Kaitlan Collins proceeded to ask the president, “Are you doubting that he had polio?” Trump responded with a rant against McConnell. “I have no idea if he had polio. All I can tell you about him is that he shouldn’t have been leader,” he said. “He voted against Bobby [Kennedy]. He votes against almost everything now. He’s a very bitter guy.” Trump went on to say that McConnell had “lost his power” over the Republican party, which he described as “very strong.”

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Julia Ornedo
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