After being hospitalized on June 14, the 84-year-old Republican Kentucky senator hasn’t been seen in public or spoken with reporters. He’s released two photos as something of proof of life in the meantime. Since July, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear has pushed for McConnell to serve in his elected office or resign.
“As Governor of the state you serve, I am calling on you to directly and verbally address the people of Kentucky and provide proof of your capacity to serve, or resign,” Beshear wrote in a letter to McConnell then.
Just yesterday (Sept.9), Beshear was insisting that McConnell take responsibility and address the public directly. In his “Team Kentucky Update,” Beshear said McConnell “owes an explanation to the American people” if he doesn’t show up on Capitol Hill next week.
King, an avid follower of politics who frequently bemoans the Trump presidency, took to X yesterday to just straight up publicly ask what everyone is thinking.
“! Is Mitch McConnell alive or dead?” the 78-year-old Misery author wrote. King’s question was met with a slew of responses, many of them scathing memes.
“That depends on your definition of the former and the latter,” one fan joked. “He was buried in the Pet Semetary friend. You created the damn thing,” referring to one of King’s most famous works. “I haven’t been able to tell for years,” fellow author Joe Lansdale quipped.
The memes fans posted included references to the film The Sixth Sense (if you know, you know) and a decidedly macabre workstation for McConnell.
However, one King fan was inspired by the situation and landed what might be the top comment.
“I swear, if you don’t write a novel about a Senator who governs for more than 2 years after being deceased, I’m gonna be really disappointed,” they wrote.
Meanwhile, Stephen King is very much alive. His next novel (with the late Peter Straub), Other Worlds Than These, drops in the heart of spooky season on Oct. 6.