Mitch McConnell has personally telephoned several senior Republicans from his hospital bed after leaked emergency dispatch audio and online speculation prompted fresh questions about the veteran senator's health.
The 84-year-old Kentucky Republican has spoken with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Senate Republican Whip John Barrasso and former adviser Scott Jennings in recent days, according to their offices and public statements, as rumours circulated online suggesting his condition was far more serious than publicly disclosed.