Mitch McConnell has become the centre of a bizarre political firestorm after weeks out of public view, with his staff refusing to confirm exactly when he will return to the Senate and critics demanding something as basic as a live appearance to show he is capable of serving.
The 84-year-old Kentucky Republican has not been seen publicly since his June hospitalisation, while his office continues to provide carefully worded updates, fuelling wild speculation that he has effectively disappeared from public life.
