39 Comments
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Jan Strnad's avatar

I’m sure this is a bogus picture. McConnell himself didn’t say or release anything, only his staff did. And some sources are claiming it’s a photo from 2023. There is ZERO “proof of life” here. It astounds me that the media takes it at face value. Are they stupid, or complicit?

Ken Klippenstein's avatar

The photo is not from 2023 - that claim is false.

Jane S.'s avatar

Snopes and other sources have stated unequivocally that it's AI generated.

A couple of sources have said: OpenAI's verification tool detected a SynthID on the photo, which is a watermark automatically added to photos so they can be identified as AI-generated content.

Jane S.'s avatar

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/mitch-mcconnell-proof-life-post/

There was another fake photo of him in a hospital bed attached to tubes and various machines. I don't subscribe to snopes so I can't read the full article, but here is what grok said, as quoted by Newsweek:

https://x.com/grok/status/2076444530073595943

Ken Klippenstein's avatar

That’s separate from the photo that was released on Sunday

Jane S.'s avatar

Yeah, I worded that poorly -- most of the articles on the question are about the tubes and machines photos, but I believe that the snopes link is to the current photo and the grok response certainly is.

Apollo's avatar

According to others, the newspaper in the photo was current. I haven't heard the 2023 claims tho!

Annie North 🍁🍂's avatar

There is no photo from 2023. I have searched and nobody has been able to link it in any statement they've made that the photo exists. I think possibly the photo is real, but has been heavily photoshopped. I didn't think it's AI either. Also, someone pointed out in one comment while I was searching, that if he did have pneumonia and his wife just got back from overseas, wouldn't they be wearing masks?

Jan Strnad's avatar

I have never seen anyone in rehab looking that good. Heck, he didn’t look that good BEFORE the incident, whatever it was.

Susan Skinner's avatar

Interesting there is no oxygen, no IVs, no pulse oximeter, no anything that would suggest hositalization for illness which required CPR. Even if cardiac arrest was a month ago.

Apollo's avatar

Take this with a heavy dose of salt as I'm a therapist not a Dr, but supposedly this is a photo of him in rehab, which I believe wouldn't require those things.

Susan Skinner's avatar

Except that the " news" is he is still hospitalized.

But I reckon if you're a fat cat millionaire, you can have any kind of photo you like taken without accoutrements.

Apollo's avatar

Very good point lol. "Healthcare for me but not for thee!" ass behavior

Jesse's avatar

I mean, if he's not actually dead, he is at least effectively dead. Senate majority is razor thin currently, and he's doing his best to limp along long enough to deny an interim senator

Ken Klippenstein's avatar

right - just because he can sit up doesn't mean his brain works

Annie North 🍁🍂's avatar

There's definitely no life left in his eyes, that's for sure!

JennyStokes's avatar

This man looks like a 'stroke' victim...........just how a friend of mine died. Nothing in the eyes as you say Annie and the mouth is definitely not normal.

Marian Gillis's avatar

Why not show a video with him speaking and gesturing like humans do. To much to as for in a representative democracy?

Ken Klippenstein's avatar

gonna take a wild guess and saying that wouldn't go well for mcconnell!

Mark Huseby's avatar

Why would he start now?

b-rar's avatar

Pictured: Sen. Mitch "Terri Schiavo" McConnell (R-KY)

Daas Yochid's avatar

Still no recording of his voice. That's the key part.

X K's avatar

Glad to hear that Mitch says he'll be back... in increasingly diminished capacity. I want him to linger, in prolonged suffering, debility, frustration, humiliation, all in conformance with the adage, "As ye sow so shall ye reek..." in your own urine.

Going Ungentle's avatar

Is the Sunday WaPost available at the hospital newsstand or is it just available in the senator's DC office? And who put his glasses on for him, since nobody reads with glasses that high on their heads?

Asking for a friend.

Susan Becraft's avatar

My immediate thought when I saw this photo: The Useful Idiot and His Keeper. And as an official old lady, I make no apologies.

Susan Skinner's avatar

There's something very off about that picture. It appears that Elaine Chao's photograph was photoshopped in to a picture of Mcconnell in a former recovery-mode hospitalization. The newspaper placed on his right arm is a strange add-on as well.

Jane S.'s avatar

He looks WAY younger than he did in his last public appearance. His hair is darker, his eyes are brighter, etc.

Marian Rich's avatar

Photo looks like AI 😜

Catherine Martinez's avatar

All elected officials owe their constituents full transparency on their health and location if they are out of office suddenly or for an extended period of time. The traditional media have caved fully and unconditionally, it seems. I hope I am wrong about that.

Clif Brown's avatar

Power goes on, the human body does not so we repeatedly witness the pathetic attempt of mortals to hang on to something they will certainly lose but that is most precious to them. I've mentioned that I think Trump is the perfect example of the mortal terrified of death, gilding everything with the most immortal of elements, gold, while rushing to put his name on everything and erect monuments. Jeff Bezos is obsessed with extending life, unconcerned with distributing wealth.

Bonnie Blodgett's avatar

As you suggest, to these guys growing wealth and prolonging life are the same thing. I mean, money can buy anything, right?

Clif Brown's avatar

Yes, it's more of everything.

BG's avatar

Come on, peeps. This has to be an AI or digitally manipulated photo. If he's that perky, he easily could've sent a short vid of the same scene.

Saoirse Burleson's avatar

This photo is just not real. It may be good AI, but it's AI. Look at the wall behind his wife. The angle is all wrong. The way he's holding the newspaper is completely unnatural. And there's the watermark. There's no proof to this at all.

Best comment I've seen: "99.9% sure that Mitch McConnel is cake."

Holli's avatar

He looks awfully younger in this pic than in last several photos and videos of him. Like he shaved a few years off of his life.