As Radar previously reported, McConnell returned to the Senate on September 14 after more than 90 days away following a fall at his home in mid-June.
He arrived in a wheelchair, thinner than before, and has since been seen assisted by staff while largely avoiding detailed interviews with reporters.
The extended disappearance, with sparse official updates, had fueled speculation about his health and whether Kentucky constituents would be better served by an early resignation.
Alexander opened by asking why McConnell’s constituents would not benefit if he stepped down and allowed someone else to serve the remaining months. Tillis responded that it was “the same question that people ask of Biden.”
When the anchor noted that Joe Biden is no longer president while McConnell remains a sitting senator, Tillis shifted ground. He argued that Republicans had previously followed “bad advice” from those who downplayed concerns about Biden’s fitness for another term.
While Biden faced intense scrutiny in his final months in office, he continued public appearances. McConnell, by contrast, was largely out of public view for roughly 92 days before his dramatic mid-September return.