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Did Mitch McConnell fall asleep during Joe Biden's speech? Internet says 'someone please check his pulse'

He sat through the president's entire speech without so much as changing his facial expression, let alone clapping while the rest of the house applauded

First, it was Mitt Romney who came under fire for his 'low energy' demeanor during POTUS Joe Biden's joint Congressional address on April 28, and now it is Mitch McConnell's turn. The reason? The senate minority leader did not exhibit any kind of movement throughout the speech, leading social media to deduce that he had either fallen asleep, or worse — somebody really needed to check his pulse. 

As POTUS was applauded rampantly, with both Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi getting up from their chairs every time he made a significant remark, the house was buzzing with approval and there was a general lack of disagreement. Even avid Donald Trump supporter Ted Cruz couldn't stop his hands from clapping loud and clear when Biden insisted that more people need to get vaccinated even as 230M jabs have been given in the US. It's worth noting that at one point, Cruz too looked like he was "sleeping on the job, once again", as Mayor Julian Castro put it. The one man who could not be moved was McConnell. 

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Sitting there all calm, his facial expressions hidden behind the mask, McConnell neither clapped nor even so much as turned his head in any direction. In Vox journalist Aaron Rupar's Twitter thread of proclamations made by Biden, every single video clip sees McConnell sitting there stoic and without any reaction. He blinked occasionally but he neither expressed any approval nor disapproved of Biden's congressional address. This stoic reaction, however, did not go unnoticed by the internet who were quick to reach conclusions about a frozen McConnell. 

One user said, "Mitch McConnell shocked and dismayed to hear a real Presidential address. He may never recover." Others noted how, "For the first time in U.S. history, two women are seated behind the president during a joint address to Congress. Ted Cruz is asleep, Mitt Romney looks like he lost a bet, Mitch McConnell is catatonic."

Noting how the Senate Minority Leader kept sitting without getting up to clap for the president when the majority of the house did when he spoke of eradicating child poverty, a Twitter user shared, "Watching Mitch McConnell sit during this portion of the address was painful. Unbelievable." Others quipped, "I see Mitch McConnell us in full turtle mode at the President’s address. Metabolism down so slow he’s barely breathing." Some even seemed concerned, as they asked, "Mitch McConnell appears to have fallen asleep, or...someone please check his pulse."

Biden also allegedly went off track with his scripted speech when he suddenly thanked McConnell for a tribute the Kentucky Republican had paid to Biden's late son, Beau, in 2016. "I'll still never forget when we passed the cancer proposal in the last year I was vice president, almost $9 million going to NIH," Biden said in his address, talking about the National Institutes of Health. He then added, "You'll excuse the point of personal privilege — I'll never forget you standing, Mitch, and saying, naming it after my deceased son. It meant a lot."

Mcconnell however didn't display even a smidge of any reaction, and that had Twitter remark, "Really interesting watching the subtle cues during Biden’s speech from Mitch McConnell’s empty husk." Some however still believe, "I wish President Biden could have given Mitch McConnell the night off this evening. Why bring that negative energy."