Mitch McConnell improbably showed up on the Senate floor on Monday with a triumphant air. He was "back," McConnell assured us. And he was going to make all of those "tough" votes.

RedState's Jennifer Oliver O'Connell trumpeted the "return of the Mac" and pointed out this vindicated those who were right about him still being alive.

Despite the conspiracy theorists, naysayers, and people who just enjoy being hateful, McConnell is alive, and today is doing well enough to speak briefly with the press and interact with his Senate colleagues. 

Personally, some of us are feeling chuffed. Especially political pundit and Salem radio host Scott Jennings, who was lambasted in July for reporting on his conversation with McConnell during his hospitalization. McConnell is a friend and mentor to Jennings, but many made it out to be a farce. 

But McConnell's pronouncement turned out to be more like Grandpa Simpson than MacArthur.

He missed a Senate vote the very next day to confirm Matthew R. Byrne, President Donald Trump’s nominee for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. 

Let's go to the scoreboard: "Not Voting."

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"This is TOTALLY unfair to the people of Kentucky," Nick Sortor wrote on X. "THE US SENATE IS NOT A HOSPICE CARE CENTER!"

You could've fooled us. The Kentucky Republican did, however make the Senate cloture vote on Monday.

Byrne was confirmed 52-45. The Senate’s official records show McConnell was among three senators who did not participate in the vote.

On Monday, he wheeled into the Senate and voted in a 47-46 procedural vote in favor of advancing Byrne’s nomination. Speaking with reporters, McConnell said he was ready to resume work and pointed to the farm bill and U.S. support for NATO among his priorities for the remainder of his term.

"I must admit, after two years, two decades after dodging your questions, I wasn't sure how many of you would be here today," McConnell said. "So I'm glad to see you. Time to get back to work to finish the job for this Congress. I'm here to work on the farm bill."

He did not take questions from reporters.

His return followed a June 14 fall at his Washington, D.C. home that led to hospitalization and an extended recovery. McConnell later spent time at a rehabilitation facility before continuing his recovery and physical therapy at home. He has said the lingering effects of childhood polio have made the recovery more difficult and acknowledged that he may still miss some votes.

McConnell, who is not seeking another term, is scheduled to leave the Senate in January 2027 after more than four decades in office.

When you have 85-year-olds like Bernie Sanders sponsoring AI bills and 84-year-old senators out for months at a time, it may be time to start fearing octogenarians more than oligarchs.

We could really use a term limits amendment added to the Constitution. This is getting ridiculous.