Gross political opportunism, poorly disguised as caring for a colleague. Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ) took to X to hound his New Jersey colleague, GOP Rep. Tom Kean, after his return to work after being hospitalized for depression: "I believe every person should have access to mental health support, including paid time off and sick leave. Congressman Kean has opposed these very benefits for all workers that Members of Congress get. It’s time for that to change."
Kim’s mean-spirited partisan hackery was at least expected. Less defensible was PBS News Hour’s “journalism” Tuesday.
Reporter Lisa Desjardins: Our Kyle Midura caught up with the congressman today to ask about his pledge of transparency.
Producer Kyle Midura: Does this experience changed how you think about access to health care, mental health services more generally? When you committed to full transparency, was the extent of that always going to be one floor speech? Are you going to open up at some point, take questions?
PBS producer Kyle Midura hassles Rep. Kean, recently hospitalized for depression: "Has this experience changed how you think about access to health care, mental health services more generally?" pic.twitter.com/r1craxT46u
— Clay Waters 🇮🇱 (@claywaters44) July 2, 2026
The News Hour’s weekly political email newsletter joined in the pathetic pile-on, weaponizing Kean’s depression against his voting record, apparently his opposition to legislation to provide sick leave and family leave. Liberals have a nasty personal habit of gloating over the death or suffering of political opponents who supposedly turn out to be victims of the GOP’s own principles or votes (see the ghouls tying the Charlie Kirk assassination to Kirk’s support for gun rights).
The email hit came from digital senior editor Joshua Barajas (who in a 2024 newsletter used emotional blackmail to push surgical transing of teenagers: “Donald Trump and JD Vance, have pushed anti-trans rhetoric to extremes on the campaign trail”).
Absent for nearly four months, questions around Kean’s unspecified medical condition had swirled in recent weeks, as voters in his state chose midterm candidates and Kean missed vote after vote in Congress. He last voted in early March.
Kean said Tuesday that a hospital visit months ago led to him being diagnosed with depression and, under doctors’ recommendations, he remained at the hospital for treatment.
Kean said he thought he could “simply push through” and quickly return to his duties, his family, constituents and Congress, but that he decided to abide by doctors’ orders.
“There is no timeline for healing. There is no timeline for recovery. Only the work of getting better, one day at a time,” he said.
Barajas referenced Midura’s nasty ambush.
Kean did not answer questions from PBS News producer Kyle Midura as he left the chamber, including whether the lawmaker would talk more about his experience or whether he has changed his thinking around access to mental health services.
A transcript is available, click “Expand.”
PBS News Hour
6/30/26
7:43:40 p.m. (ET)
Geoff Bennett: Well, after months of speculation, the mystery surrounding a New Jersey congressman's absence is finally over. This morning, Republican Tom Kean Jr. addressed the House, saying he owed his constituents, his colleagues, and the American people an explanation.
Rep. Tom Kean (R-NJ): I was given the diagnosis of depression. Now, when people hear the word depression, many people think it simply means feeling sad. But depression is so much more than that. It is physical. It is emotional. And until you experience it yourself, it is difficult to fully understand how powerful this illness can be.
Geoff Bennett: That's as other drama unfolded in the House as well. The chamber ground to a complete halt over an internal Republican divide. Our Lisa Desjardins here to explain. She was in the chamber today, including for the congressman's speech.
So what more did Congressman Kean have to say, Lisa?
Lisa Desjardins: It was a short speech, but he also addressed this question of why he waited so long to talk about this. He said that at first, when he went to a doctor, he was surprised that the doctor recommended that he be hospitalized.
Then, after he was hospitalized, he thought he would only be there for weeks. Obviously, it lasted much longer. Now, Kean has been gone or was gone for almost four months, though, Geoff. So, in contrast, in terms of handling this, Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania also was hospitalized for depression back in 2023.
He publicly disclosed that the next day after he was hospitalized. So there are still questions about why exactly he waited so long to explain this.
Our Kyle Midura caught up with the congressman today to ask about his pledge of transparency.
Kyle Midura: Does this experience changed how you think about access to health care, mental health services more generally? When you committed to full transparency, was the extent of that always going to be one floor speech? Are you going to open up at some point take questions?
Lisa Desjardins: Now, Kean rarely talks with reporters, and, as you see there, he did not answer any questions, so it's not really clear if he is going to say more about this.
Geoff Bennett: And how is this being received on the Hill?
Lisa Desjardins: Right. It's amazing. I talked to Democrats and Republicans about this, more than a dozen, and overall they have sympathy for him. They're glad he's back. They're glad that he says that he's recovering.
But there is this idea that perhaps members are not paying enough attention to their own personal health and to each other. There is some consternation over how long he was gone and the lack of explanation. As for his own personal political future, he insists he is fully committed to running for reelection, but his district, Geoff, is one that Democrats are targeting.
They would like to flip it. I don't think they will target his diagnosis, but his lack of explanation could be a target.
