December 12, 2024 - 6:30pm
Someone recently sent me a picture of Mitch McConnell, the day after the election, being pushed through an airport in a wheelchair. At the time, McConnell remained Senate minority leader. While he technically still holds that office, the Kentucky Republican has ceded power to John Thune, who was elected leader by his GOP peers in mid-November. The image went viral this week in MAGA circles, after Trump loyalists were provoked by a new interview in which McConnell attacked the America First movement.
Despite stepping down weeks ago, McConnell still “commands deference” in the upper chamber, a source has told me. That could pose a serious threat to the foreign policy agenda of President-elect Donald Trump — which is precisely what McConnell is now trying to signal.
But health remains the senator’s biggest challenge. Just this week, McConnell fell again in the Capitol. According to his office, he suffered “minor injuries” to his face and wrist, while photographs showed significant bruising. It’s been reported for over a year that he’s occasionally relied on a wheelchair to get around, though few if any pictures previously circulated. The year before, the senator was hospitalised for a concussion and appeared to publicly freeze on at least two occasions.
While the 82-year-old has stepped down from the top post, he’s intentionally slotted himself into another key position, chairing the incoming Senate appropriations committee’s subcommittee for defence and helming the hugely important rules committee. Just this week, he boasted to the Financial Times: “That’s where the real money is,” making it crystal clear he’s not ceding influence even as age takes a greater toll on his physical and mental capacities.
“He still has tremendous power,” my source explained on Thursday. “Cult of personality power and technical power through appropriations and rules.” They added: “He’s not slinking back into the Borg by any means.” It’s now on Thune, the source argued, to prove he’s not McConnell’s “puppet”.
A senior GOP aide in the Senate shared similar sentiments, making careful note of McConnell’s moves over the last several weeks. “McConnell has spent his first month of post-leader life publicly opposing Trump’s America First foreign policy, working against his nominees behind the scenes, and scolding Republicans that funding the war in Ukraine should be their top priority,” they told me.
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SubscribeThis is indeed sad to see. Mitch McConnell has never been a favorite of mine, but he did perform well in a position of political power. Not any more. He should resign now. But like John McCain and Dianne Feinstein before him, he won’t, and no one will make him.
Things like this show how hard it is to tell what is going on behind the scenes. I had no idea Mitch McConnell was in such bad shape. Like Joe Biden’s people did with him, Mitch McConnell’s people propped him up to seem capable. Age humbles us all, but some people do everything they can to deny that.
Another example of the facades that get erected is that of Tiffany Trump’s husband and his father. They were presented as billionaire jetsetters, but according to the New York Times, are nothing of the kind.
New York Times? Pffft!
The New York Times has its problems, but they also have some of the best reporters in the business. Their reporting on Tiffany Trump’s husband Michael Boulos and father-in-law Massad Boulos is solid.
News is news, and the facts don’t change depending on who reports them. I notice that Business Insider and other news outlets have published the same facts from their own independent reporting.
Business Insider you say….LMAO
You are part right. News is news and facts are facts. And the times decides which facts become news. The definition of propaganda.
Boasting about being where the “real money” is advertises to all the complete sell out he is. And why old line R’s are just as corrupt as the D’s. He’s a big alligator in the swamp.
“As for the American public, McConnell — a historically unpopular figure — looks like merely another member of the country’s sad gerontocracy clinging to power for far too long“
How right they are.
This author I think greatly overestimates whatever is left of McConnell’s power and influence. He may have held the title of majority leader up until recently, but his influence had been in decline for a long time. As early as 2010, his hand picked choice for the other Senate seat in Kentucky, a deep red state, was defeated in the Republican primary by Rand Paul, who is noteworthy as being maverick, a libertarian, and for siding with Trump against the establishment far more often than not. He fought the Tea Party and he fought the Freedom caucus as they successfully blocked some of his ‘compromise’ legislation and caught the ire of many voters. He managed to interfere with Trump’s first term by backroom dealings and by controlling/influencing appointments. Trump didn’t actually expect to win and basically went to McConnell to staff his administration, which led to a lot of the problems and conflicts within the administration between factions.
This election was different. Trump has new allies and the people behind him. He knows Mitch McConnell is not his ally and he knows the man was probably always trying to thwart him and manipulate him. This time, by sweeping the swing states and winning the popular vote, Trump is in a position to do what he likes and dare Mitch to try to stop him. If Mitch does, Trump can turn it into a public spectacle like he has other public feuds. He gets to do what he’s best at, that is be confrontational and antagonistic towards someone even less popular than himself, and it plays right into his narratives about the deep state and draining the swamp.
Mitch is many things but he isn’t stupid. He likely understands the position he and his friends are in. He, and they, can’t win a public fight with the President elect. He and the old guard Republicans are in the most fragile state they’re ever to be. They have very little influence in the party they once ruled with an iron fist. Mitch isn’t going to fritter that influence away in a public spat over cabinet posts. His best option is the only option the establishment has, just sit around, keep their government positions by quietly acquiescing to Trump’s demands, and hope Trump somehow royally screws up, which is definitely a possibility. That’s their best, and only, serious strategy.
Trump has made the Democrats love the Bushes
Trump has made the Democrats love the Cheneys.
McConnell has a chance to be loved by the Democrats
McConnell almost makes Biden look sprightly in comparison.
He’s not unpopular with me. The way he maneuvered around Obama was master class
Yea but he is the epitome of swamp. He’s not for the country , he is for himself and his ego… He needs to go or fall really hard
Well said Emily
Suffering geriatric Addison Mitchell McConnell III has been the United States senator from Kentucky since 1985, 40 years. Mitch is the poster child for term limits. Malignant politicians in the USA think they are popes and cardinals and must die in office. Unfortunately, their constituents feel the same. They are all insufferable.
“That’s where the real money is,” McConnell is not referring to power. He is referring to the ability for US politicians to insider trade.
Physical decline is easy to see, but is not disqualifying. Mr McConnell isn’t in his post because of his athletic abilities.
McConnell= Walking Dead
Last paragraph nailed it. Thanks, Ms. J.
Since there is no way to get Congress to enact term limits…. How about age limits?
(Who is it that said “the graveyards are full of indispensable men”?)
He seriously needs to consider retirement. He also needs to reconsider his commitment to every nation on earth except America. We elect representatives to make our nation as healthy and prosperous as possible. We cannot help anyone else if the U.S. is in tatters due to constant infighting and in debt due to profligate spending on programs and handouts that don’t really help anybody, and basically make our citizenry vassals of the state.
That is what old dudes ( count me in) do when they don’t have a real life. I don’t blame McConnel, I blame the “younger Senators” for having no integrity or guts to do what is right for all Americans, not just their constituents when hard choices have to be made. Not to follow the dodderers wandering out to the forest.
All quite silly really.