Scary moment for McConnell raises questions for GOP

[Social Media]

 

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) froze in front of television cameras for about 20 seconds Wednesday as he battled a bout of lightheadedness that forced him to walk away briefly from a press conference.

 

The scary moment, which prompted members of his leadership team to suggest that he take a rest, raises new questions about the 81-year-old Republican leader’s future.  

“Are you good, Mitch?” asked Senate Republican Policy Committee Chairwoman Joni Ernst (Iowa), putting her hand on the back of his arm.  

Senate Republican Conference Chairman John Barrasso (Wyo.), who is a doctor, ushered McConnell away from the podium after the leader was unable to get more than a couple of sentences into his opening statement.  

“Let’s go back to your office,” Barrasso suggested. “Do you want to say anything else to the press? Let’s go back.”  

 

FULL STORY

 

 

 

[champers]

No big rush to come to his aid; a lot of standing around looking embarrased. And these are his colleagues.

[Tug]

Looks like the old duffer had to reboot hope he’s ok 

[EVENKEEL]

4 hours ago, champers said:

No big rush to come to his aid; a lot of standing around looking embarrased. And these are his colleagues.

What would you have them do, I think they handled things just fine.

[earlinclaifornia]

That glazed look was scary, I hope he gets well.

[billd766]

No comments by the Trump supporters here, shouting that he is too old and that he should retire.

 

The same sort of comments that they would use if it were President Biden.

[Hanaguma]

2 hours ago, billd766 said:

No comments by the Trump supporters here, shouting that he is too old and that he should retire.

 

The same sort of comments that they would use if it were President Biden.

I think he is too old and he should retire. 81 is time to relax and enjoy the fruits of your labour, not keep duking it out in Congress.  I would love to see both term AND age limits for all elected positions. How about no re-elections after 70?  That way 75 would be the max age for the Senate and 71 for the House. Oh, and 73 for President. 

 

Truly dont understand politicians who cannot let their bony old fingers release their grip on power. They need to be pried away from the government trough and led out to pasture. 

[Chomper Higgot]

15 minutes ago, Hanaguma said:

I think he is too old and he should retire. 81 is time to relax and enjoy the fruits of your labour, not keep duking it out in Congress.  I would love to see both term AND age limits for all elected positions. How about no re-elections after 70?  That way 75 would be the max age for the Senate and 71 for the House. Oh, and 73 for President. 

 

Truly dont understand politicians who cannot let their bony old fingers release their grip on power. They need to be pried away from the government trough and led out to pasture. 

I don’t like McConnell one bit, but it cannot be reasonably denied that like other older politicians, not subjects of this thread, he brings brings with him the long tooth experience of a lifetime in politics and consummate political skills.

 

Governing the worlds most powerful democracy is serious business for which a mixture of young blood and wise old hands is essential.

 

I wish Mitch a speedy and full recovery for his health and annihilation at the election for his party.

 

 

Edited July 27, 2023 by Chomper Higgot

[Tug]

3 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I don’t like McConnell one bit, but it cannot be reasonably denied that like other older politicians, not subjects of this thread, he brings brings with him the long tooth experience of a lifetime in politics and consummate political skills.

 

Governing the worlds most powerful democracy is serious business for which a mixture of young blood and wise old hands is essential.

 

I wish Mitch a speedy and full recovery for his health and annihilation at the election for his party.

 

 

I agree wholeheartedly with you Mitch is responsible for most of the gridlock in the senate and a lot of dirty deeds (the last judge on the Supreme Court comes to mind)I will be glad to see him gone from politics that beeing said I do hope he is ok and recovers especially so he fully realizes the utter destruction his enabling of trump has wrought on his political party that’s much much sweeter than wishing him ill health!

[JimTripper]

Scary. He looked terrible there. His face was so sad. Hope you’re ok.

[heybruce]

Just as I regard the Democrats as being the lesser of two evils in most elections, I regard McConnell as being the lesser of the two evil camps in the current Republican Party; the rational camp that I disagree with on many things, and the batsh*t crazy camp that currently dominates the party.

[bendejo]

Recall that thing where his hands and lips turned black & blue, I think it was around the end of last year. 

This is the guy who stole a SCOTUS nomination from a previous Dem president, giving us the paleo-conservative SCOTUS roster we have today.  Sick or not, he is an odious piece of work.

I wish him a comfortable retirement.

 

 

[SunnyinBangrak]

15 hours ago, billd766 said:

No comments by the Trump supporters here, shouting that he is too old and that he should retire.

 

The same sort of comments that they would use if it were President Biden.

What has any of this got to do with Trump supporters? Can you show us where these Trump supporters have been championing Mcconnell? Ever?

 

Mcconnell is an embarrassment and has been for years. That is because he is a RINO. He should have been put out to pasture years ago. I would agree with an age limit for any govt job. Somewhere around 70, plus open and transparent mental health checks to stop this crazy Biden/Mcconnell situations happening again. We can not be in a leadership vacuum ever again.

 

 

[heybruce]

2 hours ago, SunnyinBangrak said:

What has any of this got to do with Trump supporters? Can you show us where these Trump supporters have been championing Mcconnell? Ever?

 

Mcconnell is an embarrassment and has been for years. That is because he is a RINO. He should have been put out to pasture years ago. I would agree with an age limit for any govt job. Somewhere around 70, plus open and transparent mental health checks to stop this crazy Biden/Mcconnell situations happening again. We can not be in a leadership vacuum ever again.

 

 

NcConnell isn't the RINO; his politics have stayed consistent for decades.  It's the Republican Party that morphed into something tragic, it's the RINO.

[SunnyinBangrak]

2 hours ago, heybruce said:

NcConnell isn't the RINO; his politics have stayed consistent for decades.  It's the Republican Party that morphed into something tragic, it's the RINO.

Please point out specific policies the present GOP has that are so terrible for McConnell? Or for you that you consider so tragic? The policies are all normal, the hysteria whipped up is not, and when asked for examples, of course they can't.

[heybruce]

53 minutes ago, SunnyinBangrak said:

Please point out specific policies the present GOP has that are so terrible for McConnell? Or for you that you consider so tragic? The policies are all normal, the hysteria whipped up is not, and when asked for examples, of course they can't.

I don't know what you are getting at, so let's get back to your RINO accusation.

 

Historically the Republican Party has been strong on national defense and NATO, advocated tough policies to contain the USSR/Russia, advocated free trade, favored expanding legal immigration and wasn't too concerned about illegal immigration.  The current Republican Party has done a reversal on these areas.

 

McConnell is old school Republican.  The current Republican Party is the RINO.

[DaddyWarbucks]

These octogenarians should be in care homes, not running the most powerful country on earth.

[nauseus]

On 7/27/2023 at 1:35 PM, billd766 said:

No comments by the Trump supporters here, shouting that he is too old and that he should retire.

 

The same sort of comments that they would use if it were President Biden.

He's going to see a doctor to check what happened. Why can't you wait before slinging in comments like this?

[nauseus]

On 7/28/2023 at 12:29 PM, heybruce said:

I don't know what you are getting at, so let's get back to your RINO accusation.

 

Historically the Republican Party has been strong on national defense and NATO, advocated tough policies to contain the USSR/Russia, advocated free trade, favored expanding legal immigration and wasn't too concerned about illegal immigration.  The current Republican Party has done a reversal on these areas.

McConnell is old school Republican.  The current Republican Party is the RINO.

What rot.

[ozimoron]

On 7/28/2023 at 5:21 AM, SunnyinBangrak said:

What has any of this got to do with Trump supporters? Can you show us where these Trump supporters have been championing Mcconnell? Ever?

 

Mcconnell is an embarrassment and has been for years. That is because he is a RINO. He should have been put out to pasture years ago. I would agree with an age limit for any govt job. Somewhere around 70, plus open and transparent mental health checks to stop this crazy Biden/Mcconnell situations happening again. We can not be in a leadership vacuum ever again.

 

 

Come off it, Trump employed McConnell's wife.

[billd766]

22 minutes ago, nauseus said:

He's going to see a doctor to check what happened. Why can't you wait before slinging in comments like this?

For exactly the same reason that the Trump supporters on here do the same, every time president Biden makes any small mistake.

 

By the time I made my comment he had already seen a doctor.

Edited July 30, 2023 by billd766
added extra text

[billd766]

On 7/28/2023 at 1:17 PM, DaddyWarbucks said:

These octogenarians should be in care homes, not running the most powerful country on earth.

I agree.

 

There ought to be a mandatory retirement age of 65 for ALL politicians world wide and that should include reaching the age limit in the current political term.

 

If you chose to stand you MUST retire on your 65th birthday and foot the entire bill for the by election for ALL the people standing to replace you, including the government costs, from your own personal funds

[nauseus]

12 minutes ago, billd766 said:

For exactly the same reason that the Trump supporters on here do the same, every time president Biden makes any small mistake.

 

By the time I made my comment he had already seen a doctor.

McConnell made a mistake? Really?

Edited July 30, 2023 by nauseus

[nauseus]

5 minutes ago, billd766 said:

I agree.

 

There ought to be a mandatory retirement age of 65 for ALL politicians world wide and that should include reaching the age limit in the current political term.

 

If you chose to stand you MUST retire on your 65th birthday and foot the entire bill for the by election for ALL the people standing to replace you, including the government costs, from your own personal funds

Oh dear, how sad, never mind.

[Bkk Brian]

39 minutes ago, billd766 said:

I agree.

 

There ought to be a mandatory retirement age of 65 for ALL politicians world wide and that should include reaching the age limit in the current political term.

 

If you chose to stand you MUST retire on your 65th birthday and foot the entire bill for the by election for ALL the people standing to replace you, including the government costs, from your own personal funds

Its not going unnoticed:

 

 

America's aging leaders on display

The 118th Congress is one of the oldest in U.S. history — and drives debates about fitness for office, term limits and ageism.
The big picture: Top House Democrats stepped aside late last year to make room for a younger generation of leaders — a shift that's been less apparent in the Senate, particularly among Republicans.

Those Democrats, including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, "made way for a younger generation of leadership," John Mark Hansen, a political science professor at the University of Chicago, told Axios. "And that's pretty unusual and pretty striking."

https://www.axios.com/2023/07/28/congress-gerontocracy-age-mcconnell-feinstein

[ozimoron]

20 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Its not going unnoticed:

'Drives away young talent': AOC explains why Congress is getting older

 

https://www.rawstory.com/aoc-congress-getting-older/

[billd766]

1 hour ago, nauseus said:

Oh dear, how sad, never mind.

Do you think that politicians worldwide should stay as politicians until they die?

[billd766]

55 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Its not going unnoticed:

 

 

America's aging leaders on display

The 118th Congress is one of the oldest in U.S. history — and drives debates about fitness for office, term limits and ageism.
The big picture: Top House Democrats stepped aside late last year to make room for a younger generation of leaders — a shift that's been less apparent in the Senate, particularly among Republicans.

Those Democrats, including former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, "made way for a younger generation of leadership," John Mark Hansen, a political science professor at the University of Chicago, told Axios. "And that's pretty unusual and pretty striking."

https://www.axios.com/2023/07/28/congress-gerontocracy-age-mcconnell-feinstein

IMHO that should apply to ALL politicians worldwide no matter what their position or their political party.

 

Nor should it matter how many advisors they have or what age their advisors are.

[ozimoron]

29 minutes ago, billd766 said:

Do you think that politicians worldwide should stay as politicians until they die?

If you mean lifetime appointments, that would not be democratic. LIke the US supreme court, not one public vote yet appointed for life.

 

I don't think there should be an age limit for election. There should be term limits and I think only one term, whether 3 or 4 years I don't care but not more. That way the most ;popular person gets it. Why should age matter? If they fall off the perch, so what? There's always a backup and nobody is indispensable.

 

It's not like Reagan was wheel barrowed out of the white house the day he was diagnosed with Alzheimers.

Edited July 30, 2023 by ozimoron

[nauseus]

23 minutes ago, billd766 said:

Do you think that politicians worldwide should stay as politicians until they die?

I think that some of the greatest leaders ever have been and can be 65++ and that we need to keep them around if we can, if they are truly of great caliber and willing to continue.

 

That said, I think all politicians should undergo regular medical examinations with criteria set by independent boards, with the frequencies of these exams increasing with age.