Videos from a gerontocracy
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It’s hard to escape the conclusion that Mitch McConnell’s tenure as leader of the Republican Senate conference is going to come to an end before the end of this year:
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) appeared to freeze for several seconds Wednesday while taking questions from journalists in an incident that mirrored another occasion when he abruptly stopped speaking in late July.
McConnell took questions from reporters in Covington, Ky., after talking with a local group there. At one point, he asked a reporter to clarify his question.
“Running for reelection in 2026,” the journalist replied, according to video of the incident.
McConnell, 81, chuckled and said, “Oh, that’s, uhh —” Then he paused for about seven seconds before an aide walked to his side and asked him if he had heard the question.
McConnell continued to stare straight ahead, and the aide asked reporters to give them a minute.
Another aide then walked over and spoke to McConnell, who signaled that he was fine. Then McConnell cleared his throat, said “Okay,” and continued to take questions. His sentences were stilted as he answered.
In total, the minority leader was silent for more than 20 seconds.
He’s 81 years old and his health is failing, but he still gets up every morning trying to make our country just a little bit worse https://t.co/sCbmcOPLtl— Matthew Sitman (@MatthewSitman) August 30, 2023
Having said that, if there’s one thing our aging elites on both side of the aisle have a proven ability to do, it’s not knowing when to quit.