Mitch McConnell quitting as Minority Leader

[*pally*]

Mitch McConnell is leaving his Senate leadership post at the end of this session. McConnell did more to reshape the Supreme Court than any other Republican including Trump. His skills as a master manipulator and player of political games will be missed by the Republicans whether they want to admit it or not

John Thune should be in line to take over his position but that will all depend on who wins in Novemeber.0

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

Interesting take. Given his obvious health issues this probably should have happened some time ago. I honestly think he really flubbed the Garland SCOTUS situation. He was within his procedural rights to act as he did, but he gave the Dems endless ammunition by handling it the way he did. The smarter maneuver would have been to have long, drawn out hearings until you found something you could blame for voting no, and then vote no. Hold that vote a few weeks before the election. Then you could easily string things out until Obama is out of office.

[HarleyDog]

Glad to see him go. Long overdue. He's done some pretty dumb shit I felt was not in the country's best interest. Even though he is a product of some of his peers, he's still the face to blame.

[Goalpost]

82 years old. Wish he'd of stepped down sooner. You know who.. is 81.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

https://www.politico.com/story/2013/11/harry-reid-nuclear-option-100199

Quote:“You’ll regret this and you might regret it even sooner than you might think,” McConnell warned.

Always made me wonder if McConnell was just baiting Reid into being the first to do it so that he could point to it to justify all his future moves in some kind of 10 year long chess game, or if I am giving McConnell too much credit.

Also curious what the political landscape would have happened if RBG had stepped down in 2013 or 2014 when she was 80 and after multiple battles with cancer and heart issues. No way they could have held off filling the spot for 2-3+ years.

As much as people have hated McConnell over the years, and it's been valid, but I do think he was the last person around in the Republican party who had enough power that he didn't have to care about Trump. Don't want to see what the Republican party further devolves into as it becomes more and more Trump Party.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/22/politics/mitch-mcconnell-donald-trump-2022/index.html
https://www.npr.org/sections/trump-impeachment-trial-live-updates/2021/02/13/967701180/after-vote-mcconnell-torched-trump-as-practically-and-morally-responsible-for-ri

[*Nately120*]

(02-28-2024, 03:01 PM)Goalpost Wrote: 82 years old.  Wish he'd of stepped down sooner.  You know who.. is 81.

Mitch was selected by voters in the past 2 senate elections over candidates who were younger than him by a combined 71 years of age. I don't know who he faced in the primaries, but clearly voters didn't have much issue with his age, so I don't see why he should step down and do the job of the voting populace of KY for them.

[Forever Spinning Vinyl]

A great Republican and a terrible American.

[Dill]

(02-28-2024, 09:46 PM)Forever Spinning Vinyl Wrote: A great Republican and a terrible American.

I had to admire his skill. He was the Republican's Pelosi.

He's not happy with the way his party is going, but he's surely smart enough to realize
the central role he had in empowering its worst elements.

He stood up to Trump right after the coup. Too late. 
And rightly recognized "candidate quality" was a problem during the last midterms.

MAGA "quality" will expand into his leadership vacuum.

That may be good for Dems in the long run. Not so sure about this election cycle.

[GMDino]

Yeah, this is going to end well for the republicans.  

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4495764-house-freedom-caucus-mocks-mcconnell-as-d-ukraine-after-retirement-news/

Quote:House Freedom Caucus mocks McConnell as ‘(D-Ukraine)’ after retirement news
BY [/url]LAUREN SFORZA - 02/28/24 5:52 PM ET

The House Freedom Caucus mocked Senate Minority Leader [url=https://thehill.com/people/mitch-mcconnell/]Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) after he announced his retirement from his leadership position Wednesday, suggesting that his stance on Ukraine aligns with his Democrat colleagues.

“Our thoughts are with our Democrat colleagues in the Senate on the retirement of their Co-Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (D-Ukraine). No need to wait till November… Senate Republicans should IMMEDIATELY elect a *Republican* Minority Leader,” the House Freedom Caucus wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

McConnell, who turned 82 this month, announced Wednesday that he will step down from his leadership post in November. He said he plans to serve the remainder of his term, which ends in 2027.

“I’m not going anywhere any time soon. However, I will complete my job my colleagues have given me until we select a new leader in November and they take the helm next January,” he said.

McConnell has supported approving more aid for Ukraine, which marked its second anniversary of fighting Russia earlier this month. He faced a difficult challenge earlier this month after mustering up enough Republican support to back a package approving more aid to Ukraine and Israel — a measure that lacks movement in the House.

McConnell urged Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to take up the Ukraine funding bill after the upper chamber had passed the legislation in a predawn vote earlier this month.

“We’ve heard all kinds of rumors about whether the House supports Ukraine or doesn’t. It seems to me that the easy way to solve that would be to vote,” McConnell told Politico at the time. “And I hope the Speaker will find a way to allow the House to work its will on the issue of Ukraine aid and the other parts of the bill, as well.”

Far-right members of the House and the Freedom Caucus have largely grown skeptical of approving more funding for Ukraine, prompting GOP infighting over the issue.

Some Republicans seemed to celebrate the news that McConnell was retiring from the leadership position, suggesting they can vote a more conservative Republican into the position. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) said “better days are ahead for the Republican Party” after McConnell’s announcement.

Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.), chair of the House Freedom Caucus, suggested that Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) should be the next leader of the Republican conference in the upper chamber. Scott had challenged McConnell for the leadership role in 2022.

“Mitch McConnell stepping down provides a great opportunity for true conservative leadership in the Senate. @SenRickScott would make a great Republican leader,” Good wrote on X.

In a statement on X, Scott said McConnell’s retirement “is an opportunity to refocus our efforts on solving the significant challenges facing our country and actually reflect the aspirations of voters.”

Ah!  Rick Scott!  It's like drinking poison after you jumped out of the plane without a parachute. 

[*pally*]

(02-29-2024, 04:26 AM)Dill Wrote: I had to admire his skill. He was the Republican's Pelosi.

He's not happy with the way his party is going, but he's surely smart enough to realize
the central role he had in empowering its worst elements.

He stood up to Trump right after the coup. Too late. 
And rightly recognized "candidate quality" was a problem during the last midterms.

MAGA "quality" will expand into his leadership vacuum.

That may be good for Dems in the long run. Not so sure about this election cycle.

I said it in the first post...Republicans will miss McConnell when he is gone.  You don't stay in power as long as he has without being a master of the political backrooms.  Republicans don't have anyone with that level of skill on their bench, especially if the Leader fight gets ugly  

But, sadly, it is a sign of how extreme the Republican Party has become for them not to consider Mitch McConnell a conservative.  

Governor Andy Beshear is term-limited but his term doesn't end until 2027.  Would he leave office early to run for McConnell's Senate seat in 2026. Or does he wait until 2028 and run for Rand Paul's seat

[*Nately120*]

(02-29-2024, 11:10 AM)pally Wrote: I said it in the first post...Republicans will miss McConnell when he is gone.  You don't stay in power as long as he has without being a master of the political backrooms.  Republicans don't have anyone with that level of skill on their bench, especially if the Leader fight gets ugly  

But, sadly, it is a sign of how extreme the Republican Party has become for them not to consider Mitch McConnell a conservative.  

Governor Andy Beshear is term-limited but his term doesn't end until 2027.  Would he leave office early to run for McConnell's Senate seat in 2026. Or does he wait until 2028 and run for Rand Paul's seat

That's the wacky thing.  McConnell won like a million re-elections and was an instrumental cog in the 40 year GOP machine and now the party is all like "Thanks for nothing, we're building everything around 1 guy who managed to get 10 million fewer votes in 2 elections against 2 bleh candidates and can only at best serve 1 more term in a non-legislative position!"

Conservatives truly don't know a semi-soft coup when they see it.

[samhain]

(02-29-2024, 11:10 AM)pally Wrote: I said it in the first post...Republicans will miss McConnell when he is gone.  You don't stay in power as long as he has without being a master of the political backrooms.  Republicans don't have anyone with that level of skill on their bench, especially if the Leader fight gets ugly  

But, sadly, it is a sign of how extreme the Republican Party has become for them not to consider Mitch McConnell a conservative.  

Governor Andy Beshear is term-limited but his term doesn't end until 2027.  Would he leave office early to run for McConnell's Senate seat in 2026. Or does he wait until 2028 and run for Rand Paul's seat

Beshear will be a prime contender for a higher office in 2028, IMO.  He's general election gold for the dems.  Two term democrat governor in a deep red state is a unicorn.  IMO he's probably not vicious enough to run in a presidential race, but you never know.  I like your idea much better.  Snag a Senate Seat with an electorate that's already supported you twice.  He can run for POTUS later down the line once he boosts his national profile in the Senate.  

You, know, when he's like 75 or 80-sh.  

[*Nately120*]

(03-01-2024, 06:12 PM)samhain Wrote: Beshear will be a prime contender for a higher office in 2028, IMO.  He's general election gold for the dems.  Two term democrat governor in a deep red state is a unicorn.  IMO he's probably not vicious enough to run in a presidential race, but you never know.  I like your idea much better.  Snag a Senate Seat with an electorate that's already supported you twice.  He can run for POTUS later down the line once he boosts his national profile in the Senate.  

You, know, when he's like 75 or 80-sh.  

Bashear/AI Obama 2068

[JustWinBaby]

McConnell did a fine job taking the torch from Harry Reid and continuing to erode and undermine the institution.

[*pally*]

Angela Chao, McConnell’s sister-in-law and billionaire CEO of the Chao family shipping business, died several weeks ago in an automobile accident. He noted that her death was a big factor in his retirement as leader. Yesterday it was announced that her death is being investigated as a murder. Was someone sending Mitch a message?

[StoneTheCrow]

Now for a few other dinosaurs to call it a career…

[JustWinBaby]

(03-02-2024, 01:11 PM)StoneTheCrow Wrote: Now for a few other dinosaurs to call it a career…

Only a few?  I would not object to firing everyone that's been in Congress for over 20 years.

Frankly, Pelosi, Reid and McConnell did more damage than Trump could ever hope to accomplish.  Damn near 20 years of bad, partisan legislation.

[*Nately120*]

(03-05-2024, 12:21 AM)JustWinBaby Wrote: Only a few?  I would not object to firing everyone that's been in Congress for over 20 years.

Frankly, Pelosi, Reid and McConnell did more damage than Trump could ever hope to accomplish.  Damn near 20 years of bad, partisan legislation.

People keep voting for these dinosaurs, they aren't given positions for life like NFL owners, or SC justices, or members of the royal family who are automatically placed in positions where they are expected to die on the job.

It's just amusing hearing people say "I wish the government would step in and stop voters from being allowed to vote for the old people we keep voting for."  Save us from ourselves government, we can't be trusted with choices!

[JustWinBaby]

(03-05-2024, 12:46 AM)Nately120 Wrote: People keep voting for these dinosaurs, they aren't given positions for life like NFL owners, or SC justices, or members of the royal family who are automatically placed in positions where they are expected to die on the job.

It's just amusing hearing people say "I wish the government would step in and stop voters from being allowed to vote for the old people we keep voting for."  Save us from ourselves government, we can't be trusted with choices!

And voters are stupid and lazy.  Did you have a point you were trying to make?

Congress has had like a 10% approval rating for about 2 decades.  Of course, it's never the reps that one votes for who are the problem.  Yet it's fascinating how many incumbents continue to win re-election despite an overall body approval of 10%.  

It's almost as if an electorate is kept intentionally ignorant so as to keep re-electing the career politicians who only care about themselves.  No, wait, that all kind of does actually make sense.

[*Nately120*]

(03-05-2024, 12:58 AM)JustWinBaby Wrote: And voters are stupid and lazy.  Did you have a point you were trying to make?

Yes, my point is that saying that we need to get the dinosaurs out of politics is funny when dinosaurs like Mitch McConnell have managed to get elected like a zillion times.  It's just interesting when people wait for something they should have control over work itself out instead of taking an active hand in it.  It's the political equivalent of watching Chicago Bears fans spend 30+ years hoping the Green Bay Packers stop having good QB play.