Talk about a monkey wrench and at the wrong time, this is it. Although I can’t say I blame Mitch McConnell for his decision to step down as Senate Minority (this session) Leader. It would have been so much better for him to do so last election cycle, but there are no do overs in life, only regrets. McConnell claims that he understands the politics of this moment, but that’s difficult to believe. For the sake of argument, however, let’s just assume that he does, then apparently the Turtle’s parting shot to us is, “At a time of chaos, when the world is looking at us side-eyed and believing that America as a superpower is finished, no matter who wins in 2024, I choose to walk away and let MAGA have a crack at even greater power.” Can that possibly be true?
McConnell gets emotional: "One of life's most underappreciated talents to know when it's time to move on to life's next chapter … father time remains undefeated." pic.twitter.com/j6hcgOAODb
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 28, 2024
not exactly a rousing ovation for McConnell as he ends his speech pic.twitter.com/cRfX2nCpDm
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 28, 2024
What’s happening here is that McConnell sees the handwriting on the wall and he knows things are out of control. And probably he knows a great deal more detail how things are out of control than we do.
So leaving at the worst possible time will be McConnell’s legacy and more.
MSNBC/NBC News legal analyst Glenn Kirschner, a former federal prosecutor for 30 years, remarked in a thread on X: “Mitch McConnell’s legacy, at least in part, will be violating the Constitution by denying a president’s Supreme Court nominee a confirmation hearing – ignoring the Senate’s ‘advice and consent’ responsibilities. McConnell then led Trump by the nose, orchestrating the degradation of the Supreme Court, with the predicable results being a callous and conflicted Supreme Court revoking women’s constitutional privacy rights, damaging equality of educational opportunities for minorities, and unleashing business discrimination cloaked in religious piety. McConnell also improperly orchestrated an acquittal at Trump’s first impeachment trial, enabling Trump to launch a deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol. American will be better for Mitch McConnell’s departure from the US Senate.”
McConnell hasn’t spoken to Trump since December of 2020. Trump has been waiting for McConnell’s endorsement for some time. The question now becomes, will he give it? Or, will he withhold it, just for spite, a triumph of passive aggression where he manages to have the last word over Trump.
Expect a lot of scrambling to see who will succeed McConnell, either as Minority Leader come this November, or possibly as Senate Majority Leader. Two ways to look at this: McConnell retiring could be seen as something positive by the electorate, a new broom coming in to sweep clean and rally the GOP in November, or, it could be seen as an exacerbation of chaos in both the upper chamber of Congress and the GOP as a whole.
Who is gunning for that position? Josh Hawley, possibly. Rick Scott, most certainly. John Thune will most likely take the lead. That would probably be the sanest of all possibilities. Or Thune might find himself grappling with a lot of MAGA inspired politicians. Maybe J.D. Vance would try to get the job. Who knows? The point is, we have a situation here where none of the old rules apply and chaos rules the day, generally speaking. So don’t rule Vance or any of the extremists out.
The stakes of this election just got higher, if that’s even humanly possible.
Without the intensity of McConnell’s voice droning on and on about the Democrat’s failures, as well as all those secret boiler room meetings where the stronghold of GOP planned destruction of everything Obama was planned, and put into operation …
The GOP will, without a doubt, slide into a money fight with Trump, using every arrow in their quiver to knock Trump into his hell on Earth, sooner, rather than later … Trump has used up so many really smarter legal teams, getting a cell with a high-up window for daylight, might be easier than one with a minimal view …
The end of a tyrant’s evil ways that have stymied so much of this country’s growth and security … Our payments to his retirement fund courtesy, of course to the Senate proper, making their own decisions on pay rates and incredible health care and many other perks …
That soft, “Clinking sound you hear”, may be that roll of quarters, someone gave to trump, as he is pitching them into a wishing well somewhere …
He’s got nothing left …
McTurtle wanted to go out on a high note, like regaining the Senate majority. He expected that result in 2022, but TFG interfered in the primaries and elevated the most unelectable candidates possible. So far Sen. Daines, NSRC chair, has managed to keep TFG out of the Senate primaries. But he hasn’t appreciably improved on candidate quality, except for the ability to self-fund.
The turtle is often touted as a master strategist, but he has made major tactical mistakes ever since Obama’s election in 2008. His single-minded goal of making Obama a one-term president blinded him to what was in his and his party’s best interest.
I don’t see him hanging around much after the election, despite saying he’s not going anywhere, he’s never been interested in legislation, only power. Gov. Beshear has said that he doesn’t think the law the KY legislature passed, which says he can only appoint someone of the same party as the retiree, is constitutional. He’s indicated several times, if given the opportunity to appoint McTurtle’s replacement, he’ll likely pick who he wants.
McConnell’s legacy is most certainly going to be how he orchestrated the fall of American Democracy. His 8 years of obstructing Obama, 4 years of carry water for the plump, neglecting to actually remove plump from office after impeachment, ramming through Comey Barrett a week before an election when he used an election 10 months away to deny Garland a hearing, and so much more he’s done to destroy the credibility and integrity of our political system. His hands are not just dirty, they’re filthy dirty. I really hope that if he does run again, Kentuckians will finally give him his walking papers.
Enjoy HELL mutherphucker! If it were up to me you’d be lined up against the wall for your last mumbles or stares…then you’d be shot for giving aid and comfort to our enemies.
“Two ways to look at this: McConnell retiring could be seen as something positive by the electorate, a new broom coming in to sweep clean and rally the GOP in November, or, it could be seen as an exacerbation of chaos in both the upper chamber of Congress and the GOP as a whole.”
Well, Trump’s involved, as are his acolytes.
I’ll go for chaos increasing.