Mitch McConnell

[thyme4change]

www.politico.com/video/2023/07/26/mcconnell-freezes-during-press-conference-1013674

McConnell freezes during press conference


WASHINGTON — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell suddenly stopped speaking during a weekly Republican leadership news conference Wednesday afternoon, appearing to freeze, and then went silent and was walked away.

McConnell, R-Ky., had been making his opening remarks about an annual defense policy bill when he stopped talking. He was silent for 19 seconds. His Republican colleagues asked whether he was OK, and a top McConnell deputy, Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, a physician, escorted McConnell, 81, away from the cameras and reporters.

www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/watch-mitch-mcconnell-freeze-press-conference-rcna96486

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McConnell seems to be having a lot of health problem these days. My thoughts and prayers go out.

[chiver78]

I also hope he fares well, while waiting for the pitchforks that came for the other side of the aisle - Biden after tripping on something that had been disguised for photo ops, or Feinstein at 90yo and all her health issues. jussayin... 

[thyme4change]

I am okay if we amend the constitution to have a max age put on all federal elected positions.

[Opti]

He had a concussion earlier in the year, I don't see that as an age problem. Hopefully he gets checked out to see if its something he needs to be concerned about.

[pulmonarymd]

McConnell has atrial fibrillation and is on anticoagulants. He has a 1-2% annual stoke risk. It appeared he had a small TIA from the clip I saw. Although I will not wish him to have a stoke, I will not shed a tear should he have one, and I think the country will be a better place when he is no longer in the senate

[Tennesseer]

Scary moment watching McConnell.  

[djAdvocate]

Jul 27, 2023 17:07:30 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

I am okay if we amend the constitution to have a max age put on all federal elected positions.

that seems reasonable.  we could even index it to life expectancy.
ditto for the federal courts.
we need competent people running things.


not that a person that age can NOT be competent.  it just decreases the likelihood dramatically.

[thyme4change]

Jul 27, 2023 17:31:21 GMT -5 pulmonarymd said:

McConnell has atrial fibrillation and is on anticoagulants. He has a 1-2% annual stoke risk. It appeared he had a small TIA from the clip I saw. Although I will not wish him to have a stoke, I will not shed a tear should he have one, and I think the country will be a better place when he is no longer in the senate

I was wondering if it was a small stroke type of thing. I also wondered if it was one of those small seizures that just look like zoning out. I am glad he didn’t collapse. Maybe his health will make him consider stepping aside. But somehow I doubt that. He would rather die on the floor obstructing some normal thing than trusting some other republican to do so.

[Tiny]

McConnell has had a tough 2023 - he's fallen several times. And had a concussion and broke/cracked ribs (that's got to hurt for weeks!) from one of the falls.

www.cnn.com/2023/07/27/politics/mitch-mcconnell-multiple-falls-this-year/index.html


I am biased... When I clicked on the video yesterday - my first thought was "he's having a stroke!" Maybe I hang out with a few too many really old people. There are those "little/short duration" symptoms that come and go in less than a minute that no one witnesses...

(My BFF's 87 year old mom most likely had a TIA stroke. My BFF got frightened when her mom had garbled speech during the morning "what are we having for breakfast" conversation... it lasted about a minute and then she was fine (a little confused as per my BFF but fine.) A trip to the ER didn't turn up anything (and there wasn't another episode). The ER doctor said most likely a TIA stroke. Mom is fine - new medications. BFF says Mom is a little more forgetful of some things but OK overall.    A stroke doesn't always show with all the symptoms... one is enough. 

If my BFFs Mom's episode had happened at a different time - it might have gone unnoticed. And that's what my BFF was afraid of - how many times had something like that already happened when no one was around to notice it? And what if it happens again?

I'm not wishing McConnell ill, but he's another one of those old politicians that doesn't seem to be a very good human.

[pulmonarymd]

Jul 27, 2023 18:46:32 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

Jul 27, 2023 17:31:21 GMT -5 pulmonarymd said:

McConnell has atrial fibrillation and is on anticoagulants. He has a 1-2% annual stoke risk. It appeared he had a small TIA from the clip I saw. Although I will not wish him to have a stoke, I will not shed a tear should he have one, and I think the country will be a better place when he is no longer in the senate

I was wondering if it was a small stroke type of thing. I also wondered if it was one of those small seizures that just look like zoning out. I am glad he didn’t collapse. Maybe his health will make him consider stepping aside. But somehow I doubt that. He would rather die on the floor obstructing some normal thing than trusting some other republican to do so.

Suspect it was a TIA based on his medical history. An absence seizure is a possibility, but unless he has had them before it is unlikely.

We keep re- electing these fossils. Not sure why we would think that they wouldn’t show us the medical problems that go along with aging. Not like most of them are examples of how we should live if we want to age in a way that keeps us healthy

[thyme4change]

I don’t know what is considered “very old” but MM is 81. That isn’t young….

[pulmonarymd]

Jul 27, 2023 20:59:11 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

I don’t know what is considered “very old” but MM is 81. That isn’t young….

Old old is over 85, so McConnell is just plain old

[djAdvocate]

what is life expectancy for an adult male in the US, now, after Covid?  83?  i know it is down pretty dramatically in the last few years.  it was falling BEFORE Covid.

edit: life expectancy is 77 in the US- the lowest it has been in 20 years.
meanwhile, life expectancy set a new record in Japan last year.  85.

[laterbloomer]

You people are way nicer than me. I hope he lives a long and painful life then suffers in the hell I don't belive in for eternity. He is the asshole that stole the Supreme Court and blocked so many valuable pieces of legislation. He made Trump possible. He is an evil mf and should suffer as much as possible.

[happyhoix]

I find it interesting that the Dems are not making hay with this. Not like all the shit the GOPers have thrown about incompetent Fetterman or Biden or Pelosi.

[djAdvocate]

Jul 28, 2023 7:28:22 GMT -5 happyhoix said:

I find it interesting that the Dems are not making hay with this. Not like all the shit the GOPers have thrown about incompetent Fetterman or Biden or Pelosi.

that is because it is not "nice" to make fun of people's frailties.

so, the GOP has no problem being bitches.  good to know.

[grumpyhermit]

Jul 28, 2023 7:28:22 GMT -5 happyhoix said:

I find it interesting that the Dems are not making hay with this. Not like all the shit the GOPers have thrown about incompetent Fetterman or Biden or Pelosi.

I often gripe about the Dems being spineless wonders when it comes to hitting back at the GOP, but I can't fault them for celebrating his illness. That is just ghoulish. 

That said, the sooner his ass is out of the senate, the better. 

[pulmonarymd]

I wouldn't say much about it except when Republicans want to make an issue of Biden's age and speech. Then I would be shouting about McConnell from the high heavens.

[kadee79]

Jul 28, 2023 14:13:48 GMT -5 pulmonarymd said:

I wouldn't say much about it except when Republicans want to make an issue of Biden's age and speech. Then I would be shouting about McConnell from the high heavens.

They most likely would just throw back Feinstein...she is a mess too.  Bot NEED to go! 

[ripvanwinkle]

Jul 27, 2023 17:07:30 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

I am okay if we amend the constitution to have a max age put on all federal elected positions.

I agree. Max age for Federal public service should be 70. Move over for the younger crowd. You graduate college at 22-24. Get a local govt job for a few yrs then run for state legislature. Serve 4-8 yrs there then run for congress and serve 20-30 yrs there. That's enough. Take your SS and govt pensions and retire. 

[billisonboard]

Jul 30, 2023 14:37:20 GMT -5 ripvanwinkle said:

Jul 27, 2023 17:07:30 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

I am okay if we amend the constitution to have a max age put on all federal elected positions.

I agree. Max age for Federal public service should be 70. Move over for the younger crowd. You graduate college at 22-24. Get a local govt job for a few yrs then run for state legislature. Serve 4-8 yrs there then run for congress and serve 20-30 yrs there. That's enough. Take your SS and govt pensions and retire. 

A technical issue: I think it should be "can not be (whatever age) as of official seating in office". A specific age would lead to special elections, costly and potentially confusing. It would mean they would serve a bit beyond the age (Senators a bit more) so might move the age back a couple of years to account for it.

[ripvanwinkle]

Jul 30, 2023 14:53:26 GMT -5 billisonboard said:

Jul 30, 2023 14:37:20 GMT -5 ripvanwinkle said:

I agree. Max age for Federal public service should be 70. Move over for the younger crowd. You graduate college at 22-24. Get a local govt job for a few yrs then run for state legislature. Serve 4-8 yrs there then run for congress and serve 20-30 yrs there. That's enough. Take your SS and govt pensions and retire. 

A technical issue: I think it should be "can not be (whatever age) as of official seating in office". A specific age would lead to special elections, costly and potentially confusing. It would mean they would serve a bit beyond the age (Senators a bit more) so might move the age back a couple of years to account for it.

Yes, I would think a tweak of the date of age on the upcoming election would be in order. But since a lot of sitting members of congress are "old" and not wanting to give up power and social standing it wouldn't pass. Mitch and Diane should be the poster child for this. Nice dream though.

[billisonboard]

Jul 30, 2023 17:59:29 GMT -5 ripvanwinkle said:

Jul 30, 2023 14:53:26 GMT -5 billisonboard said:

A technical issue: I think it should be "can not be (whatever age) as of official seating in office". A specific age would lead to special elections, costly and potentially confusing. It would mean they would serve a bit beyond the age (Senators a bit more) so might move the age back a couple of years to account for it.

Yes, I would think a tweak of the date of age on the upcoming election would be in order. But since a lot of sitting members of congress are "old" and not wanting to give up power and social standing it wouldn't pass. Mitch and Diane should be the poster child for this. Nice dream though.

I am actually not a big fan of letting voters off the hook on things like this. Vote them out in the primary if you don't want to give the seat to the other party. But voters need to realize they do have the power.

[pulmonarymd]

Jul 30, 2023 18:08:51 GMT -5 billisonboard said:

Jul 30, 2023 17:59:29 GMT -5 ripvanwinkle said:

Yes, I would think a tweak of the date of age on the upcoming election would be in order. But since a lot of sitting members of congress are "old" and not wanting to give up power and social standing it wouldn't pass. Mitch and Diane should be the poster child for this. Nice dream though.

I am actually not a big fan of letting voters off the hook on things like this. Vote them out in the primary if you don't want to give the seat to the other party. But voters need to realize they do have the power.

I agree, want better representation, vote for better people

[ripvanwinkle]

Jul 30, 2023 18:08:51 GMT -5 billisonboard said:

Jul 30, 2023 17:59:29 GMT -5 ripvanwinkle said:

Yes, I would think a tweak of the date of age on the upcoming election would be in order. But since a lot of sitting members of congress are "old" and not wanting to give up power and social standing it wouldn't pass. Mitch and Diane should be the poster child for this. Nice dream though.

I am actually not a big fan of letting voters off the hook on things like this. Vote them out in the primary if you don't want to give the seat to the other party. But voters need to realize they do have the power.

Well that is good in theory but it usually does not happen. But I always vote against the incumbent after a few yrs in office anyway.

[grumpyhermit]

The problem is the parties themselves. These senior senators hold a lot of power, and often sit on important committees. So instead of allowing or even supporting a primary challenger, they block them out, and keep propping up the geriatric. It does leave the voters in a bit of a bind in the general. 

If the choice is voting for an infirm Democrat, and Republican, I know which way I'm going to go. Even if the particular republican is "moderate" I have seen them vote in lock step with the party, which feels increasingly unhinged, too many times to vote that way.