Mitch McConnell Says He's 'Fine' After Press Conference Incident

Facts

• Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) froze mid-sentence while speaking during the GOP leadership conference Wednesday. The 81-year-old went silent for 19 seconds before being escorted away from the media by his top deputy, Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), and a physician.¹
• McConnell went back to his office after the episode but returned to the podium a few minutes later to address reporters. McConnell told the press that he was “fine” and an aide said he was just feeling lightheaded.²
• This latest incident fueled speculation about the veteran politician’s health as McConnell is just four months removed from a fall that caused a concussion and broken rib. McConnell also reportedly fell during a February trip and on July 14 at Washington's Reagan National Airport.³
• Questions about politicians’ age and health aren’t confined to McConnell as there are several high-profile octogenarians [someone between 80 and 90 years old] in high-level US government positions — including Pres. Joe Biden, who is 80, and Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.), who is 90.⁴
• At a Senate Appropriations Committee proceeding Thursday, Sen. Feinstein appeared confused as she read a prepared statement during a standard roll call vote. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) can be heard repeatedly telling Feinstein to “Just say, ‘Aye’” to get the Senator’s vote on the record.⁵
• Feinstein has said she is retiring at the end of her term in 2024, but McConnell has made no such commitments for when his seat is up in 2026. While many Americans worry about the age of their politicians, seniority rules incentivize elderly lawmakers to remain in office.⁶

Sources: ¹NBC, ²ABC News, ³USA Today, ⁴CNN, ⁵FOX News, and ⁶Business Insider.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by The Daily Beast. It’s time to come out and state the obvious: American politicians are too old, and it's hurting their ability to function in high-level positions. It is not discriminatory to acknowledge the cognitive and physical decline of people in their 80s and 90s, and it's wrong to look the other way when elderly people are clearly struggling to keep up with a high-demand job. There needs to be some testing and safeguards to protect both the politicians and their constituents from the effects of advanced age. America's gerontocracy is a legitimate cause for concern.
• Narrative B, as provided by Esquire. Americans have made great progress in opposing discrimination upon characteristics such as race, gender, and sexual orientation, yet many people seem to be just fine with blatant ageism. At every turn, older politicians on both sides are heavily scrutinized after every slip-up, as the media calls for them to retire. The fact is that many of these 70-plus-year-old politicians are wiser and more effective than their younger counterparts. Modern technology and medicine have done wonders to keep people mentally and physically acute for much longer, and America's political system desperately needs seasoned leadership.

Predictions