McConnell’s freezes complicate Republican attacks on Biden’s age
Joe Biden and Mitch McConnell struck up a friendship during their nearly quarter-century in the Senate together. Now in their 80s, the Democratic president and the Senate GOP leader appear to be giving political cover to each other as they fend off questions about their advanced age and health issues.
Notably, McConnell, R-Ky., 81, hasn’t joined Donald Trump, 77, and other Republicans who have attacked Biden’s age, health and mental acuity as he seeks re-election
And after McConnell’s second freeze-up last week, Biden was one of the first to call McConnell, telling reporters that his “friend” sounded like “his old self” and that such episodes are a “part of his recovery” from a fall and a concussion this year.
McConnell’s recent freezing spells and other health concerns have created a campaign conundrum for Republicans who have ripped Biden as too old and frail to continue as commander-in-chief for a second term but continue to stand by McConnell as one of the top leaders of the GOP.
“Because he’s having health problems, it makes it more difficult to attack Biden,” a Republican senator said, referring to McConnell. “And yet I think it’s pretty apparent President Biden has significant health problems. There’s probably a double standard.”
“Both sides have problems with aging leaders,” the senator said.
McConnell’s public health incidents have come as Republicans are ramping up attacks on Biden’s age and mental fitness, a subject voters are expressing major concerns about heading into the 2024 election cycle.
A Wall Street Journal poll out this week found that 73% of registered voters believe Biden is too old to run for president, while 60% said they think he isn’t “mentally up for the job.”
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., 43, a critic of both Biden and McConnell, called out members of his own party for going after Biden while giving McConnell a pass.
“Am I concerned about his health? Yeah, I am. I’m concerned about the president’s health. I’m concerned about his health, and, as I said yesterday, I don’t think you can have it both ways,” Hawley said.
“I mean, if you’re concerned about the president’s ability to do his job — and I am, and a lot of Republicans say they are — then you’ve got to be concerned when it’s somebody from your own party, right?” he continued. “It can’t be sauce for the goose but not for the gander.”
But so far, the vast majority of Senate Republicans are sticking by McConnell after he froze for 30 seconds as he fielded questions from reporters in Kentucky last week, the second such freeze in two months. They include three potential McConnell successors, known as “The Three Johns” — Minority Whip John Thune of South Dakota, GOP Conference Chair John Barrasso of Wyoming and former Whip John Cornyn of Texas — all of whom have pledged their public support to McConnell.
“He has my full support, and he’ll have the support of the conference,” said Thune, 62, although he declined to say whether he believes McConnell will remain GOP leader after next year.
Returning to the Senate this week after the monthlong summer recess, McConnell sought to project a business-as-usual attitude and calm his colleagues’ nerves about his latest health scare.
On Wednesday, McConnell gave his usual floor speech and later addressed his health issues at Senate Republicans’ weekly closed-door lunch, walking his colleagues through the details of his doctor’s evaluation and informing them that he has had only two freezing episodes, both of which he said were captured by cameras, according to senators who attended the lunch.
Immediately after McConnell spoke, one of his former top aides, Steven Law, who runs a McConnell-aligned super PAC, gave a presentation touting strong GOP fundraising numbers — which Hawley described as “a little surprising for the setting.”
Leading his GOP leadership news conference after the lunch, McConnell, a polio survivor who has had mobility issues throughout his life, refused to speculate about what might be causing the freezes and made it clear he’s not going anywhere, saying: “I’m going to finish my term as leader, and I’m going to finish my Senate term.”
That ends in early 2027.
A House Republican close to leadership acknowledged that by staying put, McConnell has “put his colleagues in a difficult situation.”
