McConnell, the Grim Reaper
Mitch McConnell (82), the longest-serving Senate leader in history, shocked Washington on Wednesday. He announced he plans to retire as minority leader in November.
His decision punctuates a powerful ideological transition underway in the Republican Party, from Ronald Reagan’s brand of traditional conservatism and strong international alliances, to the fiery, often isolationist populism of former President Donald Trump. …
‘I love the Senate,’ he said. ‘It has been my life. … I still have enough gas in the tank to thoroughly disappoint my critics and I intend to do so with all the enthusiasm which they have become accustomed.
(The Associated Press, February 28, 2024)
Pundits will rant and rave about his legacy. But this chess master of congressional politics would likely boast about puppeteering Republican agendas while strangling Democratic ones. Indeed, McConnell’s rabid partisanship won him the moniker of the Grim Reaper.
Why now, Mitch?
The timing is vintage Mitch. On the one hand, he’s giving his colleagues lots of time to give him his roses while still their leader. On the other hand, he clearly sees the writing on the wall.
In a rare moment of principled and patriotic candor, McConnell led Republicans in condemning Trump for the Jan 6 insurrection. Unsurprisingly, Trump has harbored a simmering grudge ever since.
Mere weeks ago, Trump orchestrated the ousting of RNC Chair Ronna Romney McDaniel. Washington gossip suggested that, after sealing the Republican presidential nomination, his next trophy would be McConnell’s head.
Thus, this announcement reeks more of McConnell jumping before Trump kicks him out.
McConnell vs Obama
Most Americans hailed the election of Barack Obama as the first Black president of the United States. McConnell scoffed, pledging to live up to his reputation as the grim reaper by making Obama a one-term, failed president.
Arguably, McConnell was as determined to do to this first Black presidency what US and European leaders conspired to do to Haiti, the first Black republic: make it suffer crib death.
McConnell failed. But he succeeded most notoriously in frustrating the confirmation of Obama’s second Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland. Not to mention how he packed the federal judiciary with young White men who share his right-wing politics.
Hence, no self-respecting Black or Democrat is singing McConnell’s praise. He always placed power for Republicans over the welfare of the country.
Notably, his habit of putting party over country compelled him to orchestrate Trump’s acquittal at two impeachment trials. This, even though he knew Trump was as guilty as sin in each case.
Except that, the political Frankenstein McConnell enabled soon turned on him and is now hell-bent on turning American democracy into a Trumpian dystopia. But, now McConnell only seems interested in getting eulogies while he lives.