Worse but less powerful than McConnell was for the longest time. And to think, McConnell became a Republican originally because he was a strong supporter of civil rights back in the 60s, when the Kentucky Democrats were segregationists. Is he going to have pangs of conscience on his deathbed like Lee Atwater? He chose amorality, and I have no respect for him.
KY Dems had a mixed record on civil rights. There was a segregationist Dixiecrat contingent, but also officials like Lawrence Wetherby, who was governor at the time of Brown vs. Board of Education who endorsed that decision and worked to implement desegregation, and Ned Breathitt, who passed a state civil rights act in the same year as Congress did so nationally (a measure opposed by his Republican successor, Louie Nunn).
McConnell came up through politics in Louisville, which early in his career was both more liberal on issues like civil rights and more competitive on a partisan basis than most of the state. Today it's one of Kentucky's few reliably blue regions.
Thanks for giving us some more nuanced details. I read that McConnell didn't try to come up in the Democratic Party because the powers that be were segregationist and I think the article that I read years ago also said that it would have been hard for him to break in, with all the older politicians entrenched in the party.
wouldn't suprise me if part of the reason he is quitting is he hates trump but doesn't have the balls to stand up to him and trump is very glad he is leaving town
For some reason I thought McConnell's retirement was already official. Shows just how presumed it was, I guess.
Easily one of the most damaging political leaders in our modern history. I am not enough of an expert to evaluate relative to our whole history, but I assume he has to be merit worthy for a top 20 list or something of the like. He will never admit it but McConnell played a huge part in bringing the GOP to where they are today and the resultant damage to our institutions and nation.
I fully expect his replacement to be even worse than him. The only potential upside is that they may not be as intelligent, hampering the efficacy of their vileness.
Except for spiking the conviction. He is the epitome of someone who believes that he who fights and runs away may love to fight another day. He forgot that his own aging and mortality are a limiting factor of that strategy.
Honestly I think he would have had good odds of it. Once they know they aren't going out on a limb seemingly all by themselves, the calculus changes a lot.
I'd point to McConnell's successor — chosen in a secret ballot — being Thune rather than the crazier Cornyn or much crazier Scott. There's a majority of their caucus that is willing to do sane things that help their party in the long run, if they think they won't be punished for it by the base and/or Fox.
I fully agree. Moreover, since the last impeachment trial, it has come to light that several of the senators who voted not to convict, did so because they feared for their own safety and that of their families.
Likewise I fault McConnell for not using his influence to try to block the horrible Trump nominees that he voted against. As a consequence, his Nay votes became purely performative.
It’s painful to realize that Trump is making Dubya look like an intellectual, and making Nixon and McConnell look like paragons of political integrity.
That said, I can think of few Congressional leaders who did more damage in the pre-Trumpian era than Mitch McConnell and Newt Gingrich. Through their rhetoric and power plays, they made American politics destructively hyperpartisan.
Almost like Mitch coordinated with his preferred successor or something ^^
Daniel Cameron is officially in.
Huge shame Beshear doesn't want the Senate. He could be strong in a rematch. I would gamble there are a lot of racist Republicans not excited to vote for Cameron in KY.
I’d like to see Rocky Adkins take a shot at the race.
Beshear's campaign manager, Eric Hyers, told NBC News that the governor will not run for Senate.
One Democratic strategist with experience in the state pointed to Beshear adviser Rocky Adkins as a potential strong candidate. Adkins is a former state legislator and Democratic leader in the state House.
And in other news, water is wet. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/mitch-mcconnell-announces-retire-ending-decadeslong-senate-career-rcna182833
Once again, I have that familiar sentiment of "good riddance, he was an awful person... and yet the successor may very well be worse".
Same
Worse but less powerful than McConnell was for the longest time. And to think, McConnell became a Republican originally because he was a strong supporter of civil rights back in the 60s, when the Kentucky Democrats were segregationists. Is he going to have pangs of conscience on his deathbed like Lee Atwater? He chose amorality, and I have no respect for him.
KY Dems had a mixed record on civil rights. There was a segregationist Dixiecrat contingent, but also officials like Lawrence Wetherby, who was governor at the time of Brown vs. Board of Education who endorsed that decision and worked to implement desegregation, and Ned Breathitt, who passed a state civil rights act in the same year as Congress did so nationally (a measure opposed by his Republican successor, Louie Nunn).
McConnell came up through politics in Louisville, which early in his career was both more liberal on issues like civil rights and more competitive on a partisan basis than most of the state. Today it's one of Kentucky's few reliably blue regions.
Thanks for giving us some more nuanced details. I read that McConnell didn't try to come up in the Democratic Party because the powers that be were segregationist and I think the article that I read years ago also said that it would have been hard for him to break in, with all the older politicians entrenched in the party.
wouldn't suprise me if part of the reason he is quitting is he hates trump but doesn't have the balls to stand up to him and trump is very glad he is leaving town
For some reason I thought McConnell's retirement was already official. Shows just how presumed it was, I guess.
Easily one of the most damaging political leaders in our modern history. I am not enough of an expert to evaluate relative to our whole history, but I assume he has to be merit worthy for a top 20 list or something of the like. He will never admit it but McConnell played a huge part in bringing the GOP to where they are today and the resultant damage to our institutions and nation.
I fully expect his replacement to be even worse than him. The only potential upside is that they may not be as intelligent, hampering the efficacy of their vileness.
The fact that his fellow Kentucky Senator is a flat out Putin apologist speaks for itself.
And an opponent of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
And, perhaps, favoring repeal of the 14th and 19th amendments?
McConnell helped then-Senate Minority Leader and eventually Majority Leader Bill Frist bankroll the Iraq War. That’s when he lost credibility for me.
As reviled as Jesse Helms was, McConnell did more damage to the country by orders of magnitude.
I'll give him credit for standing firm on 1/6. But that's it.
Except for spiking the conviction. He is the epitome of someone who believes that he who fights and runs away may love to fight another day. He forgot that his own aging and mortality are a limiting factor of that strategy.
I don’t know if he’d have gotten to 67 if he’d publicly come out in favor, or even if he’d whipped privately.
But damn him to Hell forever for not trying.
Honestly I think he would have had good odds of it. Once they know they aren't going out on a limb seemingly all by themselves, the calculus changes a lot.
I'd point to McConnell's successor — chosen in a secret ballot — being Thune rather than the crazier Cornyn or much crazier Scott. There's a majority of their caucus that is willing to do sane things that help their party in the long run, if they think they won't be punished for it by the base and/or Fox.
I fully agree. Moreover, since the last impeachment trial, it has come to light that several of the senators who voted not to convict, did so because they feared for their own safety and that of their families.
I don't think of Cornyn as crazy, for a Republican. How is he crazier than Thune?
Likewise I fault McConnell for not using his influence to try to block the horrible Trump nominees that he voted against. As a consequence, his Nay votes became purely performative.
Acquitting him wasn't exactly standing firm. He completely crumbled.
It’s painful to realize that Trump is making Dubya look like an intellectual, and making Nixon and McConnell look like paragons of political integrity.
That said, I can think of few Congressional leaders who did more damage in the pre-Trumpian era than Mitch McConnell and Newt Gingrich. Through their rhetoric and power plays, they made American politics destructively hyperpartisan.
Almost like Mitch coordinated with his preferred successor or something ^^
Daniel Cameron is officially in.
Huge shame Beshear doesn't want the Senate. He could be strong in a rematch. I would gamble there are a lot of racist Republicans not excited to vote for Cameron in KY.
https://x.com/DanielCameronKY/status/1892622418113372645?t=oJf-Rj-JoNRo422UmnpsrA&s=19
Beshear is slated to lead the Democratic Governors Association next year, too
I’d like to see Rocky Adkins take a shot at the race.
Beshear's campaign manager, Eric Hyers, told NBC News that the governor will not run for Senate.
One Democratic strategist with experience in the state pointed to Beshear adviser Rocky Adkins as a potential strong candidate. Adkins is a former state legislator and Democratic leader in the state House.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna193010
Adkins is the next best option for Dems. Would run very strong in the eastern half of the state.
What about 2027 for Governor? Whom do you think we should run for that?