2024-02-29 12:55 United News Network 24 Hours Around the Corner US Republican leader Mitch McConnell announced on the 28th that he will officially…
【2024. 2. 29 United States】
The next chapter in the life of a political veteran: US Republican leader McConnell steps down as Senate leader
“The most undervalued virtue in life is knowing when to move to the next chapter of life.” The 82-year-old Mickey Mouse, the leader of the American Republican Party. Mitch McConnell – announced on February 28 that he will officially step down as Senate leader in November this year. McConnell has served as Senate leader for more than 14 years since 2007, setting a record for the longest term in office. Although McConnell did not directly say whether his resignation was directly related to his health condition, McConnell made several “sudden long pauses” in public speeches last year, which raised concerns about his health. On the other hand, the party whip who has dominated the political arena for many years has resigned, and now is a time when Trump is coming fiercely and the Republican Party is in chaos. As a Republican leader and a mainstream establishment member in the party who safeguards traditional values, McConnell has worked closely with Trump in the past. The contradiction between Prussia and Prussia has once again become a topic that tests his political career.
Republican Senate leader McConnell, who just turned 82 last week, announced at a regular press conference on the 28th that he would step down as party whip in November. He said: “The most underrated virtue in life is knowing when to move on to the next chapter of life. … So I declare to you that this session will be my last Serve as Senate Republican leader.”
However, McConnell said that he will still serve as a federal senator from Kentucky until the end of his term in January 2027 and “continue to stay (service) in different positions.” McConnell was first elected to the Senate in 1984 and served as a member of the Senate for 43 years. McConnell said he was honored to be the longest-serving Kentucky representative in history.
He said: “When I think about when I am going to make this announcement to the Senate, I always imagine that in that moment, I will feel very clear and peaceful about stepping down from office; in that moment, I am sure that I have stood up for myself. Values that we believe in. And that moment is today.”
“The most underrated virtue in life is knowing when to move on to the next chapter of your life. …
Surrounded by relatives and friends, McConnell announced his resignation. During the process, he paused slightly due to emotion and frequently looked back at his colleagues. Many members of Congress standing behind him quietly wiped away tears from time to time. Senators regardless of party affiliation were surprised by the resignation and exchanged hugs and handshakes. Democratic President Joe Biden, who has always had a productive relationship with McConnell, has expressed regret over McConnell’s departure.
“I’ve always trusted him, and we had a great relationship,” Biden said. “Of course we fought hard, but he never, never, ever misinterpreted anything.”
McConnell did not mention information about his own health, saying only that “it is time for the next generation of leaders to step up.”
Regarding the sudden announcement of resignation, McConnell revealed that it was affected by the death of a relative. McConnell’s wife and former U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao’s younger sister died in a traffic accident in early February, prompting his determination to resign. He said: “When you lose a loved one, especially if they are very young, the grieving process is often accompanied by introspection. Perhaps God is using His way to remind us that we need to reconsider our priorities in life’s journey, those that we cannot avoid. impact on the world.”
His office staff later released a letter from a congressional doctor clarifying that McConnell “is absolutely medically capable of continuing to work.” McConnell accidentally fell during an event in March 2023, resulting in rib contusion and concussion and was hospitalized. The recovery period lasted several weeks. Since then, McConnell has behaved abnormally twice at public press conferences. When expressing his opinions in public, he suddenly pursed his lips and became silent for 20 to 30 seconds, and his facial expression seemed to be frozen. Considering that McConnell is already 80 years old, the outside world cannot help but speculate whether it is the sequelae of injury, or a major disease such as stroke or Alzheimer’s disease.
McConnell himself looked back on his life in politics and recalled his interactions with the former PresidentReagan(Ronald Reagan) encounter. Reagan stood for him during his first campaign, but his name was called “Mitch O’Donnell” in the seats. So McConnell jokingly said that when he first entered the Senate, “I was happy if anyone remembered my name.”
The Associated Press pointed out that the end of the McConnell era almost symbolizes a huge ideological shift in the Republican Party, from the classical conservatism, strong diplomacy and vigorous support of allies and other policies of the Reagan era to the policies of former President Donald Trump. Trump’s populism and isolationism. Knowing this, McConnell still expressed his admiration for the policies of the Reagan era. He emphasized: “I know what the political atmosphere is in the Republican Party now. I have made many mistakes, but I never misread politics.”
“I believe now more than ever that if we want to uphold what Reagan said,city on a hill” (shining city on o hill) glory, the United States is indispensable for its role as a global leader. “
McConnell was first elected to the Senate in 1984 and served as a member of the Senate for 43 years. McConnell also said that he was honored to be…
The turning point in McConnell’s political career can be said to be closely linked to the rise of Trump. As a traditional Republican, McConnell’s conservative stance and style are incompatible with Trump. The two have worked together to promote numerous major policies, including ensuring that the Supreme Court’s conservative justices have a 6:3 absolute majority, prompting the Supreme Court to end the protection of abortion rights, and guarantee the unrestricted right to own guns, etc., but he still remains in many aspects. To counter Trump, McConnell, for example, has always been firm in his position that the United States should assist Ukraine and serve as the leader of the free world, and has gradually distanced himself from some senior party officials and Trump supporters.
The biggest challenge to McConnell’s political reputation will be the 2021 uprising between Trump and his supporters.Capitol Hill riotsand the subsequent second impeachment case. After the attack on the Capitol, McConnell first angrily severed ties with the Trump administration and continued to believe that then-President Trump was responsible for incitement. He once pointed out: “There is no doubt that President Trump does bear substantive and moral responsibility for inciting thugs to attack Congress.”
At the time of the impeachment case, when many Republican donors were cutting ties with Trump, only 13% of grassroots Republican supporters believed that Trump should be impeached. Although the Republican team led by McConnell did not actively defend Trump and intended to allow the Democratic Party to lead the impeachment case, he could not help but follow the trend of the grassroots and adopt the strategy of “sticking to procedural issues”, advocating that “even if Trump is guilty, the Senate will not The resigning president has power and responsibility.” Later, McConnell relaxed party discipline and allowed Republican lawmakers to decide for themselves whether to vote not guilty in the impeachment case.
On December 12, 2023, Zelensky visited the United States, McConnell (left), Democratic Senate leader Schumer (right… Trump and McConnell. Photo/Reuters
However, such ambiguous behavior did not make McConnell the glue that divided the Republican Party. Instead, it intensified the confrontation between the Trump camp and the anti-Trump camp. When the Democratic Party won a big victory in the 2022 midterm elections, many Trump supporters blamed McConnell. Stephen Miller, a former White House adviser during Trump’s term, once criticized: “The Republican line set by McConnell is not convincing to voters.”
In addition, Democrats and liberals did not accept McConnell’s behavior and believed that he should take more actions to punish Trump, but McConnell did not do so. The final result of the 2021 impeachment case was 57 votes in favor: 43 votes against, failing to pass the 67-seat conviction threshold, and Trump once again withdrew. The then Democratic congressional leaders, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, immediately condemned the Republican Party, calling it the most unclear day in American political history.Trump’s political career also made a comeback
Republican Senator McConnell was once known for his sharp wit and was deeply loved by voters and colleagues. The Financial Times pointed out that McConnell has strong fundraising capabilities and is extremely good at recruiting talents. He has helped the Republican Party recruit countless powerful congressional candidates. . Therefore, McConnell’s departure is still a great regret for the Republican Party, even if his sophistication seems unable to heal the divisions in the Republican Party. It is foreseeable that the Republican Party will be involved in a round of fighting for the leadership of the Senate. Potential candidates currently on the table include South Dakota Senator John Thunei, Texas Senator John Cornyn and Wyoming Senator Bayern. John Barrasso and so on.
On February 28, 2024, McConnell announced at the Capitol in Washington that he would resign as minority leader this year.McConnell… Last 24 hours United States
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2024-02-29 04:55:11
