UNCOMFORTABLE SILENCE: Senator Mitch McConnell paused in the middle of a press conference in Washington DC on August 30. This week it happened again. Photo: DREW ANGERER / AFP / NTB
NEW YORK (VG) For the second time in a row, things went completely black for Senator Mitch McConnell (81). And he is not the only one struggling. Does America have an aging problem?
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Senator Mitch McConnell (81) recently experienced two episodes where he “froze” during press conferences. This has led to a renewed debate in the US about aging politicians. Joe Biden (80) is the US’s oldest president, and is running for re-election against what will probably be his challenger Donald Trump (77). The advanced age worries several voters. view more
It was during a press conference in Kentucky on Wednesday that the highly experienced Republican McConnell suddenly froze.
– What do you think about running for re-election in 2026? asks one of the journalists in the hall.
– Sorry, I didn’t quite hear you, replies McConnell.
– What do you think about running for re-election in 2026? repeats the journalist.
– Oh … it’s …, begins the 81-year-old.
Then it stops completely. For about 30 seconds, he stares absently into the air from the podium.
One of his co-workers arrives, but does not get in touch with him.
Watch the clip here:
Silence for 30 seconds
McConnell was elected to the Senate The Senate The Senate, which is one of the two chambers of Congress, consists of 100 senators, two from each state. Together, they manage a lot of power and have a great influence on American politics. The Senate, for example, approves the government, members of the Supreme Court and acts as a court of impeachment. in 1985, and leads the Republican caucus in the Assembly.
Some of the same things that happened in Kentucky also happened at the end of July during a press conference in Washington DC
McConnell was standing behind the microphone in front of the assembly when he froze. For 30 seconds, McConnell remained silent, while party colleagues tried to make contact.
Watch the clip here:
Several people ask questions
The two events get massive publicity in American media.
“Age is just a number”, they say. But for people with such great power and influence, does it perhaps mean something more?
Now the debate is going on in the US about whether there should be limits on how long politicians can sit, and whether there should be health requirements.
“They are not in these jobs to feel good and important like old people, they are here to serve the public,” writes National Review commentator Jim Geragthy.
As it is today, a senator can be re-elected time after time. (Storm Thurmond of South Carolina, for example, sat until he was 99.)
Had a concussion
McConnell fell and hit his head in March, suffering a concussion and a broken rib. After six weeks on sick leave, he was back in the menagerie.
After the episode in Kentucky, McConnell went through a medical check-up. This is where he should have stayed reported healthy.
McConnell’s “blackouts” occur shortly after another senator well into his years, Democrat Dianne Feinstein (90) from California, started babbling after a “yes/no” question during a committee vote.
HEALTH PROBLEMS: Dianne Feinstein (90) was on sick leave from the Senate for two months earlier this year. Photo: J. Scott Applewhite / AP / NTB
Worried about Biden
The election campaign in the United States is apparently well under way, even though the presidential election is not until November 2024.
President Joe Biden (80) is running for re-election for the Democrats, as the oldest president in the country’s history. If he wins the election, he will be 82 years old when he is inaugurated.
Biden has also stated that he has spoken to McConnell after the latest incident, and that the Republican was then “his old self again”.
Biden’s own advanced age is a recurring theme in the United States. Many voters are worried: In a recent survey by the news agency AP, 77 percent respond of Americans that they believe he is too old to be re-elected.
There have been several episodes with Biden, where he has buzzed live:
Record-breaking legislators
In the election, ex-president Donald Trump (77) is the clear favorite to challenge him. No youngsters either, in other words.
And right in the background of Trump and Biden, stands a Congress that is the oldest in 100 years.
They shall represent the entire people of the United States. But if we look at age, it is not certain that the average American fully recognizes himself:
The average age in the US was 38.9 years last year, while the average age in the House of Representatives is 57.9 years. In the Senate, it is 65.3 years – older than ever. CONGRESS: The members of the House of Representatives in WashingtonD.C. January 5. Photo: Andrew Harnik / AP / NTB
– You can point out many people in Congress who were elected or re-elected despite quite obvious weaknesses, says David McLennan, professor of political science and director of the Meredith Poll. CBS.
– But in practice it is the case that even if voters say they do not want older politicians, they vote for them.
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Published: 04.09.23 at 01:01
Updated: 04.09.23 at 01:23
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2023-09-03 23:01:02
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