Responding to a Wednesday episode in which Mitch McConnell froze mid-sentence while addressing reporters, Florida governor Ron DeSantis suggested in a recent interview that the Senate majority leader and other politicians of his generation should “pass the baton” to younger leaders.
On Wednesday, McConnell abruptly stopped speaking in the middle of a GOP leadership press conference and had to be escorted away from the podium, leading many to question his physical and mental fitness.
“Do you want to say anything else to the press?” fellow Senator John Barrasso (R., Wy.), a trained doctor, whispered to McConnell before escorting him away from reporters.
Odd moment: McConnell freezes at start of Senate GOP leadership press conference and is escorted to the side by his colleagues pic.twitter.com/hT5bLnstOS
— Raquel Martin (@RaquelMartinTV) July 26, 2023
“He’s 81 years old. We’ve seen some problems with other politicians around that age – including our current president – what does this tell you, if anything, about the dangers or the risks in electing people in their eighties to serve?” Megyn Kelly asked the 2024 Republican presidential hopeful in an interview teaser released Friday.
“It used to not be that way. It used to be that you kind of serve in your prime and then pass the baton to the next generation. And I think this generation has not really been as willing to do that,” DeSantis told Kelly.
Asked about the incident, McConnell’s office said the majority leader just became temporarily light-headed and immediately returned to his official duties.
The Florida governor also fired a shot at President Joe Biden, who will be turning 81 in November and is seeking re-election in 2024. If he were to win, Biden would be 86 by the end of his second presidential term.
“One of the reasons I’m running, compared to Biden – my gosh – we need energy in the executive, we need some vigor, some vitality. When I go in on day one, we will spit nails starting January 20, 2025. It will be day after day after day,” DeSantis said.
“You’ve gotta be vigorous, you gotta have energy, to be able to do that. I think the American people, I do think they’re ready to say: ‘Ok, let’s try the next generation.'”
The governor’s comments come shortly after Senator Dianne Feinstein (D., Calif.), whose long-running health issues have sidelined her for months, struggled during a Defense Appropriations Bill vote on Thursday. Aides to the ailing senator had to walk her through a basic procedure when she instead began to read a speech. “Just say aye,” two assistants can be heard saying.
A confused Sen. Dianne Feinstein trying to cast her vote for an $823 billion military budget is reminded by colleagues to “just say aye” pic.twitter.com/as1vJHwJCS
— Ken Klippenstein (@kenklippenstein) July 27, 2023
Feinstein’s recent hospital stay, which long prevented President Biden from moving forward with at least a dozen federal judicial appointments, led a growing chorus of Democrats to demand her resignation.
“It’s time for @SenFeinstein to resign,” Ro Khanna (D., Calif.) tweeted in mid April. “We need to put the country ahead of personal loyalty. While she has had a lifetime of public service, it is obvious she can no longer fulfill her duties. Not speaking out undermines our credibility as elected representatives of the people.”
Fellow House representative Jamaal Bowman (D., N.Y.) joined Khanna’s call during an interview with CNN at the time. “She’s had a very long and stellar career, you know, but missing that many votes, stopping us from moving forward with our judge nominations,” Bowman said.