How is Mitch McConnell doing?

[Noodles]

The Kentucky legislature has hemmed in the governor's powers considerably when it comes to a reappointment. He must appoint a Republican and it can't be any Republican; the party will choose three possible candidates, and he must choose one of them.

Still cpukd mean they don't want the Governor choosing. What if the least psycho of the three picks is chosen and people realize that the one actually running is shit.

 

[detrius]

The Kentucky legislature has hemmed in the governor's powers considerably when it comes to a reappointment. He must appoint a Republican and it can't be any Republican; the party will choose three possible candidates, and he must choose one of them.

They actually did that? I remember hearing something about that plan, but wasn't aware of them actually turning it into law.

They probably did it in response to the current Democratic governor getting elected and will undo those rules as soon as Kentucky gets another Republican governor.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

Kentucky has a Democratic governor and the Republicans obviously don't want him to appoint a replacement for McConnell.

Whatever the governor's powers, it's all academic before a vacancy arises.

Assuming Sen McDonnell is still alive and has not resigned, under what circumstances does a vacancy arise for his seat in the Senate?

For example, if the hospital were to announce he's in a coma but he may wake up at any time, would that trigger an election?

 

[Soen Eber]

In the unlikely event that hereditary peer also held an important political position, I would certainly expect his family to authorise the hospital to issue some sort of anodyne update on his condition, if only to satisfy the political reporters, who would be showing a great deal more interest in his health than are their apparently more deferential US counterparts in this case.

And what if the King is mad, his court is in disarray, Monday is Tuesday, red is a flavor, and the clock strikes 13?

 

[detrius]

Whatever the governor's powers, it's all academic before a vacancy arises.

Assuming Sen McDonnell is still alive and has not resigned, under what circumstances does a vacancy arise for his seat in the Senate?

For example, if the hospital were to announce he's in a coma but he may wake up at any time, would that trigger an election?

Well, the next candidate from the party list succeeds.


Oops, wait, wrong country.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

Well, the next candidate from the party list succeeds.


Oops, wait, wrong country.

I think you miss my point. Before anyone can succeed, there must first be a vacancy. It is unclear to me how a vacancy is created if the incumbent is alive and has not voluntarily resigned.

 

[Veritable Quandry]

Whatever the governor's powers, it's all academic before a vacancy arises.

Assuming Sen McDonnell is still alive and has not resigned, under what circumstances does a vacancy arise for his seat in the Senate?

For example, if the hospital were to announce he's in a coma but he may wake up at any time, would that trigger an election?

It requires a 2/3 vote of the House or Senate to expell a member. There is no specific provision for incapacity.

I doubt even someone with a written medical Power of Attorney could submit a resignation on their behalf.

eta: After a quick look, it has never been used for medical reasons. Of the 15 Senators expelled, 14 were Confederate supporters. The majority of Senators facing serious ethics investigations resigned before any report was voted on.

 

[detrius]

I think you miss my point. Before anyone can succeed, there must first be a vacancy. It is unclear to me how a vacancy is created if the incumbent is alive and has not voluntarily resigned.

I think you missed the reference to our discussion in the other thread.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

I think you missed the reference to our discussion in the other thread.

No, I got that, but I didn't see how it was relevant to this particular situation. The secrecy surrounding his condition, combined with the scarcely credible accounts of conversations with him coming from his staff, suggests something odd is happening or has happened, but what all this secrecy is intended to achieve is beyond me.

He's already announced he's retiring in November, and I don't see who loses from a simple announcement that Sen McConnell suffered from a heart attack or stroke or whatever it was, is now in a stable condition and hopes to return to his duties in the senate when his doctors say this would be advisable, but he is now concentrating on his recovery and a further statement will be made in due course.

I understand that Trump's vanity means everyone has to pretend he's a superman in perfect health but I didn't think that applied to Mitch McConnell, too.

 

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

An indirect German taking a Brit to the task for being direct wasn’t on my bingo card.

 

[detrius]

An indirect German taking a Brit to the task for being direct wasn’t on my bingo card.

I spend too much time on this forum full of anglophones.

 

[Noodles]

The answer is, no one knows because he is part ofnthe fascism take over who does not care about decorum.

 

[Beebo Brink]

The secrecy surrounding his condition, combined with the scarcely credible accounts of conversations with him coming from his staff, suggests something odd is happening or has happened, but what all this secrecy is intended to achieve is beyond me.

I couldn't resist running this by ChatGPT to see the AI take on all this.

Why are Republicans hiding Mitch McConnell's medical condition? What do they gain by delaying knowledge that he is incapacitated, if not actually dead.

1. Maintaining caucus stability during a fragile moment
McConnell’s absence narrows Republicans’ margins on critical committees — especially Appropriations, where they hold a one‑seat majority (15–14). Losing him suddenly would immediately destabilize vote counts and negotiations on defense and national security funding. Keeping his status “stable but recovering” avoids triggering a scramble for interim leadership or committee reshuffling.

2. Preventing a power struggle inside the GOP
McConnell’s long‑running conflict with Trump and the MAGA faction means that any sign of weakness invites an internal fight over succession.

• Trump-aligned figures have attacked McConnell for years.
• McConnell has opposed Trump’s tariffs, cabinet picks, and attempts to eliminate the filibuster.

If Republicans publicly acknowledge that McConnell is incapacitated, they risk an immediate, messy battle between establishment Republicans and MAGA loyalists — at the exact moment they’re trying to project unity.

3. Avoiding a special‑appointment scenario in Kentucky
Kentucky law requires the governor (a Democrat, Andy Beshear) to appoint a replacement from a list provided by the state GOP. That process is politically fraught, and Republicans would prefer to avoid triggering it until absolutely necessary. The longer they can say “he’s recovering,” the longer they avoid handing any procedural leverage to a Democratic governor.

4. Preserving negotiating power in the Senate
McConnell is still one of the most influential Republican voices on national security and defense appropriations. If Democrats or foreign governments perceive a leadership vacuum, Republicans lose bargaining strength. By insisting he is “fully engaged” and “working closely with staff,” they maintain the illusion of continuity.

 

[Noodles]

Based on that Chat GPT summary, I am certain he is dead or incapacitated.

Because if he was not, telling the world he is, would be a huge "Fuck You" to Trump and MAGA. And while he is and always will be a piece of shit, he seems to dislike Trump and MAGA enough to throw down that last "Fuck You" as he goes out the door.

Pretend this is photoshopped with McConnell's face.

 

[Katheryne Helendale]

It looks like the turtle lives.

McConnell says a fall led to his hospitalization, breaking weeks of silence about health condition

Sen. Mitch McConnell is revealing for the first time that a fall led to his hospitalization, breaking the silence about his condition after weeks of mounting speculation about the Kentucky Republican’s health.

apnews.com

 

[Beebo Brink]

I'd like to see that photo of McConnell with his wife. I want to count the fingers on his hand....

 

[detrius]

It looks like the turtle lives.

McConnell says a fall led to his hospitalization, breaking weeks of silence about health condition

Sen. Mitch McConnell is revealing for the first time that a fall led to his hospitalization, breaking the silence about his condition after weeks of mounting speculation about the Kentucky Republican’s health.

apnews.com

Probably made a deal with Satan.

"Hey, why don't you take Lindsey instead?"

 

[Beebo Brink]

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