About thirty seconds of paralysis: the long absence of Republican tenor Mitch McConnell on Wednesday aroused serious concerns about his health and revived criticism against the aging of the American political class, sometimes described as gerontocracy.
While traveling in his state of Kentucky, Senator McConnell, 81, seemed paralyzed for about 30 seconds, unable to answer a question from a reporter.
The leader of the Republicans in the Senate, elected for the first time in 1985, had just been asked about his desire to run again in 2026.
“Senator McConnell felt momentarily dizzy and paused during his press conference,” his spokesman told AFP. His entourage said he would consult a doctor before his next public meeting.
The Republican tenor had already experienced a very similar episode on July 26, freezing for no reason in the middle of a press conference on Capitol Hill, before his entourage invited him to slip away.
The case of Senator Dianne Feinstein, 90, has also fueled debates around the age at which elected officials should step down. The visible decline in the cognitive abilities of this respected figure casts doubt on his ability to perform his duties.
“We MUST tackle the serious problems related to aging and / or the mental health of our leaders”, denounced the elected Trumpist Marjorie Taylor Greene on Wednesday, resharing the video of the moment of absence of Mitch McConnell.
In March, the octogenarian senator was hospitalized after a fall during a private dinner party, which left him with a concussion, a broken rib and nearly six weeks out.
Mitch McConnell, undisputed leader of the Republicans in the Senate since 2015, has found himself in this capacity on the front line of the fight against the policies of the administration of Democratic President Barack Obama (2009-2017), and those of President Biden since 2021.
Asked about Mitch McConnell’s condition, President Joe Biden said he would “try to talk to him in the afternoon”. “We had political disagreements, but he’s a good friend,” said the 80-year-old leader.
The Democrat, candidate for a second term in November 2024, is also regularly criticized for his age, and is sometimes described as senile by some Republicans.
The President’s last medical report in February 2023 said he was “in good health”, but never before had the White House had such an elderly tenant.
His possible rival in 2024, former Republican President Donald Trump, has just celebrated his 77th birthday.
Nikki Haley, another 51-year-old Republican candidate, has repeatedly called for intellectual aptitude tests for any elected official over 75.
The former ambassador to the UN hopes to capitalize on a desire for renewal among the American electorate, which according to the polls does not want a second term for Biden more than a new Trump presidency.
30/08/2023 22:30:07 – Washington (AFP) – © 2023 AFP