Joe Biden and Mitch McConnell struck up a friendship during their nearly quarter-century in the Senate together. Now in their 80s, the Democratic president and the Senate GOP leader appear to be giving political cover to each other as they fend off questions about their advanced age and health issues.

Notably, McConnell, R-Ky., 81, hasn’t joined Donald Trump, 77, and other Republicans who have attacked Biden’s age, health and mental acuity as he seeks re-election.

And after McConnell’s second freeze-up last week, Biden was one of the first to call McConnell, telling reporters that his “friend” sounded like “his old self” and that such episodes are a “part of his recovery” from a fall and a concussion this year.

  • VegaLyrae@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    I do have to admit, after getting concussed I also appeared to freeze but I was thinking hard of what the right word is to say next.

    That said, probably anyone in concussion recovery should be on leave from legislating. The brain will heal more slowly, and your work will be of poor quality.

    That’s all before getting into the actual politics of having a gerentocracy.

    I know a lot of people have talked a out adding an age limit, but it seems to me most of the ancient ones are skating by on incumbent effect. If we had term limits it would resolve that. Alternatively something like the Virginia Gubernatorial rules where you cannot hold the position successively.

  • Shalakushka@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    This would be devastating if conservatives cared at all about hypocrisy or logical consistency.

  • Yepthatsme@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    Speaking of shitty ass cancerous Kentucky politicians, whats brother Racist Rand been up to? Sucking Putins old dick?

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldB
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    1 year ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:


    Now in their 80s, the Democratic president and the Senate GOP leader appear to be giving political cover to each other as they fend off questions about their advanced age and health issues.

    Notably, McConnell, R-Ky., 81, hasn’t joined Donald Trump, 77, and other Republicans who have attacked Biden’s age, health and mental acuity as he seeks re-election.

    McConnell’s public health incidents have come as Republicans are ramping up attacks on Biden’s age and mental fitness, a subject voters are expressing major concerns about heading into the 2024 election cycle.

    A Wall Street Journal poll out this week found that 73% of registered voters believe Biden is too old to run for president, while 60% said they think he isn’t “mentally up for the job.”

    Returning to the Senate this week after the monthlong summer recess, McConnell sought to project a business-as-usual attitude and calm his colleagues’ nerves about his latest health scare.

    Immediately after McConnell spoke, one of his former top aides, Steven Law, who runs a McConnell-aligned super PAC, gave a presentation touting strong GOP fundraising numbers — which Hawley described as “a little surprising for the setting.”


    The original article contains 1,375 words, the summary contains 190 words. Saved 86%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!

  • MeatsOfRage@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    There’s a 4 year age gap between Trump and Biden. Funny how 4 years ago Trump was saying Biden was too old for the job…

  • Fredselfish@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Sickening to hear Biden call McConnell a friend. His fucking serious? Because if he is then means he dumber than thought. Our the whole blue vs red is all theater and they are all playing us for fools. Which is the most likely case.

    • downpunxx@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      If you’re confused why Joe Biden is doing this, you don’t understand the American form of government, how no one party can achieve anything on it’s own without consensus, and that the hyper partisan fuck it all Republicans must be wooed, and have their balls cupped, in order to be soothed and tricked into thinking they really don’t need to be so destructive, and that is what Joe Biden does, then you don’t know much, and you don’t know Joe Biden. He’s been doing exactly this for the last 5 decades in elected office, and he’s really really really fucking good at it.

      • MrVilliam@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        This. He’s not nearly as progressive as I’d like, but he accomplished much more in his first 2 years than I thought he could get done in 2 terms. The railroad strike thing was a massive letdown, but I understand that a major focus in that moment was the state of the economy, and it was very much getting back on track and an industry-wide strike would’ve resulted in more supply chain shit, more inflation, and damning criticisms that he failed to solve economic woes because he’s too weak. He was looking at the bigger picture. A decent person would’ve supported the strikes, but Jimmy Carter proved that a decent person doesn’t make for a very good president. Sometimes, you have to make tough decisions that conflict with your personal beliefs for the good of the entire country.

        As an armchair quarterback who doesn’t really know the nitty gritty details, I think I would’ve looked into nationalizing the rail industry entirely. If it’s so important to national security that the workers are barred from striking and the companies are running the industry so poorly that even with unions they are skeleton crews with shit benefits and pay with an awful safety record, then those companies have lost the privilege of privatization.

    • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      During the primary Biden kept saying he should be president because of his great relationships with republican Senators and that because of that he’d be able to get R’s to vote with the Dem party…

      He legitimately believes they’re all a bunch of buddies.

      I still dont know if it’s better or worse if he’s delusional… But either option isn’t great