I have not been very kind to Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in this blog and in previous op-eds. I was disappointed with his inability to accomplish things Republicans singled out in the 2012 election. It’s what angered voters, who now believe Donald Trump will be successful in making America great again.
I was proud of the way McConnell quickly announced there would be no hearings on Obama nominees to the Supreme Court following the death of Antonin Scalia.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (businessinsider.com)
Of course, he was criticized by the president. I hope that in privacy of the Oval Office, McConnell reminded him of the legislation repealing ObamaCare and approving the Keystone XL pipeline the president refused to sign.
In television and radio interviews with McConnell that I heard this morning, along with his op-ed, “How the Senate Is Supposed to Work,” I read in today’s Wall Street Journal, I have gained a new appreciation for the majority leader. With the release of his memoir, “The Long Game,” I imagine we will be hearing a lot from McConnell in the coming weeks.
It’s difficult for us to understand why he found it difficult passing legislation. After all we have the majority. Dealing with Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) was like dealing with Jekyll and Hyde who, according to McConnell, can be thoughtful in person but turns “bombastic and unreasonable” in front of a microphone.
(Cover art courtesy igvnews.com)
Of President Obama, McConnell says, “He’s pleasant enough, but he’s also like the kid in class who exerts a lot of energy trying to make sure everybody thinks he’s the smartest guy in the room. He’s is also a very liberal guy who is determined to force our country into the kind of progressive model that Western European societies embraced years ago, whether the rest of us like it or not.”
In an interview with USA Today, McConnell concludes that the “President’s arrogance and refusal to negotiate cost him compromise that might have been achievable with Republicans during the final two years of his tenure, including an overhauling of the tax code and addressing the long-term sustainability of entitlement programs.”
“The answer to Barack Obama and the left … is to make better arguments, build coalitions, and win the White House,” he writes.
McConnell has come to terms with the fact that Donald Trump is our candidate for president, and believes he and House Speaker Paul Ryan, who have divergent views with Trump on some issues (Social Security and Medicare), will be able to come together for the good of Americans.
McConnell foresees a united Republican party with Trump and House and Senate members running for reelection speaking from the same playbook.
If we can retain the Senate and win the presidency in 2016, McConnell will have another chance, his best chance, to prove he’s the right guy to get things done.
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