Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell just keeps having bad days.
OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell faced yet another challenging moment, following the previous public relations disaster where he froze and did not speak during a press conference over the weekend.
This time, he was heckled and shouted down by a crowd of Kentuckians urging him to retire and open up his seat for someone younger and with fewer health issues.
The heckling occurred at Kentucky’s 2023 Fancy Farm Picnic, where Senator McConnell attempted to deliver a five-minute speech amidst boos and chants from the crowd, such as “lost the senate,” “retire,” and “ditch Mitch.”
Despite the bipartisan disdain shown for him in his home state, McConnell maintained a composed demeanor and persevered through the heckling. The display of discontent was more telling than anything he said during the event.
TPUSA personality and YouTube star Benny Johnson tweeted out a video of Sen. McConnell’s attempt at a speech while getting heckled:
“WATCH: Mitch McConnell gets heckled by crowd during his speech for 5 MINUTES STRAIGHT. Chants of “RETIRE” and “Ditch Mitch” completely drown him out. TOTAL HUMILIATION.”
Citizen Free Press tweeted out a video of the incident as well, writing, “McConnell mercilessly booed in his home state of Kentucky. Attendees yelled ‘retire’ and ‘ditch Mitch.‘”
WATCH:
WATCH: Mitch McConnell gets heckled by crowd during his speech for 5 MINUTES STRAIGHT.
Chants of “RETIRE” and “Ditch Mitch” completely drown him out.
TOTAL HUMILIATION pic.twitter.com/QV3pBm1dIF
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) August 7, 2023
Interestingly, the cries of “lost the Senate” suggest that Republicans were also booing McConnell, not just Democrats.
While one video of the incident may give the impression that mainly Democrats were expressing their disapproval, the fact that Republicans were upset about him losing the Senate in 2022 indicates that his performance was a point of contention among his home state’s Republicans as well.
Commenting on the issue of term limits, one social media user on X said, “Imagine how great America would be if we had term limits in Congress and establishment politicians like Mitch McConnell left office before their ability to function left them. That would be a utopia.”
Late last month, McConnell experienced several frightening moments on Wednesday while standing at a podium speaking to reporters.
The Kentucky Republican had been making his opening remarks when he suddenly stopped talking.
“Good afternoon, everyone. We’re on a path to finishing the NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act) this week, there’s been good bipartisan cooperation and a string of…” he said before he stopped speaking and appeared to draw a blank.
His Republican colleagues asked if he was okay as McConnell looked dazed and confused while he stood silently before being led away.
Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., escorted McConnell away from the cameras and reporters.
“You OK, Mitch?” Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wy., asked. “Is there anything else you want to say or should we just go back to your office?”
Shortly thereafter, Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) appeared to make the sign of the cross as McConnell was being led away.
Fox News added:
McConnell then stepped to the side as Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., and others addressed the press on the one-year anniversary of the Democrat-led Inflation Reduction Act passage. The GOP leader reappeared about 10 minutes later to finish the press conference.
Per NBC:
McConnell, 81, was released from a physical rehabilitation facility in late March where he had been for more than a week after a fall.
The Republican leader tripped and fell March 8 after an event for the Senate Leadership Fund — a Republican super PAC aligned with McConnell and GOP leadership — at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington.
He was hospitalized with a concussion and discharged March 13.
WATCH:
Disclaimer: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.