Lori Falce: McConnell's long goodbye

Feb. 29—Mitch McConnell is in his last term as GOP leader in the U.S. Senate.

The Kentucky legislator made the announcement Wednesday.

"One of life's most under-appreciated talents is to know when it's time to move on to life's next chapter," McConnell said.

The implication, obviously, is that he does recognize when that time has come. The reality is that he does not.

McConnell will only be stepping down from his role as Senate Minority Leader. He has served as either minority or majority leader since 2007, making him the longest-serving in history with nine consecutive terms.

For context, he became leader six months before the iPhone was introduced. How many cellphones have you had since then?

But it's broader than that. McConnell first was elected senator in 1984. His time in Washington predates the Challenger explosion, the Iran-Contra investigations, Reagan's demand that Gorbachev tear down the Berlin Wall and both Iraq wars. He was there in the Senate when Clarence Thomas was nominated to the Supreme Court and when Anita Hill accused him of sexual harassment. He was there for the Clinton-Congress budget war.

And all of that was before 2000. He didn't have a front seat to history. He was on stage — a quarter of a century ago.

What he will not be stepping down from is representing the people of Kentucky. McConnell says he will continue to serve out his term. It ends in January 2027.

Why?

He has had repeated health concerns. He had a documented fall in March 2023, ending up with broken ribs and a concussion that took him out of his legislative duties for about six weeks.

That wasn't his only fall. There was another in February in Finland and one in July at Reagan National Airport. In 2019, he fell at home; that broke his shoulder.

People fall, though. President Biden did at the U.S. Air Force Academy commencement last year. Sen. Bob Dole pitched off a stage at a campaign event in 1996. Comedian Chevy Chase built his career on Saturday Night Live skits about President Gerald Ford falling down.

More concerning have been instances of McConnell freezing while speaking, which he, staff and GOP colleagues brushed off.

McConnell is 82. He isn't in the top 10 of oldest senators ever, but he doesn't miss by much. Of those serving now, Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, is older at 90 and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is six months older than McConnell. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., died in office at 90 in September.

These long lifespans go hand-in-hand with long terms in office as those on both sides grab and hold power for their parties — and arguably, themselves. McConnell is the 13th longest-serving senator. If he finishes his term, he will move up to eighth place. Grassley is in sixth. Perhaps he is looking to unseat Strom Thurmond as oldest (he died in office at 100) or Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., as the longest-serving at more than 51 years.

McConnell could step down sooner, and it would be a service to his constituents to have them represented by someone with fewer health concerns that create questions about stability. Feinstein should have done the same.

For legislators who want to be remembered for what they did right, a timely bow-out preserves their legacy. For those who stay too long at the party, every day is a chance for more criticism of what they should have done and when they should have done it.

McConnell is right about that underappreciated talent. He should exercise it.

Lori Falce is the Tribune-Review community engagement editor and an opinion columnist. For more than 30 years, she has covered Pennsylvania politics, Penn State, crime and communities. She joined the Trib in 2018. She can be reached at lfalce@triblive.com.