Mitch McConnell was 'thrilled' the Democrats made their debate all about him

Mitch McConnell is happy: He was a debate question, and the Nationals beat the Marlins.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 27 June 2019

To paraphrase the singing nuns of Austria, how do you solve a problem like Mitch McConnell? That question was one of the trickiest of the night during the first Democratic debate on Wednesday, and one that was also never satisfyingly answered. Still, at least one person seemed happy with the outcome: The Senate majority leader himself.

McConnell (R-Ky.) told reporters on Capitol Hill that he opted to watch a baseball game instead of the debate, but that word had gotten back to him about his role in the evening. "I was thrilled to dominate the discussion last night," he said, as reported by The Washington Post, "and I think that was a legitimate discussion to have."

It is unclear how much overlap Wednesday night's questions will have with the ones being prepared for Thursday night's batch of Democrats, which includes three of McConnell's Senate colleagues: Bernie Sanders (Vt.), Kamala Harris (Calif.), and Michael Bennet (Co.). However, it seems unlikely McConnell will watch tonight's debate either, seeing as his Washington Nationals are playing the Miami Marlins again.

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.