Mitch McConnell was 'thrilled' the Democrats made their debate all about him
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
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.
Article continues belowThe Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
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.
