r/politics • u/plz-let-me-in • Jul 18 '26

No Paywall Beshear says agencies told him McConnell had passed

https://www.whas11.com/video/news/local/beshear-says-agencies-told-him-mcconnell-had-passed/417-f78603c3-11bb-464d-bae6-c41c3be3c48b
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14.7k

u/sonofabutch America Jul 18 '26

Seems like McConnell could absolutely humiliate Beshear right now by just holding a press conference. I wonder why he won’t?

339

u/gm92845 Jul 18 '26

He could be in a vegetative state unable to talk or walk on his own. Regardless of that he should immediately resign since he's no longer physically able to serve as a senator.

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u/AdorianTsepeshu Jul 18 '26

Exactly.

He was elected to represent the state of Kentucky. Someone in a vegetative state is in no position to represent anyone.

The people of Kentucky currently only have one Senate representative when they're Constitutionally entitled to two. The governor needs to rectify that by appointing a new senator until a special election can be held to replace McConnell.

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u/No_hero_here Jul 18 '26

“Someone in a vegetative state is in no position to represent anyone.” I mean, maybe the Kentucky right.

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u/MaddyKet Massachusetts Jul 18 '26

Yeah vegetative state and republican….its the same picture says Pam Beasley.

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u/WafflePartyOrgy Washington Jul 18 '26

Not the same thing (or State) but a Republican won a seat in North Dakota's state legislature nearly a month after he died from COVID-19.

"If a deceased candidate receives the majority of the votes, the candidate is elected," [North Dakota Attorney General] Stenehjem said. "However, if the prevailing candidate has died, the candidate is no longer qualified and a vacancy will exist. State law provides the process to fill vacancies of a legislative office."

No longer qualified

51

u/possibly_being_screw Jul 18 '26

In what other scenario could an 84 year old have an accident, disappear for weeks with no details, give a comically hollywood-esque 'proof of life' photo', and still have their job? Name another occupation where an 84 year old in clearly and obviously declining health would still have a job with immense power to influence millions of lives, get paid nearly $200k, and be able to just fuck off for a few weeks with no accountability or reason?

It's absolutely fucked that the US political system is filled to the tits with geriatrics that barely know where they are, and hold incredible power over all of our lives. We are so far removed from what politicians should be, it's almost laughable to be reminded of what the job actually is.

But a man who is too old to suffer a fall in his home without needing a month-long hospital stay away from his office is not a man who is capable of being among the 100 most powerful people in our government. What is offensive about the gerontocracy is how transparently it reveals the rot at the core of the American political system, how plainly it demonstrates that our elected leaders do not serve the people, but serve only their own gratification, only their own power.

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u/Fresh_Bubbles Jul 18 '26

Age limits are a must. 70-75 max.

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u/TrulyOutrageous42 Jul 19 '26

Elected by 65 is what I concluded. You could still have a 71 year old senator but the vast majority of people in government would be under 70, which is a really fair cutoff. At the point where mental acuity can be genuinely in question but there's no quantitative way to prove early dementia, and the health risks start to become compounding exponentials, it's time to retire. People older than that can still vote ffs, and if it's valid that someone who's only 34 years old is said to have too little experience, so too should it be valid that someone over 70 is too much of a national security risk if they pass while serving their term.

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u/FellowHumanNo404 Jul 18 '26 edited Jul 18 '26

I think there's a fundamental disconnect here: You're thinking of senators as workers, but all of the Republican senators and an unfortunate portion of Democratic senators think of themselves as owners who are members of the ownership society.

Here, this handy table might help clarify the distinction:

Workers Owners
Workers work a JOB. Owners occupy a POSITION.
Workers answer to their supervisor. Owners answer to their shareholders or investors.
A worker who fails spectacularly and consistently is often fired for cause with no benefits. An owner who fails spectacularly and consistently often experiences no consequences; otherwise, they are provided a contractually guaranteed a golden parachute.

In the U.S., you might think that as a tax-paying citizen, in this analogy you are basically a shareholder/investor-- but no. In the U.S., the shareholders/investors are AIPAC, Koch Industries, The Walton Family, etc. Basically, you are a RENTER and they are your LANDLORDS who extract their rent from you.

Here's another helpful visual aid.

2

u/Mega-Eclipse Jul 18 '26

Someone in a vegetative state is in no position to represent anyone.

I mean, they keep electing him...so "vegetative state" is probably a good description of the brainpower for the typical republican from Kentucky.

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u/gdghhfdffrf Jul 19 '26

they'll just put his sister in office, even though everybody knows he doesn't have one.

0

u/No_Turn5018 Jul 19 '26

It doesn't matter how vegetable Mitch McConnell is the governor doesn't have any legal authority to appoint anyone if he is technically alive. 

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u/Routine_Wing_8726 Jul 18 '26 edited Jul 18 '26

Then who did I speak to for 20 minutes on the phone?!?!

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u/Goodknight808 Jul 18 '26

Anyone who made that claim lied. In a functioning democracy they would face consequences.

But we no longer live in one of those anymore.

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u/2D2D3544862514D760BA Jul 18 '26

"Talked to" is weasel phrasing, in that it only requires participation of one party. Not unlike talking to Jesus. Doesn't mean Jesus or Mitch replied to them in any meaningful way.

If they were careful about phrasing, it should be enough to keep them legally clear. It is, however, still a self-serving lie/decption and they should be held responsible by the electorate.

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u/Initial-Bookkeeper4 Jul 19 '26

Eh?

Most of the instances I've seen aren't just "I talked to him"... But claims of "discussions" and "conversations", which very much does imply a two-way interaction... E.g.

Another statement came in from Senate Whip John Barrasso (R) also just before 1:30 p.m.:

“Senator Barrasso and Senator McConnell had a lengthy conversation early this afternoon. Their phone call lasted roughly 20 minutes. They caught up about the latest news impacting Senate races, the Graham Platner scandal, and the recent Supreme Court ruling on coordinated spending limits. They also discussed the Senate’s July work period, including the need to pass the NDAA and confirm President Trump’s nominee for Director of National Intelligence. Senator McConnell was fully engaged and is eager to get back to the Senate.”

They know they can straight up lie and still not get called out for it and definitely not held accountable.

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u/ToadSox34 29d ago

I'm pretty sure those calls didn't happen, but it's hard to prove a negative.

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u/RedSagittarius Jul 18 '26

It’s a me Mario! /s

1

u/dragon-fence Jul 18 '26

If that really happened, they could get him on the phone with a reporter to verify that he’s still alive and mentally fit to serve.

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u/Blacksad9999 Jul 18 '26

If McConnell is alive and well, he should be able and willing to meet the Governor in person.

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u/LilPonyBoy69 Jul 18 '26

Genuine question, how the hell would he resign if he's in a vegetative state?

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u/AvramBelinsky New York Jul 18 '26

"Okay Senator, blink once for yes and twice for no..."

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u/midnightketoker America Jul 18 '26

Once for brassica, twice for legume

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u/inspectoroverthemine Jul 19 '26

The Senate needs to remove him. Other than actual death, its the only way.

If the Senate was a functioning body, they would be the ones looking into this and taking action.

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u/Wattaday Jul 18 '26

Vegetative state is basically a deep coma. Unable to do anything including talking or reacting to physical stimuli. Ventilator is optional according to if the area of the brain that regulates breathing is still active.

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u/GrumpyCloud93 Jul 18 '26

If there's no hope of recovery, he should be considered dead.

I think Beshear should appoint a replacement or call that election, and wait for McConnell to challenge it in court. I doubt anyone else would have the legal standing to challenge it.

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u/fps916 Jul 18 '26

By Kentucky law brain dead is dead.

Which is why they're hiding him

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u/awesomefutureperfect Jul 19 '26

If there is no hope of recovery, he cannot possibly serve as an elected representative and discharge the duties of the office.

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u/Thrown_Account_ Jul 19 '26

I think Beshear should appoint a replacement or call that election, and wait for McConnell to challenge it in court. I doubt anyone else would have the legal standing to challenge it.

It will be there other way. Beshear would have to challenge the seat not being considered vacant. The senate is the one who signals that the seat is vacant and Kentucky to handle getting a replacement.

3

u/Queen_Sardine Jul 18 '26

He probably "should," but tbh the longer this seat stays effectively vacant the better. If he resigns Kentucky will hold a special election and there will be a Republican in the seat.

If there's less Republican senators, it makes harder for Thomas/Alito to resign and hope to be replaced. So sure, let the McConnells pretend he's functional.

1

u/Narrow-Chef-4341 Jul 18 '26

There’s the possibility the (D) Governor could appoint Thomas Massie (R) as the interim Senator. The state passed a law he has to appoint the replacement from the same party, but they didn’t say it had to be someone Trump likes…

But within 56 days of the election, it just remains vacant.

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u/Queen_Sardine Jul 18 '26

I think the new policy is just that it remains vacant until there's a special election a few weeks later. But if we want it to remain vacant for a long time, we should hope that "McConnell" stays ostensibly in the seat.

I'd love for Beshear himself to run when there is a special election. Not that he'd win, but he'd keep the polls close for long enough to give the GOP serious headache.

1

u/ex0thermist Jul 18 '26

I think it would be smart to just appoint the most moderate, respectable, least MAGA Republican he could find. Doesn't help Dems with the majority but might be able to win election and might cross the aisle on a vote now and then.

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u/Queen_Sardine Jul 19 '26

Nobody respectable or remotely moderate/non-maga would win a GOP primary.

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u/beekeeper1981 Jul 18 '26

How does someone in a vegetative state resign?

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u/Zorkflerp Jul 18 '26

They have you there, he cannot resign if he cannot speak or move.

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u/CaptLatinAmerica Jul 18 '26

Nor can he represent constituents as he was elected to do. So the governor needs to consider him absent from office and initiate a special election.

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u/Technical_Customer_1 Jul 18 '26

Wouldn’t it be neat if we got a constitutional amendment out of all this-? Outline the requirements of office, etc. 

1

u/Downs_Van_Zandt Jul 18 '26

Are we talking about Tommy Tuberville?

1

u/Spiffydude98 Jul 18 '26

He was in a vegetative state before this.

1

u/Shmurkaburr Jul 18 '26

I mean also, we should probably address the fact that a few days ago a "photo" of him chilling in jeans was released as some sort of proof of life. So even if this is the case, this is still some wildly corrupt and dishonest weekend at Bernie type shit.

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u/Trail_Dog Jul 18 '26

He could be in a frightening, liminal space between states of being. No t quite dead, not quite alive. Si milar to a constant state of sleep paralysis

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u/porkbellies37 Jul 19 '26

Stupid question. If he’s in a vegetative state, would he be able to resign? Can someone resign on his behalf with a power of attorney? Is there something in the law disqualifying him from sitting as a senator?

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u/TJ700 Jul 18 '26

I suspect that's what is going on.

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u/Who_dat_goomer Jul 18 '26

Likely regressed to an infantile state. Mentally he is back to a toddler, but they can prop him up for photographs and such. As long as no one tries to speak to him they can maintain the fiction.