Boo! Hiss! “Retire!” “Shame on YOU!”
Those were just a few of the things Mitch McConnell heard for five minutes straight as he delivered a speech before his own constituents at a political gathering in Kentucky last weekend.
The gay-hating, Trump-loving Senate Republican Leader was giving a speech at the 143rd Fancy Farm picnic when the crowd began chanting “Retire! Retire! Retire!” so loudly that it nearly drowned out his remarks.
The crescendo of boos only grew angrier as 81-year-old McConnell, who is Kentucky’s longest serving senator and a fierce opponent of all things LGBTQ+, continued to read his speech about how “excited” he was to be there.
The Fancy Farm picnic happens annually and is known for getting rowdy. Republicans and Democrats square off to pitch to thousands of Kentucky voters, who often heckle the speakers from parties they oppose.
In McConnell’s case, however, the jabs and jeers seemed to come from both sides.
Eventually, the crowd pivoted from shouting “Retire!” to “Lost the Senate!”–referring to when the GOP lost its majority in the Senate in 2020 and then failed to gain it back in 2022–and “Shame on YOU!”
After finishing his remarks, McConnell and his wife, former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, smiled and waved to the angry crowd before exiting the stage.
Footage of embarrassing moment quickly spread on social media. In a statement to NPR, McConnell’s office tried brushing the whole thing off, saying: “It wouldn’t be Fancy Farm if Democrats weren’t heckling every Republican and vice versa – it’s been a very spirited event for decades.”
This is now the second time in recent weeks that video of McConnell has gone viral for all the wrong reasons.
Last month, while in the middle of speaking to reporters at a press conference on Capitol Hill, the senator froze for nearly 30 seconds before being ushered away from the podium to recover. He later insisted, “I’m fine”, but refused to talk about his health in any detail.
Odd moment: McConnell freezes at start of Senate GOP leadership press conference and is escorted to the side by his colleagues pic.twitter.com/hT5bLnstOS
— Raquel Martin (@RaquelMartinTV) July 26, 2023
After the awkward moment was caught on camera, it was revealed that McConnell, who spent almost a week in the hospital after tripping at a dinner and suffering a concussion and minor rib fracture in March, suffered two other falls–one in July while disembarking from a plane at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and another in February during an official trip to Helsinki–both of which went unreported.
Now, here’s what folx are saying on Twitter X…
Mitch McConnell is an expert at ignoring urgent problems right in front of his face, he's been doing it his entire career.
— aka stardust (@a_k_a_stardust) August 8, 2023
Mitch McConnell was greeted with boos and retirement chants as he arrived at Fancy Farms picnic in Kentucky.
— Ryan Shead (@RyanShead) August 6, 2023
It’s time. 💯 pic.twitter.com/IOjr2rKE3w
I love this song is it available on all streaming platforms?
— AC Tatum (@actatumonline) August 7, 2023
Republicans really stick up for their own.
— Jill Marie 🐯 (@JillPhys1905) August 9, 2023
Y’all voted for him. He did what y’all wanted.
Just like always, ignoring his constituents and forging ahead with his own private agenda.
— Michael DeCrow aka Dad DeCrow (@MichaelDeCrow) August 7, 2023
I've decided he wears hearing aids and they were definately turned off.
— Mary Ann Beliveau (@dyanimeme) August 9, 2023
he's been in office longer than i have been alive!!!
— Kyla Scanlon (@kylascan) August 7, 2023
I feel no sympathy or empathy for McConnell.
— Marie J. (@MarieJ19) August 7, 2023
Ouch! This gives me a lot of hope. The republican party is finished.
— Melissa Johnson (@eattherich146) August 7, 2023
It’s like a sitcom that went faaaar too many seasons. pic.twitter.com/Bcf3YwBHUD
— Lucy ᵀᴴᴱ Optimist (@LucyPesk) August 9, 2023
Related:
Humiliating video of Lindsey Graham hits the internet, raising questions about his political future
The humiliating incident happened at a MAGA rally in the anti-LGBTQ+ senator’s home state of South Carolina over the 4th of July weekend.
abfab
The Fancy Farm Picnic?
ZzBomb
What’s funny is that these people booing him, are the same ones who keep voting for him. Just goes to show you: Republicans are never happy whether they win or lose, they will still whine.
Openminded
Reading comprehension is important. The article states that both Dems and Repubs attend this event. It did speculate that both political parties heckled him, however.
Mister P
He’s done enough damage. Time for him to retire.
Republicans seem to vote against their own interests a lot.
abfab
They do as God tells them. Their lives are in the hands of The Lord.
Kangol2
It’s lights out, Mitch.
You’re already super-rich.
You and Elaine
can hop on a plane
and never bother
DC again!
still_onthemark
Mitch thinks he’s going to live a long time because his grandson Leonardo has been a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle for over 30 years.
bachy
The American people are surging, rising up against the cabal of sociopaths who’ve infiltrated our political leadership. And it’s not going to be pretty.
ARTmark
It’s a good thing he can’t hear them….
kevininbuffalo
Lol!
Fahd
He’s done more damage to the USA in the last thirty years than any other politician, so I’ll give a sarcastic “Gee, that’s too bad.” to the heckling.
Symptons like falls and stroke-like spacing out are consistent with congestive heart failure (CHF), especially at age 81….most CHF patients die within eighteen months of the first fall.
Where’s his plan for neutralizing the Count of Monte Crisco?…do the right thing for once in your life, Dr. No.
Kangol2
He’s been pretty silent about the Orange Ogre since he started suffering from his spate of falls, the concussion, and the broken rib(s?). He apparently is focused on just hanging onto power these days. Were he at full strength you know he’d be out recruiting top candidates to try and take back the US Senate in 2024, while also publicly pushing back against Don the Con’s garbage dump of a campaign.
PubisHairus
Some turtles can live for over a hundred years, so Mitch is practically in his hot cooter summer.
mildredspierce
When I retired from public service the lady running the tribunal I worked for was 85. She simply loved her work, even though she had physical limitations. It was essential to her mental well being that she continue to contribute. She almost made it to 87. Say what you will about old Mitch but allow him the dignity to retire when he’s ready.
Openminded
Mitch has clearly gone beyond the point of knowing when he’s ready to retire. The video of his lost moment behind the podium is classic example of mental decline due to dementia and sometimes dehydration/malnutrition linked to forgetting to eat. Kentucky owes it to the rest of the country NOT to reelect this man, no matter how much they believe he has done for them in the past.
Fname Optional Lname
He has to be honest enough to admit that he is not well and the public he serves deserves someone who is of sound body and mind. If staying active and being mentally stimulated is the concern than he can find fulfilling work elsewhere or maybe volunteer at the Office for the Aging. He makes a good argument for term limits or setting a mandatory retirement age for members of congress.
greekboy
No fan of bitch McConnell, but right now he is a bit of a fire wall against the ultra right wing nut jobs. Perhaps we should use him to our advantage until he completely freezes in place. Then we can let his own eat him
LumpyPillows
True that he has stopped the extreme left now that they have become completely unhinged, but to be honest, he is the mastermind behind the corruption of the Supreme Court and is 100% on board with the do any evil to stay in power crowd. He seems to be in very frail health and likely will not last; although this video did not seem to indicate what the headline stated. Feinstein has him beat though, I imagine she could die any day. It is time for term limits or age limits.
Openminded
I propose that the Republicans put out Mitch’s torch and the Democrats put out Feinstein’s. At early 60’s, I’m sensitive to throwing out us old people, but these two are clearly reaching the end of their life and someone in charge needs to take over and remove them before they destroy what legacy they may have built. Our country is in too much trouble right now to allow important decision making positions to be held by those unable to make logical decisions.
Kangol2
Don’t forget Chuck Grassley! He’s been in public office since the 1950s!
FreddieW
If you’re just calling for McConnell to retire while pushing Biden down everyone’s throat, I’m not impressed.
PubisHairus
Which Biden? Because one of them will require some throat training first (thanks, Republicans, for the warning)!
Openminded
Oh, Pubis, as a Republican I find your comment…………totally hilarious.
Kangol2
Biden, though 80, is doing his job. In the last months he pushed through new rules to benefit workers especially in right-to-work states; he set aside a vast swath of land alongside the Grand Canyon for protection; he nominated more progressive judges for open federal seats; he issued yet another pro-US manufacturing executive order to bolster jobs here in the US; and so on. What does Mitch McConnell have to show for the last month, let alone two years?
Fname Optional Lname
Biden is not filling a diaper on camera and zoning out like he’s on a wonderful acid trip. Yes the Trump – MAGA manual teaches you to deflect and to always respond immediately with a “what about ism” but the focus is on how Mitch is not well and should no longer be in a position to make decisions for anyone.
greekboy
I hear, sub rosa of course, that Chuck Grassley and Maxine Waters are going to tie the knot as soon as Maxine can figure out how to put her wig on straight. Diane Feinstein will be the ring bearer and Mitch McConnell will be the pooper scooper, as Depends is the official sponsor of these nuptials. Clarence Thomas will be the officiant, assuming he’s not in the slammer