Outgoing Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., struck a chord of bipartisanship in his farewell address as Republican leader on the floor of the Senate on Friday.
Wearing a splint on his left hand in the aftermath of a fall last week, McConnell gave his final address as Republican leader of the chamber, a post he's held since 2007. He has committed to finishing out his term as a rank-and-file senator, a term that ends in 2027.
"I've made it clear this year that our colleagues haven't seen the last of me," McConnell said. "I still fully intend to keep frustrating my critics in the years ahead."
When the 119th Congress convenes early next month, Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., will take McConnell's post.
In his roughly 9-minute speech, McConnell addressed the current battle raging to fund the government for the next three months, the deadline of which is midnight Friday to avert a shutdown. The House passed a stopgap bill hours after McConnell's speech.
"Folks come to Washington to do one of two things: Either to make a point or to make a difference. ... It's usually not that hard to tell who's doing which, especially in situations like the one we are in right now," McConnell said.
"You never get everything you want, but often you can get quite a lot. And the folks who prefer to make a point have a funny habit of reminding us out loud how poorly they understand that fact," McConnell said.
Addressing the potential shutdown specifically, McConnell said, "I don't care to count how many times I've reminded our colleagues — and our House counterparts — how harmful it is to shut the government down and how foolish it is to bet that your own side won't take the blame for it.
"Recent history doesn't leave a whole lot of room for interpretation on that one: When you try to use normal government function as a bargaining chip, you pay a political price," he added before making a final plug for bipartisanship.
"I've heard folks who like making a point, they'd rather serve with 30 colleagues who all agree than a majority who didn't," McConnell added. "So if you want to accomplish absolutely nothing — nothing — sign up with the group who'd rather serve with 30 people who all agree."
Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
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