WASHINGTON DC— On July 26, during a weekly press conference, Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) froze momentarily while speaking from the podium. Unfortunately, for the 81-year-old Senator, the entire episode, which only took about five minutes, was captured, and livestreamed everywhere. For those watching, it was a long five minutes, and appeared as though Senator McConnell may be having a stroke. The senator simply muttered, an audible, “ugh,” and then stared off into space momentarily. 

A Republican aide along with Senator, John Borrasso (R-WY) who was formerly and orthopedic surgeon, wash McConnell’s saving grace. He did not embarrass the Senator who had been speaking on the Senate floor when he was so rudely interrupted by a health scare.

Senator Borrasso asked McConnell if he had anything else he’d like to say, or would he like to go back to his chambers to sit down. McConnell was then escorted away. He returned later and was able to answer questions asked of him. When reporters asked of the episode that occurred that day, the Senator just remarked that he was, “fine.”

Multiple reports indicate that Senator McConnell is not one to elaborate on his health.

On July 27, Senator Dianne Feinstein, who celebrated her 90th birthday on June 22, was clearly speaking her mind on the Senate floor during the vote for the military budget. A nearby colleague reminded Senator Feinstein, who was elaborating on the topic at hand, to “Just say Aye,” to which the Senator obliged.

Senator Feinstein became the longest serving female senator in U.S. history on November 5, 2022. She is now the oldest serving U.S. Senator.

As per tradition, the oldest serving senator of the majority party is named pro-tempore of the U.S. Senate, which is the highest office in the Senate, and third in line of the succession to the Presidency.

Reports indicate that Feinstein has kept her mental faculties about her until she was approximately 88-years-of age. It was in the fall of 2020, when the mainstream media began recording the cognitive decline of Senator Feinstein.

It appears that the pandemic that the man-made pandemic that hit the U.S. in 2020 combined with Feinstein’s bout of Shingles has taken its toll on the Senator.

Senators Feinstein and McConnell are not the oldest senators documented. Senator James Strom Thurmond Sr. (R-SC) served in the U.S. Senate from 1954-2003. Senator Thurmond is now referred to as, “The 100-year-old senator.”

As of August 31, 2023, the median age of the U.S. Senate is approximately 65.3 years old. Each time the U.S. has an aged political leader who chooses to continue to serve to their fullest capacity instead of retiring gracefully, the House and Senate revisit the aged old question, “Should there be term limits.”

As a country, we have multiple aged members of the House and Senate, serving under a President whose rapid cognitive decline has been documented by an entourage of media reports.

It is not clear if U.S. lawmakers fear being accused of ageism if they pass such a vote or if there is not a suitable replacement.