Mitch McConnell budges on COVID relief — thanks to the only thing he cares about: power

>Fresh off publicly noting the reality that Donald Trump came in a distant second in the 2020 presidential election, Sen. Moscow Mitch McConnell has discovered that getting COVID-19 relief to millions of starving millions is suddenly urgent.

>But don’t think for a second that McConnell has developed a political soul. It turns out there’s something far dearer to the self-described Grim Reaper of the U.S. Senate than Trump or the pandemic: It’s McConnell’s power as Senate Majority Leader. Washington Post columnist Greg Sargent nailed it today:

“Pressure works. That’s what we’re learning from the news that congressional negotiators are moving toward a deal on an economic rescue package that includes stimulus checks for individuals. McConnell  on a private conference call with GOP senators that a key reason for this movement is that the two Georgia Republican senators, both of whom face runoffs in January, are “getting hammered” over Congress’ failure to pass a new rescue bill.”

Those senators are Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue — aka the insider trading twins — and if they lose to Democrats Jon Ossoff and Reverend Raphael Warnock, McConnell will be killing time rather than judicial appointments during the first two years of the Biden-Harris administration.

McConnell’s plight is best evoked by his actual words on the call, as reported by CNN’s Manu Raju and Clare Foran: “Kelly and David are getting hammered” on the issue, he said, according to a source who heard his remarks.” 

It is just so much more poignant with Mitch talking about the beleaguered senators on a first-name basis. Such a rare and revealing glimpse under that hard outer shell.

It didn’t take Twitter long to enjoy the moment. Blogger Greg Sargent rightly observed that the sign of pressure always boded poorly for President-elect Joe Biden’s prospects for cooperation should Loeffler and Perdue prevail:

“Kelly and David are getting hammered,” Mitch McConnell told GOP senators, explicitly linking Loeffler/Perdue travails to the new stimulus compromise. This shows pressure works. But it also suggests that if Rs hold the Senate, they won’t deliver again:https://t.co/ca2DmZ9Waq

— Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) December 16, 2020

There were plenty of others with similar takes:

If 👇 article is 100% correct, McConnell’s blood is actually colder than ice. If he is only approving of the upcoming stimulus package because of the Georgia election, he once again deserves to be sent back to the pack of vampires from whence he came. https://t.co/x9XsAcKkLf

— Chad Buder (@ChadBuder) December 16, 2020

Seems like McConnell is only playing ball on COVID relief because of the races in Georgia. If Dems don’t win there, seems unlikely he comes to the table on future relief or other legislation. https://t.co/0GN6h4fqVo

— Sawyer Hackett (@SawyerHackett) December 16, 2020

It’s never about the American ppl…It’s always about staying in Power! #Georgia

McConnell noted that direct payments for individuals and families have become a major issue in the Georgia race. “Kelly and David are getting hammered on the issue” he said.https://t.co/GtVVyL634W

— She-Wolf (@SheWolfResists) December 16, 2020

Hill leaders eye new round of stimulus checks as part of $900 billion Covid relief deal https://t.co/ZDFp41X5SP

No ❤️ Mitch: “Kelly and David are getting hammered on the issue” — this is why he has changed his tone. Always power. Never concern for the people. #NeverForget

— Bron (@Bronsays) December 16, 2020

Stop voting against your best interests. Kelly and David do not support helping the people, unless you are part of the 1%. They are lying to you. pic.twitter.com/bA6l2f9lPV

— Kimmyann (@kimmyann1111) December 17, 2020

No matter how you Tweet it, the bottom line is simple: McConnell only acted for purely selfish partisan reasons after months of callous inaction, and threats to link the very lives and health of millions of Americans to the disgusting “cause” of protecting big businesses from liability for any negligence they might have related to COVID-19.

If the Republicans win in Georgia, McConnell won’t have such concerns, and good luck to Biden negotiating with a guy only focused on the 2022 Senate elections which he will no doubt see as dependent upon the new administration’s failure. To put it on a first-name basis like the temporarily human-sounding McConnell: The Democrats best make sure that after January 5, “Kelly and David” are going home to count their money.