McConnell not open to constituents

I observed Sen. Mitch McConnell’s behavior during his week in Kentucky, and it was apparent from watching videos of his statements in Northern Kentucky and Lawrenceburg that he holds a firm belief: When he comes out to interact with the public, it is supposed to be a one-way conversation.

In each case he expertly, with a mocking smile on his face, managed to not respond in any way to speakers attempting to interact with him except to suggest that no one but he should be speaking. He did this in both venues.

This is not extemporaneous; it’s his strategy for belittling those who disagree with him. He’s been in office way too long, with too many people eating out of his hand and waiting in the hallways to hear his latest pronouncements.

The idea of a town-hall format is anathema to McConnell not only because he would face so much loud criticism, but also on a more fundamental level, because he doesn’t think anyone but he has anything important to say — especially not constituents who disagree with him.

It is all summarized in a statement that will likely become infamous in Kentucky politics: “Winners make policy; losers go home.” That’s hardly the behavior he modeled when Barack Obama won the presidency, was it? Why should it be ours?

This story was originally published March 29, 2017 at 7:39 PM with the headline "McConnell not open to constituents."