Mitch McConnel doesn’t make statements by accident. Every move made by the Senate minority leader is towards becoming more powerful. So, when he denounced the Republican National Committee’s remark of the U.S. Capitol insurrection being “legitimate political discourse,” it was a clear attack on ex-President Donald Trump.
With the midterm elections less than nine months away, McConnell’s comments came as a warning to his party. He seemed to suggest that Trump dominating the campaign’s discourse with misinformation and his election fraud fantasies could cost the party dearly.
McConnell said about the attack on January 6, “We all were here. We saw what happened. It was a violent insurrection for the purpose of trying to prevent the peaceful transfer of power after a legitimately certified election from one administration to the next.”
McConnell hopes to crack down on Joe Biden’s presidency by winning the Senate majority. However, Trump stands in his way as the GOP is being dragged down a dangerous path that could cause violence by the obsessions and demands of the former President. Trump’s anger threatens to divert the plans of Republican strategists to throttle Biden’s presidency.
The GOP hasn’t vehemently critiqued Trump, but McConnell’s language deserves credit. It shows that he is confident of facing no internal threats even though Trump has tried to incite a fight against him in the Senate multiple times.
The minority leader’s statements also reflected his tendency to shield his senators from further criticism. Now, if senators are questioned about the insurrection, they can refer to McConnell’s remarks directly; they won’t give quotes that might be politically damaging.
The Republican from Kentucky has taken Trump’s side earlier despite his reservations. Some critics could argue that McConnell’s remarks should have been made earlier. He tolerated Trump’s lawlessness that helped the party get its majority in the Supreme Court. Yet, he strongly condemned the ex-President for his role in inciting violence at the Capitol.