New book reveals Mitch McConnell’s criticism of Trump behind closed doors

Oct. 22, 2024, 5:40 PM EDT By Michael A. Cohen, MSNBC Columnist

@RalphHightower: Although there are brave souls like former Vice President Dick Cheney (R)1 and former US Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY)1, that are willing to put Country over party, there are no elected Republicans with the courage to rise up and speak against Trump. There are only elected Trumpers that cower in fear of Trump.

No matter how low your opinion of Sen. Mitch McConnell — and his chronic, craven, cynicism — he still somehow finds a way to shock and amaze.

The Associated Press published excerpts from a new biography of Senator Mitch McConnell (T-KY), written by Michael Tackett, AP’s deputy Washington bureau chief. In the biography, McConnell assessed Trump as:

  • “stupid”
  • “ill-tempered”
  • “despicable human being”
  • “narcissist”

McConnell added that since the 2020 election that the American people had had enough of Trump’s:

  • “misrepresentations”
  • “daily stream of lies”
  • and “fired him.”

It’s not as if Trump has shown any appreciation to McConnell for his devotion.

McConnell even expressed support for special prosecutor Jack Smith’s efforts to hold Trump responsible for his actions on Jan. 6. If the former president “hasn’t committed indictable offenses,” McConnell told Tackett in an interview, “I don’t know what one is.” In addition, McConnell made clear that he believes Trump “inspired” the violence that took place on Jan. 6 and said, “I just hope that he’ll have to pay a price for it.”

But there’s no love lost between Trump’s cult and McConnell. Yet, despite of McConnell of:

  • ensuring passage of Trump’s 2017 tax cut bill
  • the GOP takeover of the Supreme Court, with the overturning of Rowe v. Wade

Trump’s cult members greeted McConnell at the 2024 convention with:

  • resounding boos from the delegates
  • the faithful cult members heckled McConnell as he pledged the support of Kentucky’s delegation to Trump’s presidential bid.

No matter how much Trump and his supporters vilify and attack him, McConnell’s devotion is stupefyingly consistent.

McConnell almost voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment.

It becomes a matter of “ifs”:

  • if McConnell voted to convict Trump after his second impeachment. If he had done so — and
  • if McConnell had rallied enough Republicans behind him

Then it likely would have stopped Trump from ever running again for public office, and the GOP would have been rid of a man who McConnell privately considers “despicable.”

McConnell couldn’t go through it and instead criticized Trump’s actions on Jan. 6 after he voted to acquit Trump. It was that action that led to the former president’s now unceasing personal attacks.

Make no mistake: There is a singular explanation for Trump’s continued viability as a candidate.

It would be one thing if McConnell’s support for Trump were driven by personal ambition. That would be awful and cynical — but it matches the attitudes of many other Republican politicians, including Trump’s own running mate JD Vance, who have publicly supported Trump even while privately vilifying him.

Indeed, McConnell referenced this sentiment gap when asked for comment about his private remarks. “Whatever I may have said about President Trump pales in comparison to what JD Vance, Lindsey Graham and others have said about him, but we are all on the same team now.”

Translation: We’re all a bunch of cynical, feckless cowards who will subsume our private judgment for our public ambitions. But at least we’re united in our cravenness.

However, unlike Vance and Graham2, McConnell’s political path is nearing its conclusion. He is stepping down as Senate Republican leader at the end of this year and is unlikely to run for re-election in 2026. He doesn’t have to worry about alienating Trump’s supporters.

Seemingly, the only possible explanation for McConnell’s continued acquiescence to Trump’s humiliation is that, as a lifelong Republican, he can’t imagine coming out against a Republican president. For McConnell, loyalty to his party is greater than his support for his country.

For years, there’s been a raging debate in political circles as to who or what is responsible for Trump’s political rise. But make no mistake: There is a singular explanation for Trump’s continued viability as a candidate — a party of craven and cynical politicians who would rather endorse a narcissistic, ill-tempered and despicable liar than do what they know to be right.

  1. @RalphHightower: Liz and Dick Cheney keep the Republican designation. The former Republicans are denoted by T, for Trumpers. ↩ ↩2

  2. @RalphHightower: Senator Lindsey Graham (T-SC) is one of Trump’s biggest sycophants. He wants to keep his golf privileges with Trump. ↩