73-Year-Old Republican Senator Disassociates in Middle of Interview

licks lips like lizard

Edit:

Damn, getting freaky on air, not a good look.
- I will forever associate Foghorn Leghorn with reading about strap-ons, LOL.
They cut the video right before he started blinking horizontally.

That's insane to me that the Fox News host tried to pretend it was an issue with the mic. It's so clear the mic was working fine, what the fuck. This is the kind of obvious propaganda that I'd expect from North Korea

running should only be allowed at an age less than that of retirement, and at federal minimum wage. want to fix issues for working class and elderly? Fix them while you’re in office while you are becoming too old to run again. Get the fucking zombies out of DC.

the minnimum wage thing only means that the people that go up for the job are the corrupt bastards cutting favors and deals.
- yeah. not unlike the current era.

Fuck me, I wouldn't let this guy be a night manager of a place that closed in the evening.

The host knows this is a video right? We can see the senator’s lips not moving. It’s not an issue with the mic 🤣

He totally knows. He's just trying to cover for the guy
I think the host was referring to a technical difficulty in the old man's brain function

remain in office for far longer than they should, usually out of pride and denial.

These cunts keep getting elected.

- I’m curious to know how you feel the democrats have done this? Please be specific, and please have something more recent than Jim Crow.

I used to think an upper age limit for serving in government was agist and would mean a large chunk of the population without representation by their peers. I worried how poorly they might be treated without representation.

But I don’t think it could be any worse than they’re treated with how poorly their peers are doing currently.

The weird part is 73 isn't really all that old for some of these fuckers...
Kennedy isn't even in the top 20. Fully 1/5th of the Senate is older than 73(!)
Iowa - Chuck Grassley - 91
Kentucky - Mitch McConnell - 83
Vermont - Bernie Sanders - 83
Idaho - Jim Risch - 82
Maine - Angus King - 81
Illinois - Dick Durbin - 80
Connecticut - Richard Blumenthal - 79
Massachusetts - Ed Markey - 79
New Hampshire - Jeanne Shaheen - 78
Hawaii - Mazie Hirono - 77
Massachusetts - Elizabeth Warren - 76
Oregon - Ron Wyden - 76
Rhode Island - Jack Reed - 75
Arkansas - John Boozman 74
Idaho - Mike Crapo - 74
Mississippi - Roger Wicker - 74
Nebraska - Deb Fischer - 74
New York - Chuck Schumer - 74
Washington - Patty Murray - 74
West Virginia - Jim Justice - 74
Colorado - John Hickenlooper - 73
Louisiana - John Kennedy - 73
Tennessee - Marsha Blackburn - 73
Texas - John Cornyn - 73
Wyoming - John Barraso - 73
- I have yet to meet someone in their eighties that isn't mentally slipping. I have certainly never met someone in their 90's that wasn't a shadow of their former self.
  Term limits would be a great starting point.
- I tend to forget Bernie's age.
- Dolla dolla bill
If an upper limit is ageist, then so is a lower limit. But you wouldn't think that having a 14 yo in office is a prudent thing. You probably never balked at the 30 yo limit for senate.
- Those are very different things, though. I'd be okay with lowering the age limit for things, depending on the age we are talking about. Definitely would want people past the PFC stage (around 25).
The problem isn't old people in office. I've known a lot of 80 year olds who are still with it mentally, and while they are slower physically they make up for it with their experience and wisdom.
But the problem is that not all older people are like this, so it's generally up to the politician themselves to decide when they're too old for it, and many of these people have egos which might prevent them from stepping back, ever. Combine this with the fact that the vast majority of seats are safe for one party or the other, and candidates are discouraged from running against incumbents in primaries, and someone who wins a Congressional seat at 40 or 50 can keep it for 30 (even 40) years, without having to face any meaningful opposition.
So, maybe we shouldn't have an upper age limit. However, we should take the stigma away from having a primary challenge. Every Federal election should have a meaningful primary. Does an 80 year old want to keep his seat? They should have to debate someone half their age, and perform well, to keep it. Nothing should be taken for granted.
- I like the idea of primaries. As to debates, though - the way they are conducted (in the United States anyway) seems to be very problematic - comes down to quips and comebacks, talking over one another, going over allotted time, not really answering the questions and using prepared sound bites, and trying to go viral, all while lots and lots of logical fallacies are employed, and a populace that judges on the most arbitrary aspects of all this hot mess, such as who appeared to dominate or came off "strong", etc.
  I wonder if there is some other way(s) to have candidates express their platforms during primaries. I honestly don't have a great answer for this. I suppose it still comes back to a rather tuned-out and generally clueless populace that will decide things largely based on "vibes" anyway...
- The problem isn’t old people in office. I’ve known a lot of 80 year olds who are still with it mentally, and while they are slower physically they make up for it with their experience and wisdom.
  And I've known a lot of very wise 12 yo's in my time. Should we start letting 12yo's run for office? what about 22 yo's? what about a 32 yo president?
  for someone whose 80, over half of their experience does not apply to the world we currently live in, anyway.
It’s fine to post an upper limit because, surprise surprise, time marches on and everyone will(hopefully) grow old. You’re not gunna blow up your own retirement plan but you might pull that ladder up behind you.
The elderly have proven time and time again that basically none of them can do their jobs properly, and many of them should probably be in at least assisted living and not running the country.

We call that "pulling a Mitch"

"mitching off"
- "What a Mitch!"

JOE BIDEN is OLD! THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER!

Kennedy: I'm sure Jesus loves him, but ...

Jesus: STFU hits mute

Keep my name out your mouth. - Jesus

Are all these old US politicians hanging around for the healthcare plan? Can’t be any other motivation to spend time in the cesspit.

And the bribe money. :)
Don’t underestimate the power of inertia.
Inertia helps the elderly appear normal when dementia starts to hit. It’s part of the reason why the beginning of dementia goes unnoticed. Even if family notices “something isn’t right”, dementia may not be evident because they’re doing their usual daily routine.
More easily to control a bunch of senile old farts than with a younger politician who might have an actual conscience
Old politicians don't care about the future because their time in this life is limited. A younger politician is more liable to be aware of their actions because they know that whatever they are participating in will affect their lives in a few decades.
I assume they are "in too deep" and probably can't voluntarily leave. They have favors to repay

Hahahahaha Jesus made a direct editorial on that comment of his. "That's about enough of that from you." Sizzle "Bwhah? Who's making toast?"

I hate this guy so fucking much

He literally froze up when he got caught in the Christan Nationalist logical trap.

Literally got stuck in the loop when his lips said, "I'm sure Jesus loves them, but everybody else..."

The topic they were discussing was Trump's crackdown on sanctuary cities.

He was probably thinking of Hunters massive dong.

wwjd
Wash some feet probably

I knew it wasn’t Bitch McConnell because he’s like 143 years old.

Reminds me of the interview where he learned that you don’t need to swear on a bible. It broke his head. His jaw was agape while he struggled with that news. That was a while ago and this moron is still in congress. Absolutely mind boggling that people like him hold as much leverage as they do over people’s well-being.

I’m not saying I could run the ball to the hoop, but I know there are more suitable people out there.

Reminds me of the interview where he learned that you don’t need to swear on a bible. It broke his head. His jaw was agape while he struggled with that news.
Do you have a link? I'd like to see that.
There are still just a whole lot of dumbasses that think America - a secular nation - was designed to be, and is, a xtian nation. This gomer is just one of them.
One of my favorite things to ask one of these types is to tell me where their little book club - or the protagonist of that book club - is mentioned in the Constitution. I've seen multiple cases of them shorting out over this. Most of them just flat refuse to believe me. Of course. I tell them to "do their own research" on the matter. 🤣
- I think this is what they're talking about, it wasn't the same guy.
- I should have come armed with a link. My bad. I’ll see if I can dig it up at some point. It’s so awkward you nearly feel bad for him. His whole world looked like it was crashing down around him.

I'm a Kennedy. I'm not accustomed to tragedy.

I'd be for a cognitive exam. Ideally screening out various personality disorders, too.

But this thread is riddled with the usual ageist tropes and stuff about term limits. None of which will fix anything about our broken system.

Having some hard-coded age put into our legal system is bound to end badly. First of all, what is considered the typical years of health span I expect to change, most especially for the higher class (even if America's health advances stall out thanks to the Republicans, other countries will continue forward and the upper echelons will definitely have access to such care). Secondly, even if it doesn't, the typical years of health span vary wildly person to person. Telling someone at 73 they are too old to do the job, apropos of nothing else but the number of times they have been around the sun? That's just plain stupid and it should be up to the voters to decide that.

Fuck no... Just because the rich killed a bunch of people and hoarded all of the medicine for themselves does not mean because they live longer they should be in charge.
- I don't think anyone would necessarily be hoarding anything; I'm just pointing out that health spans are likely to change as things advance. Maybe the average American might lag a bit behind the top 10% or so, but I very much doubt that these people will be aging the same way that people age now or ten years ago.
  Setting some hard-coded thing now will be hard to change later to adapt with the times.
The problem is that as people age cognitive decline can be rapid. You elect somebody at 70 with no symptoms for a 6 year term. By 73 you get this type of issue.
A cognitive test would only work if it was administered yearly. If they show signs of cognitive decline they are immediately relieved of duties. You'd have to set up an independent body of physicians to administer the test and have the physician chosen at random to prevent shenanigans. The rich and powerful would still find a way to rig the system.
Or you can just set rules to prevent the issue.
64 is the oldest anyone can run for office and 70 is mandatory retirement age for all positions in government service. Yes some people still have a lot of life left in them at that age They can do something else.
As we've seen over and over again one dement old person in a position of power can cause pain and suffering or even the loss of life to millions.
I have a friend who retired from government service at 58 after 35 years. He then started his own business now at 79 it's large and prosperous. Just because he "retired" doesn't mean he stopped being of value to society. Hell his business has more impact now that he ever did in his government job.
Unfortunately old age is starting to catch up with him. He had a mild stroke last year and his brain isn't what it used to be.
Every one of those aholes that want to run for office should take a basic science exam.
When there are legislators getting all het up about chem trails I know we're going down the drain.
- I'd get behind this 100%. Maybe throw in some screening for things like the dark triad and a basic test on critical thinking as well.
Well there's age limits v. term limits.
I think term limits are definitely reasonable, regardless of age. We don't need one person in a specific government role indefinitely.
Age limits, I'm kind of inclined to agree that would be hard to pin down. Frankly 73 is a bit young in my experience to be as far gone as John Kennedy seemed to be. Certainly it drops off and drops off suddenly at some point for people, but you do have people into their 90s with their cognition intact. Bernie Sanders is in his 80s and he seems mentally still there.
- I've just never seen a very compelling case for term limits. I don't think they'll fix anything and in my anecdotal experience, the most prominent supporters tend to be rightwing cranks, so it makes me all the more suspect of the idea.
  It's one of those things that might sound really good to say, especially when someone has just had it up to here with the outcomes of legalized bribery and a corrupt government in the hands of incompetents and radicalized right wingers.
  And yeah, when it comes to things like healthspan, I am not a fan at all of trying to apply some upper bound on age, especially when we may be poised on a revolution in things related to aging. Our government is already famously slow in catching up to other developments, this would be yet another where we are ushering people out of job long before it makes sense....

Its fine. I disassociated writing this comme......

Clearly the same keyboard that caused problems for Candleja...

That's God smiting him for using Jesus' name in the service of the evil he and MAGA released on the earth.

God is angry at the MAGA antichrist.

huhuh.
If that's true then why hasn't god smited trump? whose objectively awful, but acting in his name? or any of thousands of preachers who are pedophiles? Why are they still allowed to be preachers and pedophiles raping kids?
- The Lord works in mysterious ways.

"I know better than Jesus and truth is a popularity contest."

Healthcare is clearly interested to keep people alive but brain dead.