From NOTICE News Daily for March 10, 2023
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, one of the most powerful figures in Washington, is being treated for a concussion and will remain in the hospital for several days after tripping and falling at a hotel, his spokesperson said on Thursday. The 81-year-old Senator is just one of several elderly politicians elected to federal office. >> Full story
MORE INFO:
- Biography: Who is Sen. Mitch McConnell? (Britannica)
- House gets younger, Senate gets older: A look at the age and generation of lawmakers in the 118th Congress (Pew)
- Go deeper: Congress is older than ever. It hasn’t always been this way. (NPR)
- CBS News poll: Big majority favor maximum age limits for elected officials
TRANSCRIPT
Jonathan: Earlier this month, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell was rushed to the hospital.
His office says the senator tripped and fell at a private event, and his injuries required medical treatment.
McConnell, a Republican, is one of the Senate’s most powerful members.
He’s the longest-serving party leader in Senate history, and as leader, acts as his party’s primary spokesperson.
But at 81 years old, he’s also one of several elderly officials elected to federal office in our country.
President Biden is 80, former President Trump is 76, and the median age of a U.S. Senator is over 65 years old.
The only member of Congress from Gen Z is Representative Maxwell Alejandro Frost, a Democrat from Florida who turned 26 in January.
According to the CDC, falls are the leading cause of injury-related deaths for American adults aged 65 and older, and critics worry that older politicians don’t have the same mental and physical capabilities as younger people do.
McConnell isn’t the only elderly senator currently out due to medical needs, either.
Last week, Dianne Feinstein, an 89-year-old senator from California, was hospitalized due to shingles.
Most Americans are actually for age limits when it comes to holding office.
According to a CBS News poll, a vast majority of Americans want age limits for elected officials, and that’s a view shared by Democrats, independents, and Republicans alike.
