Mitch McConnell and Our Very Old Congress

Since 84-year-old Senator Mitch McConnell was hospitalized on June 14th after being found unconscious at his home, not one person — not even President Donald Trump — seems to know what is going on. McConnell is one of the most powerful Republican figures in political history. But over the last few years, he’s had a number of health issues, including freezing episodes during press conferences. And while he’s not running for reelection, his murky health status is not that uncommon for our very old Congress. To find out what that does for our politics and country, we spoke with Idrees Kahloon. He’s a staff writer at The Atlantic who wrote about the incredible power of elder Americans.

And in headlines: Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner announced he will withdraw from his race — but he's reportedly waiting until the last possible second to make it official, the U.S. launched new airstrikes against Iran, and FBI Director Kash Patel is facing new criticism for his taxpayer-funded lifestyle.

Show Notes:

Idrees Kahloon’s “An Oligarchy of Old People” – https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/2026/05/gerontocracy-wealth-power/686585/
Call Congress – 202-224-3121
Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy
What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast
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For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com

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