Mitch's private tears and sweet college revenge
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Cover: Simon & Schuster
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is known for his stoic public face. But in private, he cried tears of joy when he broke a record he long chased: Longest-serving Senate party leader.
Why it matters: McConnell's teary moment is one of several revealing scenes unearthed by Michael Tackett in his new McConnell biography. "The Price of Power," out later this month (just before election day).
- After he surpassed former Sen. Mike Mansfield's (D-Mont.) record as party leader, McConnell "burst into tears" when he received a congratulatory email while eating his breakfast on Jan 3, 2022, Tackett writes.
- That morning, he wept openly in front of his staff.
- Later in the day, his staff celebrated by putting out their cigarettes into a signed ashtray from Mansfield, a token he'd gift to friends. The leader was all smiles.
Driving the news: The book will revive McConnell's feud with former President Trump, with Tackett quoting him as saying he hopes Trump "pays a price" for his role in Jan. 6.
- On that day, after McConnell spoke on the Senate floor, he retreated to his office where he quietly sobbed with his staff.
Zoom out: McConnell has the unique distinction of being despised by Democrats and members of his own party — but nearly universally respected for his political skills.
- And despite four decades of public life, he remains somewhat of a sphinx.
- That was true even for a close strategic ally like former Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), who told Tackett: "It was impossible to get beyond the veil."
- And McConnell's idea of small talk to Boehner, the House's most famous smoker, was: "I hope you hope you're not going to light that cigarette," Boehner recalled to Tackett.
- "I wouldn't dare do it in his office, and if I was having a meeting in my office, I wouldn't do it in my office either."
Zoom in: Boehner does give credit to McConnell for always keeping his word. "If Mitch told you something, you could take it to the bank."
- President Biden agrees. "He's always been straight with me," Biden told Tackett.
The bottom line: While McConnell claims he doesn't hold grudges we may never know how many scores he has actually settled.
- He once exacted revenge on an old fraternity brother (for apparently sandbagging him in a college election) by denying him a federal contract in Washington years later.
- But he never mentioned the payback to his old rival. "He just enjoyed the silent revenge," Tackett writes.
