McConnell Keeps Low Profile in Health Debate

Why haven’t we heard more from Mitch McConnell on health care? The Senate Minority Leader has kept relatively quiet on the administration’s reform efforts, a stance that has irked many conservative activists who feel McConnell is ducking his duties as de facto Republican Party leader, writes Stephanie Mencimer for Mother Jones. McConnell “could single-handedly destroy this bill,” says pro-life firebrand Randall Terry. “But so far he has not displayed the backbone."

McConnell’s reserved style has earned him criticism before: Erick Erickson, editor of Red State, slammed him in January for going along with the stimulus, and conservative activist Manuel Miranda publicly called him “limp-wristed” for not opposing the Sotomayor nomination more strongly. But supporters say McConnell’s strategy is wise: He doesn’t need to “match Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi blow by blow with sound bites,” says Grover Norquist—it's better to let the Dems bungle health care, and take advantage later.
(More Mitch McConnell stories.)