She may be a liberal Democrat from California, but Sen. Dianne Feinstein has a reputation for being one of the most personable members of the United States Senate. Serving the Golden State since 1992, she’s become something of a fixture of Congress, but as we see with Joe Biden, her mental facilities have degraded. This development isn’t necessarily surprising given her age; she’s pushing 90. And it’s an open secret that her staff keeps her office tidy and focused. The issue surrounding her mental health was brought up again in a recent exchange with the press, who asked the aging Democrat if she could be in line for the President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate. She had apparently forgotten that she had already declined the job (via Business Insider):
Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California was poised to become president pro tempore of the Senate, according to long-standing Senate tradition.
As a result of her new status as the longest-serving Democratic senator, the 89-year-old lawmaker would have been third in line to the presidency, behind the vice president and House Speaker.
But Feinstein — who will also be the chamber's oldest currently-serving member come January — issued a statement to the Washington Post last month saying that she's not interested in running for and serving as president pro tempore of the Senate.
[…]
Yet when Feinstein was asked by Insider at the Capitol … about the potential of taking on the job — she would be the first woman in American history to hold the position — the California Democrat insisted that she hadn't thought about it.
"Well, I haven't thought about it, but I'll let you know when I do," said Feinstein, who was first elected in 1992. "I just got back, I've had a lot of issues."
An aide walking with the senator quickly interjected, telling Insider that Feinstein had "told a few reporters in the past that she's not thought about it, and has no intention of seeking the position."
"That's what you've told reporters," the aide said to Feinstein.
"I don't know what you're saying," she replied.
"This is about the Senate pro tem position," he said.
"Well, I haven't said anything about it, that I know of," she insisted.
"You were asked about it over the break, and you put out a statement saying that you had no intention of running for it," he said, apparently referencing the statement given to the Post.
"Okay, well then, I guess it's out," she conceded.
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This run-in with the press corps isn’t the first time folks have wondered if Ms. Feinstein still commanded her cognitive function. Most admit they’re not qualified to offer a definitive opinion, which is true, but have noticed that she has lost a step. Behind closed doors, her Democratic Party colleagues are more brutal in their assessment.
The San Francisco Chronicle quoted a few Democrats observing Ms. Feinstein has trouble keeping up with discussions.
“There’s a joke on the Hill, we’ve got a great junior senator in Alex Padilla and an experienced staff in Feinstein’s office,’ said a staffer for a California Democrat.”
H/T Greg Price
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