At the ripe old age 90, Democrat Sen. Dianne Feinstein (Calif.) is still in her seat despite several cognitive and physical issues.
However, Feinstein took to the Senate floor on Thursday to discuss her vote on the latest defense appropriations bill but was interrupted just as she began.
"I would like to support a 'yes' vote on this. It provides $823 billion…" Feinstein said before her Democrat colleague Sen. Patty Murray jumped in to stop her.
"Just say 'aye,'" Murray whispered to Feinstein as the elderly woman appeared to launch into a lengthy speech.
An aide also approached Feinstein, informing her to say "aye" and move along. Does she even know what she voted for?
Asked to vote on the defense appropriations bill, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) begins giving a speech: “I would like to support a ‘yes’ vote on this. It provides …”
— The Recount (@therecount) July 27, 2023
Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA): “Just say aye.” pic.twitter.com/Gw2eZ9rEMv
The entire exchange only lasted about a minute but reminded Americans that those serving our country have gotten too old to make tough decisions.
Feinstein missed months of voting this year, which caused delays in advancing President Joe Biden's judicial nominees. More recently, she voted in favor of a Republican-led amendment during a separate Senate hearing before being corrected.
It has also been made aware that she uses a wheelchair and that the left side of her face is "frozen with one eye nearly shut."
Last month, an Emerson College Polling and Inside California Politics study found that 63 percent of voters think Feinstein should resign from her position. On the contrary, 37 percent said they believe she should remain in her position and finish her term.
The New York Times called it "frightening" that Feinstein is still working in the Senate considering her "frail" state.
"The grim tableau of her re-emergence on Capitol Hill laid bare a bleak reality known to virtually everyone who has come into contact with her in recent days: She was far from ready to return to work when she did, and she is now struggling to function in a job that demands long days, near-constant engagement on an array of crucial policy issues and high-stakes decision-making."
Feinstein made unfortunate remarks to reporters in May, telling them that she was never absent from her work despite being gone for over two months.
Her latest gaffe comes a day after Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell suffered what seemed to be a sudden medical episode where he stood frozen for several moments before his aides whisked him away.
Another reason the people working in our government are too old— but according to the Democratic Party, they are all, including Biden, in good health.
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