On Tuesday morning, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell publicly acknowledged the obvious: Joe Biden will be the next president of the United States.
"The Electoral College has spoken," McConnell said in a statement. "So today, I want to congratulate President-elect Joe Biden. The President-elect is no stranger to the Senate. He has devoted himself to public service for many years. I also congratulate the vice president-elect, our colleague from California, Senator Harris. Beyond our differences, all Americans can take pride that our nation has a female vice president-elect for the first time."
And with that simple statement, McConnell took away the safety net for the vast majority of his House and Senate colleagues who have, to date, refused to admit that Biden is the President-elect.
See, prior to McConnell, every Republican senator who avoided comment could rest assured knowing that unless and until McConnell came out with a definitive pronouncement about the election winner, they were golden. Because as long as McConnell held out, he would be the focus of every question. And while it might be a little uncomfortable dodging questions -- see Sen. John Barrasso -- it was a heck of a lot better than having to deal with an angry Trump tweet if they admitted that the incumbent had lost.
