McConnell stays out of shutdown talks despite experience

WASHINGTON — Congress’ most powerful Republican has intentionally taken a back seat in the negotiations over how to end the government shutdown, even as it extends to a record three weeks with no resolution on the horizon.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has gotten Congress out of a lot of political jams in the past decade, including other shutdowns, fiscal cliffs and funding disputes.

But he’s ceded control over the latest Washington stalemate to President Donald Trump, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y.

It’s partly a reflection of the changing political dynamic now that Democrats control one chamber of Congress. But it may also say something about McConnell’s evolving approach to dealing with an unpredictable president such as Trump, particularly in areas where they may disagree.

“Mitch understands what makes the mules plow around here, and certainly, I would like to see him involved more,” said Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., who acknowledged the Kentucky Republican leader’s ability to negotiate. “I see his point of view. Until Mrs. Pelosi and President Trump can even try to find a sliver of common ground, what could he contribute? I haven’t seen that sliver yet.”

McConnell has pledged that he and other Senate Republicans are aligned with Trump — although cracks have emerged, particularly among Republicans up for reelection in 2020. That leaves little place for McConnell in the public debate until Trump — the most powerful Republican figure in Washington, as well as the states where many Republicans will face reelection in two years — can find some kind of compromise with Democrats.

Democrats say the Senate majority leader has “abdicated” his responsibility and handed the keys to the castle to Trump, particularly by blocking votes on government funding bills approved by the Democrat-led House. A half dozen or so Republican senators have indicated they might support reopening the government without border wall money.

“He thinks he’s losing his caucus, and he doesn’t want a vote on the floor,” said Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Ill. “His caucus is pretty tired of this shutdown, and he doesn’t want a visible manifestation of that.”

McConnell has a record of negotiating bipartisan deals as well as protecting his Republican members from politically costly votes. Five years ago, McConnell referred to himself as “the guy that gets us out of shutdowns.” He back-channeled during the Obama administration with Vice President Joe Biden, his longtime Senate colleague, to construct deals to raise the debt limit and fund the government.

McConnell never wanted a shutdown. Last month, he led his Republican lawmakers into a vote for a government spending bill without wall money. Senate Republicans approved the bill thinking the White House was on board or confident that Trump would feel pressured to sign it. Instead, Trump bashed the approach as inadequate and the government shut down.

At least Trump didn’t attack his fellow Republicans on Twitter. In a rare example of restraint, Trump cast his social media ire on Democrats.

Now McConnell, perhaps burned but famously unmoved by public pressure, is staying largely in the background. He says the Senate won’t vote again on a spending bill until Trump and Democratic leaders publicly approve it.

“That is the only way to move the country forward,” he said earlier this week.

Some of his fellow Republicans fear there won’t be a solution until McConnell gets involved, whether publicly or privately.

McConnell “is one of the best you’ve ever known in the inner workings of the Senate,” said Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., the top Senate appropriator. “Sometimes there is nothing going on (publicly), but it’s about what could be going on” that members don’t see.