In my recent book, The Enablers: How Team Trump Flunked the Pandemic and Failed America, I discussed at some length Senator Mitch McConnell. But I mentioned his wife, Elaine Chao, Secretary of Transportation for most of Donald Trump’s presidency, only briefly, as she was not involved in management of the pandemic. Still, if McConnell was among the most consequential of Trump’s enablers, his wife played a prominent part in sustaining his administration – which means that she as well as he was an enabler. (Chao resigned her post only weeks before Trump left office, after what she called the “traumatic and deeply troubling event” – the January 6th attack on the U. S. Capitol.)
It’s impossible to discuss the enablement of President Trump at any point during his tenure without referencing the man who for the duration was Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell. McConnell never in the least liked Trump – in style and substance they were poles apart. But McConnell clearly considered it in his political and ideological self-interest to aid and abet the president, and to protect him at every turn.
To say this this enablement continued after Trump left the White House is to say the obvious. So far as McConnell is concerned Trump out of office is like Trump in office – precious material constantly and carefully to be safeguarded.
This truism appears to hold even despite all the slings and arrows shot by Trump at McConnell – and even despite what was widely seen as a racist slur by Trump against McConnell’s wife. Of course, Chao is not exactly meek and mild. She herself could have come out and lacerated the former president for saying that her husband has a “DEATH WISH” because occasionally he voted for bills supported by Democrats. And she herself could have come out and lacerated the former president for referring to her as McConnell’s “China loving wife, Coco Chow.” But neither she nor he uttered a word in response to Trump’s foul language, abhorrent insult, and dangerous rhetoric. Instead, they did what they have done for years. They kept their heads down and said nothing.
Mitch and Elaine are a power couple – but only on the surface. Beneath is a different species entirely. Beneath are cowards who cower. Beneath is a couple that is timorous and pusillanimous, fearful, and fainthearted. They are, both Mitch and Elaine, so desperate to remain relevant that they continue to enable a man who abuses them. Senator McConnell and Secretary Chao are not leaders. They are followers who are complicit in bad leadership getting worse.