McConnell Again Implicitly Acknowledges Biden As President-Elect Even As He Refuses To Say It Directly

Speaking to reporters about stimulus negotiations on Tuesday, McConnell asked rhetorically what the “way forward” was, before stating: “We know the new administration is going to be asking for another package,” an apparent reference to the Biden administration, who has said that any stimulus bill passed during the lame duck session is “is—at best—just a start.”

A CNN reporter followed up, asking McConnell whether he considered Biden the president-elect, to which he replied: “The period beyond [the next two weeks] will take care of itself,” without answering the question.

McConnell has walked a tightrope since Biden was projected the winner on November 7 by all major news outlets: he has yet to call Biden the president-elect, and it’s not clear whether the two have spoken since Election Day.

On Tuesday, McConnell—joined by Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.)—blocked a resolution that would have recognized the January 20 Inauguration as marking the commencement of Biden’s presidency. 

He has also been relatively mum about Trump’s quest to overturn the results of the election through baseless allegations of voter fraud after stating on November 9 that Trump had “every right” to challenge loss. 

Asked last week about Trump’s voter fraud crusade, McConnell deflected, saying he was “focusing” on trying to accomplish as much as he could over the next several weeks with the current government.