A Court Victory Heals All Wounds: Trump Calls McConnell ‘the Greatest Leader in History’

RICHMOND, Ky. — President Donald Trump on Saturday anointed Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader, as “the greatest leader in history,” an exchange that underscored how an often contentious dynamic has been smoothed by Republicans’ success in seating Justice Brett Kavanaugh and a host of other conservative judges on the nation’s courts.

The praise, offered during a boisterous rally in the state McConnell represents, was delivered with Trumpian flair. The president lauded McConnell as a “rock-ribbed Kentucky leader” and “a tough cookie” before a self-indulgent addendum.

“He’s better when I’m president than he ever was before,” he added, to raucous cheers.

McConnell, who shared a handshake and a one-armed embrace with the president on stage, offered a succinct promise when offered the microphone.

“Keep sending them our way, and we’ll keep changing the court system forever,” he said.

It was an unusual show of camaraderie between the two men, whose relationship has had several low moments, including Trump’s withering criticism of McConnell after Republicans’ efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act failed last year.

But McConnell’s unwavering determination to confirm Kavanaugh in the face of heated Democratic opposition delivered victories to both men: a solid conservative majority on the Supreme Court — part of McConnell’s quest to remake the court system — and the fulfillment of a cherished campaign promise for Trump.

As Trump noted in his 65-minute speech here at Alumni Coliseum at Eastern Kentucky University, the two men will both be on the ballot in 2020, ensuring that cooperation is, for the foreseeable future, mutually beneficial.

“One of the most powerful men in the world,” Trump said of McConnell. “He’s tough. Kentucky tough.”

The president did turn his attention to other Republicans in attendance, summoning Sen. Rand Paul and Rep. Andy Barr, who is locked in a heated re-election contest, to the stage. They, in turn, lavished praise on Trump.

The rally also served as an opportunity for Trump to wrap up a busy week’s worth of campaign messaging with a flourish. He warned, without specifics, that Democrats, “totally consumed by their chilling lust for power,” would end coal production, eliminate health care options and cripple law enforcement capabilities if given a majority in Congress.

“You can either vote for Democrat mob rule,” he said, reprising a line he has used repeatedly since the contentious Kavanaugh confirmation process, “or you can vote for a Republican Party that stands proudly for law and order, fairness, freedom and justice.”

He condemned Amy McGrath, a former Marine fighter pilot who is running against Barr, as “an extreme liberal” chosen by some of his favorite punching bags like Reps. Nancy Pelosi and Maxine Waters of California. (McGrath, in fact, was not endorsed in her primary run by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which works to elect Democrats to the House.)

The president, hoping to propel Republicans to the polls Nov. 6, also offered a reminder of what he called his successes, like newly renegotiated trade deals and a loosening of regulations on coal mines. The movement he is leading, he assured the crowd, is the greatest in history — one that could continue only with their votes.