In the column, Gerth compared McConnell to former President Richard Nixon, writing that McConnell "is every bit the detestable figure that Nixon was," but that unlike Nixon, McConnell "never paid for his sins." As a young man, McConnell attended civil rights rallies and interned for Republican Senator John Sherman Cooper. He led the Senate Republican conference for years, moving between majority and minority leader as control of the chamber changed hands. Despite Trump repeatedly lashing out at the senator, McConnell endorsed his 2024 campaign. McConnell Absence Sparks Push To Change Congress RulesThe prolonged absence of McConnell and several lawmakers has catalyzed into a wider debate over whether Congress should implement mandatory health disclosure rules for its members.