For the second day in a row, protests followed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to a ticketed local chamber of commerce event.
As he spoke at a Jeffersontown Chamber of Commerce event in Louisville, hundreds of protesters stood outside shouting chants like “No ban, no wall, Mitch McConnell take our call,” according to Louisville television station WAVE.
Protesters held signs that read “Mitch where are your morals?” and “Mitch is toxic,” according to the Courier-Journal newspaper.
McConnell acknowledged the protesters from inside the event.
“I have a very large fan club outside,” he said. “Protesting is about as American as apple pie. We’ve been doing it for 240 years.”
The majority leader also repeated his belief that the protesters outside were simply unhappy about the election results.
“Let me suggest to you what they’re protesting. They’re sorry they lost the election. And I can understand that. I’ve been on the losing side of a number of presidential elections, and it’s really disappointing,” he said on Wednesday. “But in this country, every four years since Washington was sworn into his second term in 1793, we’ve had an orderly transition of power. The losers have accepted their fate and gone out and tried to get ready for the next election and come back. That’s the way it works in this country.”
During a question and answer portion of the event, McConnell faced questions about Obamacare:
Woman w/ son w/ traumatic brain injury asks Sen McConnell whether they will repeal@ACA w/o a replacement. @WHAS11
— Chris Williams (@chriswnews) February 22, 2017
As Sen McConnell answers about high risk insurance pools, woman asks again about timing of repeal. He says “we’re working on it”. @WHAS11
— Chris Williams (@chriswnews) February 22, 2017
Small biz owner says ACA has been good for his biz. Sen McConnell responds that he’s never met anyone like him who thought that. @WHAS11
— Chris Williams (@chriswnews) February 22, 2017
Women with “Moms Demand Action” T-shirts, referencing the anti-gun violence group, also were in attendance:
Women w/ Moms Demand Action shirts take pics. In line to ask Sen McConnell ?. Far enough back in line they may not get to ask. @WHAS11 pic.twitter.com/otAnkztdl8
— Chris Williams (@chriswnews) February 22, 2017
Three women just joined the Q&A line wearing @MomsDemand T-shirts. I don’t think they’re from the Jeffersontown chamber.
— Curtis Tate (@tatecurtis) February 22, 2017
And at the very end of the event, someone shouted a demand for McConnell to hold a town hall:
‘We need a town hall!’ someone shouts as McConnell ends Q&A before exiting through the kitchen.
— Curtis Tate (@tatecurtis) February 22, 2017
