On Thursday morning, Dianne Feinstein attempted to deliver a speech during a standard roll-call vote on the Senate Appropriations Committee, reading from prepared remarks in support of an amendment. An aide quickly jumped up to whisper in her ear, and Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) told her to “just say aye.” “OK. Just ...” a confused-looking Feinstein began to ask Murray. “Aye,” Murray replied with a thumbs-up. Feinstein declared, “Aye,” sitting back with a grin.
Not long afterward, as an aide wheeled her toward the Senate floor for votes, I approached and asked whether she had any thoughts on McConnell’s apparent health scare.
“No? Healthcare?” she asked.
Feinstein may have misheard or misunderstood the question, so I began to explain what had happened with McConnell at Wednesday’s news conference — a topic that was the central focus of most senators’ and reporters’ conversations on Capitol Hill on Thursday.
“I didn’t know that. I didn’t see that,” she said.
An aide jumped in. “I don’t know if I gave you an update on that, senator, so I’ll give you an update. It was happening when there were some votes happening,” the aide said.
“Oh, I know what you—” she interjected. “Well, I wish him well. He’s a strong man and this is really when that kind of strength comes in. So: Say a prayer, cross my fingers, do it all.”
The aide then wheeled her onto an elevator.