Mitch McConnell's reaction to handshake snub from pallbearer at Elijah Cummings' memorial goes viral
Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell suffered an unexpected turn of events at a memorial ceremony for the late Rep. Elijah Cummings at the US Capitol on Thursday, October 24, when a pallbearer snubbed him off a handshake.
The77-year-old McConnell was in line between Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi when he went in for a handshake which somehow appeared to go unreciprocated by pallbearer Bobby Rankin.
In fact, Ranking didn't seem the slightest bit hesitant to overlook the Kentucky Republican politician after he willingly shook hands with Reps Jim Clyburn and Steny Hoyer, and also House minority leader Kevin McCarthy and Schumer.
Looking stunned right away, McConnell appears to turn to Schumer, probably seeking an explanation for the unexpected snub, while Ranking goes ahead to greet Pelosi with a handshake, who was seated to McConnell's left.
The awkward diss didn't linger on McConnell for long as he proceeded to eulogize Cummings later on, during the ceremony.
"He knew there was only one reason why a son of sharecroppers, a child who had literally had to bear the injuries of bigotry and segregation, could graduate from law school and eventually chair a powerful committee in Congress," McConnell said in his speech.
"Only one reason: because principled leaders had fought to give kids like him a chance," he pointed out.
He also shared: "Chairman Cummings made it his life’s work to continue that effort. He climbed the ranks here in the Capitol, not because he outgrew his hometown but because he was so committed to it."
Cummings, a Maryland native Democrat, died on October 17 at the age of 68. He became the first African-American lawmaker who was honored with a lying-in-state ceremony at the Capitol.
At a funeral service on Friday morning, Barak Obama spoke at length about the late politician's commendable kindness.
"It’s been remarked that Elijah was a kind man… I was thinking I'd want my daughters to know how much I love them, but I also want them to know being a strong man includes being kind; that there’s nothing weak about kindness or compassion," Obama shared with the attendees.
"There's nothing weak about looking out for others. There's nothing weak about being honorable. You're not a sucker to have integrity and to treat others with respect," the former president shared.
Former president Bill Clinton was also in attendance at the funeral service, and spoke about his love for Cummings. "I love this man. I loved every minute I ever spent with him, every conversation we ever had," Clinton said.
"I loved his booming voice. But we should hear him now in the quiet times at night and in the morning when we need courage when we get discouraged when we don’t know if we can believe anymore. We should hear him."
President Donald Trump was absent from Cummings' funeral ceremony.