Andrew Harnik/AP
As the longest government shutdown in US history drags on into its fourth week, many have started to wonder on social media #wheresmitch, a largely rhetorical question intended to highlight the curious silence of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and his continued refusal to hold a vote to reopen the government, despite the House passing several measures to do so.
McConnell’s sudden elusiveness even stalled Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and a handful of other freshman Democrats, who stormed through the Capitol on Wednesday in hopes of confronting the Republican leader, or at the very least uncovering his whereabouts.
“He seems to be running away from us,” Ocasio-Cortez said at one point.
“He’s not in the cloakroom, he’s not in the Capitol, he’s not in the Russell Building, he’s not on the floor of the Senate, and 800,000 people don’t have their paychecks.” Ocasio-Cortez then asked defiantly, “So where’s Mitch?”
"Where's Mitch?" -Rep. Ocasio-Cortez@allinwithchris pic.twitter.com/CjCvojBCLp
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) January 17, 2019
That dogged chase has sparked a slew of excellent memes, which—in light of the sheer, infuriating pettiness that is our current president—can be enjoyed below.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez looking for Mitch McConnell in the cloak room pic.twitter.com/kblvS8HtPN
— Suzy Exposito (@HexPositive) January 17, 2019
alexandria ocasio-cortez looking for mitch mcconnell pic.twitter.com/gMZAXBY2Pu
— izzi (@lZZlPOP) January 17, 2019
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez looking for Mitch McConnell all over Capitol Hill pic.twitter.com/ScRh1w7QlJ
— frank costa (@feistyfrank) January 17, 2019
Mitch McConnell in the cloakroom when he hears AOC’s footsteps approaching pic.twitter.com/GIRBll89Mo
— ian (@IanABoyd) January 17, 2019
Mitch Mcconnell when AOC finds him pic.twitter.com/g0IEYr0iIj
— Cam (@chustoo) January 17, 2019