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McConnell Laughs at Steve Bannon's 'Julius Caesar' Threat Against Him

October 22, 2017

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) laughed on Sunday at a clip of Steve Bannon's political threat against him that invoked the assassination of Julius Caesar.

Bannon, who was the White House's chief strategist until getting fired in August, has declared "war" on the GOP establishment, with McConnell one of the main politicians in his crosshairs.

CNN's "State Of The Union" played a clip of Bannon at the recent conservative Value Voters Summit talking about McConnell. He pondered aloud who is going to be "Brutus to your Julius Caesar," referring to one of the assassins of the Roman emperor.

McConnell laughed softly as host Dana Bash asked him what he thought about Bannon recruiting candidates with the goal of deposing him as Majority Leader.

"Well, this element has been out there for a while," McConnell said. "They cost us five Senate seats in 2010 and 2012 by nominating people who couldn't win in November. In order for the president's agenda to advance, we have to be able to elect people who support the agenda."

In 2014 and 2016, McConnell said, the Republicans nominated candidates who could win and thus they took back and kept the Senate.

McConnell praised President Donald Trump during the interview for his judicial nominations and said he trusted him as a negotiating partner.