Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., appeared to forget she said she wasn't interested in becoming Senate president pro tempore, during an interview, Business Insider reported.
The president pro tempore, which is third in line to the presidency, presides over the upper chamber in the absence of the vice president and is a position currently held by retiring Sen. Pat Leahy, D-Vt.
In January, Feinstein, who was first elected in 1992, will take over from Leahy as the longest-serving Democrat senator and thus be eligible for the position, which has never been held by a woman. The majority party appoints the position.
Last month Feinstein told The Washington Post she was not interested in running for the job.
However, when asked by Insider at the Capitol if she was interested in the position, she said, "Well, I haven't thought about it, but I'll let you know when I do. I just got back. I've had a lot of issues."
After Feinstein made the comment, an aide walking with her immediately told Insider that the senator had "told a few reporters in the past that she's not thought about it, and has no intention of seeking the position."
The aide then said to Feinstein, "that's what you've told reporters," to which the senator replied, "I don't know what you're saying."
The aide then clarified to her, "This is about the Senate pro tem position," according to Insider.
"Well, I haven't said anything about it, that I know of," the senator declared, to which the aide replied, "You were asked about it over the break, and you put out a statement saying that you had no intention of running for it."
Feinstein then said, "OK, well then, I guess it's out."
Asked by Insider why she does not want the job, Feinstein said, "I just lost my husband a short time ago, I'm putting my life together, and I intend to continue in this position and do as well as I possibly can."
However, the senator refused to say she was not up to the job, insisting, "I'm just saying I haven't thought about it."
Lawmakers on Capitol Hill have in recent years expressed concern over Feinstein's mental fitness to serve, the Daily Mail reported.
Recently, three of her former staffers and four other senators, including three Democrats, said they are concerned Feinstein is "mentally unfit to serve" and her memory is "rapidly deteriorating."
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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