Nikki Haley suggests Mitch McConnell should step aside amid health concerns | First Thing

Presidential hopeful makes comment after Senate Republican leader, 81, froze and was unable to speak this week. Plus, search for answers as Antarctic sea ice at historic lows

Good morning.

Presidential hopeful Nikki Haley has suggested her fellow Republican Mitch McConnell - the longtime powerful US Senate leader - should step aside after an episode in which he physically froze and was unable to speak at the Capitol this week.

What is Haley calling for? She thinks there should be congressional term limits and mental acuity tests for politicans aged 75 and above. She also said the 90-year-old US senator Dianne Feinstein, the 80-year-old president Joe Biden, and 83-year-old congresswoman Nancy Pelosi - all of whom are prominent Democrats - should know when to walk away".

What has McConnell said? His spokesperson said last week that the 81-year-old intends to fulfil his term, which ends in 2026. He has led the US Senate's Republican conference since 2007. McConnell's office said the senator felt lightheaded but has not released more details on what caused the episode in question.

What else did he say? Murphy's comments came after the Wall Street Journal published an interview with Alito on Friday in which he said: I know this is a controversial view, but I'm willing to say it. No provision in the constitution gives them the authority to regulate the supreme court - period."