Will Dianne Feinstein Finish What She Started–Or Die Trying?

The media hype about U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein’s frailty and need to retire won’t go away anytime soon. Feinstein, a Democrat representing California, is a consummate public servant. Not only does she strive to serve her constituency but also her party. While the news is filled with armchair neurological diagnoses about her competency and ageist and ableist remarks about being too old to serve and requiring a wheelchair, it’s politics that most influence Feinstein’s decision–her politics.

Feinstein has had a long, successful political career because she has been effective, as demonstrated by her long list of achievements. Her life and career have been dedicated to serving the constituents of California.

After being diagnosed with shingles, Feinstein announced in February that she would not seek re-election in 2024. She has fought hard to return to work despite suffering encephalitis and Ramsay Hunt syndrome. Despite naysayers, Feinstein insists on finishing what she started.

And why not? She earned it.

Just ask her biographer Jerry Roberts. Roberts has been following Feinstein since her first election win in 1969. If anyone understands her motivations, it would be him.

In a Los Angeles Times interview, Roberts said Feinstein is a quiet political force to be reckoned with.

“Independence is probably Feinstein’s most salient character trait. But also a belief in herself to the point of stubbornness, where nobody is going to tell her what she can or cannot do. She has tremendous belief and confidence in her own strength and her own ability. And in fact, the best way to get her to do something is to tell her that she can’t,” he said.

It doesn’t matter if pollsters report that Californians think she should step down or if newscasters believe her too weak to travel to D.C. to sit in committees. Feinstein will decide when and if she retires or, as indicated, she will complete her term. And, there’s nothing anyone can do about it.

A Capable, Reliable Staff

“If Feinstein were employed in the private sector, the words and phrases used to describe her physical and mental capacity, ‘short-term memory gap’ and ‘confused’ might be considered abusive, which is enough to create a hostile work environment under the law,” according to civil justice advocate, attorney and author Mark M. Bello.

Of course, Feinstein is a public servant, so she is under constant scrutiny. Politics, by its very nature, forces those who participate to endure much more than any private sector employee.

Her staff has been careful to shield her from photographers and reporters who endlessly question her condition and if she will retire. They ensure she is adequately briefed and understands the most pressing requirements of her presence. That’s their job, and they are doing it well.

Senatorial Precedence and Male Privilege?

Many remember Strom Thurmond, the legendary Senator from South Carolina who served from 1954 to 2003. In his later years, his speech was often intelligible. Yet, he did not endure the media frenzy that Feinstein has experienced.

Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) recently recounted early memories in the Senate when Thurmond was still there.

“He wanted to be the first senator to hit a hundred years old, but he literally would lie down in the reading room off of the reception area of the Senate. Then, for voting, they would put him in a wheelchair, and he would come in to vote. I don’t recall people saying that he should step down,” she told the New Yorker.

More recently, one cannot deny the contrast between the media’s treatment of Feinstein and Senator John Fetterman (D-PA). Both have faced severe health issues, had extensive absences and displayed moments of confusion.

Why does Fetterman get a pass, but Feinstein doesn’t?

Is it because of gender? Age?

Fetterman is 53, and Feinstein is 89.

Feinstein Age Question Not New

Statements that Feinstein is too old to serve are not new, but they have certainly grown stale. In December 2020, a New Yorker article suggested age was at the root of Feinstein’s problems.

In response, age activist Ashton Applewhite wrote, "This is not a partisan issue. Nor is it confined to politics. Ageist and ableist assumptions–that aging is awful and disability is tragic–harm every older and developmentally disabled person, no matter their age or place in the world. Those assumptions are biased and misinformed."

Applewhite argued that even if Feinstein suffered from cognitive decline, people age better “not by avoiding chronic illness and disability but by adapting to them.”

The Arc is the largest national community-based organization advocating for and with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Even if Feinstein's abilities are not as sharp as they once were, that doesn't mean she cannot or should not serve out her term.

Jackie Dilworth, director of communications at The Arc, said in an email, "It's a myth that people with disabilities can't serve in leadership roles, yet we see this deep-seated bias surfacing time and time again. People with disabilities are far too often discriminated against and underestimated, which is why we see so few elected officials with disabilities. Disability is part of the human experience, and the people who experience them should be accepted and integrated–without question or call-out.”

A lot will have to change for the lack of perfection becoming media clickbait. It will only happen if people are willing to change their perceptions of age, aging and the biological changes that many older people may face.

"Cognitive decline does not mean the loss of personhood," Applewhite said. "It is not inevitable. It should not be shameful. And it's not going away: we are living longer than ever before. Instead of trying to sweep this aspect of being human under the rug, we need to address it openly, realistically and compassionately."

Compassion in an arena of politicians with agendas may only go so far. Thus far, her senatorial colleagues have applauded her return and remain supportive.

Walking a Tightrope

Hierarchy plays a vital role in Congress. As the senior senator, Feinstein sits on several committees. Notably, her vote is needed in the judiciary committee to carry the Democrats when the parties are split.

Feinstein offered to appoint another Democrat to sit on her behalf, but Republicans refused. So they are left with Feinstein finishing what she started as best she can.

Although Feinstein cares for her party's interests, she's never been a pushover, according to Roberts.

"She's always been an independent political force. She's never been a party regular, go-along person. So to have people say, 'Well, the Democratic Party wants her to do this'— it's silly. I mean, it doesn't matter what the Democratic Party wants or doesn't want in terms of what Dianne has decided she's going to do.”

It can’t be easy for Feinstein to deal with all the pressure to step aside when trying to complete her term to the best of her abilities.

“I’m certain she is experiencing feelings of paranoia every time she walks into the halls of Congress,” Bello wrote in an email. “There’s an old saying that goes like this: “You are not paranoid if they are really out to get you.”

A Constitutional Right

Due to procedural precedence, it seems quite alright for Feinstein to complete her term as she sees fit. If she requires aids to get her to the Senate floor, so be it. If she requires notes and reminders along the way, so be it.

When she was last elected by the state of California in 2018, Feinstein was already well into her 80s. Regardless of public opinion, it’s the U.S. Constitution that gives Feinstein the privilege serving the remainder of her term if she choses. Besides, in the big scheme of things, next year’s elections are right around the corner.