My defining characteristic for him is love.

I'm Jesse Thorne on Bolzai, Kelsey Grammer, on the thing that makes Frazier, Frazier.

That he loves so deeply that it almost harpoons him.

Plus, sideshow Bob, cheers, and so much more.

On Bolzai for Maximum fun.org and NPR.

Live from NPR news, I'm Lakshmi Singh.

The longest serving Senate Party leader in U.S. history, Kentucky U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell says he is retiring.

The Republicans' departure at the end of his term next year will

cap 40 years in Congress. Today, on his 83rd birthday, McConnell paid tribute to his mother.

I've never lost sight of the fact that without my mother's devoted care, a childhood

encounter with polio could have turned out a lot worse.

McConnell still walks with a limp and suffers health problems related to polio.

His support for childhood vaccinations put him at odds with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s

Anti-vaccination Advocacy.

Earlier this month, McConnell was the sole Republican to join Senate

Democrats in opposing Kennedy's confirmation as Health and Human Services Secretary.

Cash Patel is the next director of the FBI. He was confirmed today, largely along a party

line vote, but two Republicans, Maine Susan Collins and Alaska's Lisa Murkowski, joined Democrats in

voting no. New York

Governor Kathy Hokel will not remove New York City Mayor Eric Adams from office,

add according to multiple sources with knowledge of the governor's thinking.

John Campbell of Member Station WNYC reports.

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