So, Jim, it feels like it's getting kind of lonely in the Senate these days.

It is. Well, it's getting lonely both because all the senators who are there, the Democrats,

are running for president and no one wants to run for any of the available seats this cycle.

It's getting sad. No one wants to run for any of the available seats this cycle.

It's getting sad.

Slate's Jim Newell says the U.S. Senate has got this problem.

It's not doing anything.

You know, it's basically just a nominations factory.

I think it was Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat, called it this week.

A lunch club, basically, because they have, you know, their caucus lunches three days a week. And then they go and vote on a couple nominations. Then they get out of there.

That's super depressing.

Yeah. But you know what? Mitch McConnell is completely fine with that, too. He's like, he's post-legislation, you know, he's, he's just processing nominations and changing the courts, and he thinks is working just great. I mean, you wrote in your article that the Senate is where fun goes to die. Yes. I've never been more confident in a statement in my life, so. I mean, isn't this a place you go to work every day? Less and less because I don't want all of my fun to die.

Jim isn't alone here.

The people he covers are feeling this way, too.

Democrats especially, they've been struggling to convince their star politicians to run for Senate.

It's a tough sell.

I don't think it quite has the appeal of this great body anymore.

I mean, if the opportunity is there for the taking and there's not a whole lot of risk involved, then someone will, sure, they'll launch a Senate run.

But if there's any risk involved, you know, and if you might be giving up a House career

where you build up some seniority or you want to throw your hat into the presidential contest,

you might as well just because it's not, you know, what are you going to do in the Senate?

Today on the show, with all the breathless enthusiasm for the presidential race,

...