National Review editor Rich Lowry calls for Mitch McConnell to step down as Republican leader in the Senate . McConnell is among the more controlled and calculating lawmakers in US history . McConnell has been moving behind the scenes to reassure his colleagues even providing a doctors note from the Capitol physician that says McConnell is fit for duty . There is initial chatter among some Republicans about trying to force a special conference meeting to consider McConnells future as their leader . The New York Times surmised Thursday that the short list would be made up of the Three Johns Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, Sen John Cornyn of Texas and Sen John Barrasso of Wyoming . Barrasso is an orthopedic surgeon who serves as conference conference chair in the GOP Senate . Thune has at times wanted to move on from the Senate. Barrasso has been careful to avoid alienating Trumps in his mind in his quest to alienate Trump in his bid for reelection in the Republican presidential campaign . Thunes is a longtime foe with Mitt Romney a longtime ally with Utah’s Sen. Mitt Romney and Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania are a longtime opponent of Trumps and a long-time foe of the president . The Republican presidential nominee has been similarly opposed to a third chance for Trumps to be the GOP presidential nominee in South Carolina. The Republican senator has been a long and stiffed at Trumps . The GOP has been trying to distance itself from Trumps’ presidential nominee. Trumps has been willing to distance himself from the president’s base. He has been reluctant to embrace Trumps. He is a long way from the President’ve tried to avoid the president. He’ll be willing to embrace him. It’d like to