U.S. Politics January 2023: Kevin McCarthy's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Life

Catie Edmondson
Jan. 3, 2023, 12:56 p.m. ET7 minutes ago
7 minutes ago
Catie Edmondson

Some light guffawing from Democrats as two Republicans vote against McCarthy before the House clerk even gets to the “C” surnames.

now there are 7 votes-- so McCarthy can only lose 3 more?

“I earned this job,” Mr. McCarthy said.

“Bullshit!” came the response from Representative Lauren Boebert of Colorado, one of the hard-right Republicans opposing him. (She later told a reporter she did not shout anything during the meeting, but would not say whether she had spoken up.)

Gaetz votes for Biggs.

Gosar -- Biggs

10 votes now.

“But since moving to Florida in 2019 and starting a new congregation that meets in a former nightclub in downtown Miami, he rarely hesitates to speak about political issues.”

We should really spend some time thinking about this sentence

So Jeffries is going to end up with the most votes--which means a bunch of Resistance Libs will be temporarily very excited

McCarthy down 12.

lol so what happens now?

12 noon sharp and Republicans just had the metal detectors removed from the House floor #118thCongress pic.twitter.com/IRi8Q7LWJl

— Sarah Groh (@sarahgroh) January 3, 2023

xp - feverish manuevering

Plenty of time to make McCarthy sweat before the gavel falls

13 against McCarthy

Which is to say, it seems there's an opening for people to change their protest votes before all's said and done?

If concessions are being handed out for votes, why not get in line for the goodies?

Should start a betting pool on which GOP numbnuts will be the first to have a gun slip out of their pocket or purse and discharge on the House floor.

Which is to say, it seems there's an opening for people to change their protest votes before all's said and done?

― عباس کیارستمی (Eric H.), Tuesday, January 3, 2023

Now that the floodgates have opened this looks less likely. The opposition will grow.

My guess is we endure several speakers before the 2024 election. Maybe one of them will be Speaker Jeffries.

Down 16 now.

McCarthy tries to convince all but 9 of the reps who voted for others to switch? Someone more palatable to both sides is nominated?

Here's why it's bad for McCarthy:

Ralph Norman votes for Andy Biggs. Norman had said he would vote against McCarthy on the first ballot.

— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) January 3, 2023

I see. Jim Jordan could ask the people who voted for him to throw their votes to McCarthy, but Biggs now has enough votes to keep McCarthy and Jeffries at a tie.

So the ultimate outcome is that we get House Speaker Scalise, leaving most everyone wishing it had been McCarthy?

Since they removed the metal detectors, we can only hope that means that this will end in a protracted gun battle.

Scalise has the experience then

lol you beat me to it

McCarthy and Jordan heading off somewhere together

McCarthy and Jordan heading off somewhere together

Jordan's taking him to the showers to "extract some concessions".

inserting some contractual obligations

Vacating the chair

🚨🚨 NEWS: Sources tell me TEAM MCCARTHY wants to move DIRECTLY into second ballot.

JORDAN making the rounds on the floor to whip his supporters.

— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) January 3, 2023

Final numbers:

MY UNOFFICIAL VOTE COUNT:

Jeffries: 212
McCarthy: 203
Biggs: 10
Jordan: 6
Banks: 1
Zeldin: 1
Donalds: 1

MCCARTHY LOSES 19 ON FIRST BALLOT

— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) January 3, 2023

Biggs Banks, the lost No Limit Soldier

Can't the GOP just split up right now instead of sometime in the not too distant future?

I think we have to wait until Trump announces his 3rd party run

MCCARTHY acknowledges behind closed-doors there are likely 20 or so members voting against him, not 5

— Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) January 3, 2023

Clearly a victory for McCarthy, since it was only actually 19.

McCarthy now visibly whispering (sweet nothings?) in MTG's ear

So close to losing a full 10% of his caucus...

Anything he promises results in the dilution of his power lol. This is all stupid. Meteor, hit us, please.

Really wanted "JORDAN making the rounds on the floor to whip his supporters" to end "with a wet gym towel."

Is Kevin McCarthy’s defeat Biden’s Katrina?

— New York Times Pitchbot (@DougJBalloon) January 3, 2023

Korea, Career, Korea, whatever

What a weird year this already is

OK, I've lost interest now

would Jim JOrdan as speaker just help speed dissolution? I'm sure he'd focus on really important things.

just got home after a few hours of not checking my phone. lol at him losing 19 votes. also lol at news that Jordan is trying to persuade his goon squad to vote for McCarthy, and instead, some of those goons are voting for Jordan instead. McCarthy has already lost this second round, as well.

looking forward to seeing how long Mccarthy's pledge to remove the wheel from his "car" and slam on the accelerator pedal will last

So what's the play now? All the anti-McCarthy people vote for Jordan and then Jordan throws his votes to McCarthy?

how does the second round work exactly

there is no plan, now. really, i don't think anyone knows. i don't know how this ever resolves, unless 19 people in mccarthy's own caucus suddenly figure out that they're incredibly dumb

can Jeffries briefly pretend to be a racist bigot for 5 minutes and con people into votes

xp I don't think you'd go broke betting against their ever figuring that out.

how far does this go before McCarthy approaches Jeffries with help on a compromise?

Maxine Waters taking no malarkey from this weirdo

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) just formally testified to the Republican-led House Rules Committee that the real threat to democracy is House Republicans.

😂

— Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) February 1, 2023

Time for a new month of political nattering. Who who's brave enough to bell the cat?

US Politics, February 2023: No classified documents found in Justice Department search of ILX

farewell, kevin, you miserable bastard