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

xp the thing about the 1856 vote is that there was a gentleman’s agreement to take a shot of whisky after each round. Arguably prolonged the process significantly, although it made that evening’s game of The Congressional Razz more captivating then ever

If we reach 44 rounds of balloting, take note of the context from this wiki note:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Flkx_qtWQAIxq2k?format=png&name=large

An election for speaker took place over the course of eight weeks, December 5, 1859 through February 1, 1860, at the start of the 36th Congress, following the 1858 / 59 elections in which the Republicans won a plurality of the seats. William Pennington, a freshman congressman, received a majority of the votes cast in the 44th ballot and was elected speaker. The bitter election dispute deepened the rift between slave states and free states and helped push Southern political leaders further toward secession.

none of them are sane/clever enough https://mastodon.social/@mtsw/109627048832223852

Conservatives will vote for Rep. Jim Jordan on the third ballot too, according to GOP Rep. Bob Good.

Good told CNN that he expects Jordan’s support to grow.

He said the fact that Jordan doesn’t want the gavel is “exactly” why they want him.

Hmm, I see Anthony Devolder's path to the speakership there. xps

xp The communicative skills on display here, truly inspirational

Better this than voting to repeal Obamacare again though

Can't believe there hasn't been a single bootlicker to throw Trump's name in the mix.

we're just getting started! seems like someone will nominate him at some point, if nothing else than because they would get an article written about them

Some Democrats might not show up for future rounds, I’m told, by several sources… some are just bored by the House GOP drama, others think it’s better than voting present

— Robert Costa (@costareports) January 3, 2023

For now, it’s wait and see mode. What’s happening is some are gaming out what a missed vote or present vote would mean for the threshold and ending the chaos, all while wanting to stay on @RepJeffries’s good side. No one wants to break ranks but many don’t want to be here all day

— Robert Costa (@costareports) January 3, 2023

this seems the most believable outcome tbh

Sounds likes a real hostage situation

Always bet on laziness

pete sessions, voice of reason

“Sixteen of the 19 will be there until the cows come home,” said Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas), a supporter of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). “I think it ends when someone grows weary … I think this costs us prestige. There’s an old saying that the whole world is watching. The whole world is watching. I’d like to see us fight like hell internally to make this work.”

“I think somebody’s going to have to say, this is starting to look bad,’” Sessions continued, adding that he didn’t have any other names of a consensus candidate. “I’m not there yet.”

Yes, when I think of the current GOP, "prestige" is the first thing that comes to mind.

Dennis Hastert could be Speaker from prison via Zoom

or from the grave via seance, maybe he died (hopefully)

Newt is tanned, rested and ready iirc

he'd totally accept it

Newt may be the most relentless self-promoter of the last half century. I realize that's saying a lot.

But would Newt’s wife’s hair accept it

well he traded that in for new hair, it might be different now

Surprising choice but ok pic.twitter.com/HQ85sfXZCD

— Eli Valley (@elivalley) January 3, 2023

jeb! for speakership

third round, here we go again. same candidates.

Democrats would be stupid for not showing up every single time to draw this out as long as possible.

yeah I'll be pissed if they don't

the should be playing pickle ball on the House floor while this debacle unfolds (again)

You have to assume this is Boebert's last stand, and she knows the full force of the GOP machine will be working against her next cycle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hm1wLkRJ30U

Jordan with 7 votes.

McCarthy just LOST another vote, Donalds voted for him on first few ballot, now voted Jordan.

OK, I've un-lost interest a tiny bit

Bowman said this right after he spotted Rep. Byron Donalds and urged him to "vote for a brother," ie vote for Jeffries for speaker and end this. "Reparations!"

— David Weigel (@daveweigel) January 3, 2023

they should do the vote in reverse-alphabetical order to shake things up a little

Dems should nominate Liz Cheney next round and get 6 R people to vote for her. she's terrible and not redeemed by the Jan 6th committee but since you don't have to be an incumbent House member to be speaker it would be a hilarious jizzing on the foreheads of the far right

and I don't see 6 Rs defecting otherwise

lmao bowman

don't see it at all really but hell we know our theories are much more interesting than what will really happen, is people will want to go to Buffalo Wild Wings and finally just vote for McCarthy

right now I'm playing Mortician and have the sound from the roll call playing over it, it's made the songs very interesting

btw Trump supported McCarthy after McCarthy thoroughly licked his boots. Trump looks weaker than ever.

On her floor convo with Rep. Gosar earlier, AOC tells me that McCarthy made claims within the GOP conf. that some Ds would walk away to lower the threshold. Gosar was asking AOC for clarification — would she walk away? “We would never do that,” AOC told me. Jeffries all the way. pic.twitter.com/yDsbJjFIPU

— Gabe Ferris (@GabeFerris) January 3, 2023

dems in disarray

well this is going to a 4th ballot, he's already lost 12 to Jordan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Dp29XacCe8

Did Steve just slip and say... "some of these f..kers"?😳 pic.twitter.com/OnxUaRPrLA

— Christopher Bouzy (@cbouzy) January 3, 2023

lol

nominations:

a literal turd
a figurative turd
Louie Gohmert

lol AOC missed vote 3 and I think I heard her holler "Jeffries!" a few seconds later.

xposts Gaetz was also spotted having a chat with AOC on the floor, presumably also on the topic of whether or not the democrats would please go away to make it easier on them