Kevin McCarthy’s Hat Trick of Humiliation

[homersapien 11,371]

https://morningshots.thebulwark.com/p/kevin-mccarthys-hat-trick-of-humiliation

“You’re supposed to throw the grenade after you pull the pin. They pulled the pin and passed the grenade around!” —James Carville

Reap. Sow.

 

Tim Miller @Timodc

The Republican Party attracted members who are childish, petty, desperate for fame, with no real concern for policy or the public welfare? Huh. I wonder how that happened?

Ryan Struyk @ryanstruyk

CRENSHAW: "They're like children. This is such a childish attempt at gaining attention... This is about petty, personal issues that they have, or petty attempts to gain notoriety. It's unbelievably frustrating and they should be held accountable for it by the American people."

5:37 PM ∙ Jan 3, 2023

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Of course this raises the question: Where is Trump in all of this? This is, after all, still his party. And he is its leader? Right?

Over at Puck, Tara Palmeri notes that “One of the cruel ironies of all this is that McCarthy, who went to extraordinary lengths to placate Trump, is being stymied by card-carrying members of his MAGA movement. And where is Trump in McCarthy’s hour of need?”

But it’s unclear whether it will actually make a difference. This detail from Palmeri’s report is fascinating.

I’m told from sources close to him that he’s been burning up the phone for McCarthy, but his pleas don’t seem to be making any impact. Even Trump loyalist Matt Gaetz hasn’t been moved. Instead, I’m told, the recipients of Trump’s calls have rebutted his request to support Kevin with relentless flirtation and flattery, Trump’s ultimate love language, such as suggesting that he should be speaker. Naturally, this deactivated and neutralized the ’24 presidential candidate.

Although McCarthy insists that Trump is still in his corner, the reality is that Trump would have no qualms about tossing him under the bus. Not because he doesn’t like his Kevin, but because he doesn’t give a sh*t and he hates losing. Writes Palmeri:

Truthfully, Trump doesn’t really care who leads the House. But he’s a Republican candidate for president trying to prove that he’s the leader of the party, so he had to weigh in, even if those close to him wished he didn’t. Is this all a sign that the MAGA movement has advanced beyond Trump, and even beyond Marjorie Taylor Greene and Jim Jordan, who support McCarthy? Unclear. But it is a sign that Trump has lost his juice. “He likes the perks of being party leader, but he doesn’t take the responsibility seriously at all,” said a former Trump advisor who believes that a more motivated former commander-in-chief could have quelled the McCarthy rebellion with a sit-down at Mar-a-Lago. “He doesn’t give a crap. He’s not engaged enough. He should have fixed this instead of trading cards and playing golf.” 

 

Edited January 4, 2023 by homersapien

[homersapien 11,371]

This is almost fun to watch.  Naaah, it's definitely fun.

 

Edited January 4, 2023 by homersapien

[icanthearyou 4,462]

Should Democrats step in and help the Republican out, move congress forward?