Kevin McCarthy finally got enough votes to become House speaker, but it required high drama that nearly escalated into physical confrontation. A look at some key moments in the approximately half-hour between the 14th and 15th ballot:
- Near fight: The most dramatic moment happened when Mike Rogers of Alabama angrily approached Matt Gaetz of Florida on the House floor and had to be restrained by their fellow Republican, North Carolina’s Richard Hudson, reports the AP. This happened after the 14th vote, when Gaetz opted again not to vote for McCarthy, despite an apparent deal to do so.
- More on that: “It was a very tense moment, and I was just trying to play a role to keep the tensions down,” said Hudson afterward. Rogers declined to comment. Marjorie Taylor Greene says she expects Rogers to be disciplined, per Fox News. “Mike Rogers lost his temper and was basically going to, you know, put his hands on Matt,” Greene said. “That was completely out of line, and then I’m sure it’ll be dealt with.”
- Trump calls: Greene called former President Trump after the 14th vote (at the request of Chief Deputy Whip Guy Reschenthaler), and Trump then talked to holdouts including Gaetz and Lauren Boebert, reports the Politico Playbook. But when Greene tried to hand the phone to holdout Matt Rosendale, he refused to take it and told Greene not to put him in that position. See an image here. The phone’s screen reads “DT,” per the Washington Post. Later, Trump took credit for breaking the logjam. “Thank you, I did the Country a big favor,” he posted on Truth Social, per HuffPost.
- Face to face: After his surprise loss in the 14th round, a clearly peeved McCarthy strode over to Gaetz. “Matt, come on,” he said, per the Playbook. “You’ve made your point. People have to go home.” Gaetz “jabbed his finger as he refused,” per the New York Times. (Gaetz had reportedly asked McCarthy to adjourn until Monday just before the 14th vote on Saturday night because he knew he didn’t have the votes.) As McCarthy was walking away, the aforementioned incident with Rogers and Gaetz went down. “Stay civil!” a voice could be heard shouting.
Let’s get ready to spend some money!
Yeah, you shouldn’t believe in something strongly enough to … well … actually … feel strongly about it?
So, DC is a stage for shitty actors who are greedy beyond the ken of ordinary men?
I’m shocked, I tell ya! Shocked!
mortem tyrannis
izlamo delenda est …
All commitments to Conservatives made by McCarthy prior to him becoming Speaker are now null and void. Another Boehner/Ryan speakership.
Two years of appeasement in the HOUSE and McCONnell bending over for Schumer in the SENATE does not bode well for 2024 or the US.
“Stay civil!”
…with traitors conspiring to advance a traitor to the last office that can even slow DOWN the destruction of this country as it is forced marched into a tyranny by illegally installed election stealers that are poisoning their own citzens, freezing them to death, and starving them to preserve their OWN wealth and power!?!
…for heaven sakes, why should ANYONE “Stay civil!” in the face of that, and WORSE?
For the left it is a bad thing. Bad, because they didn’t have total and complete control over the proceedings.
On a related note, it’s damned sickening that 20 members of the House had to go the extents that they did for concessions that are, to generalize, basically common sense. Our political system is not just corrupt, it’s broken.
The 20 deserve a lot of respect. But it’s damned scary that only 20 out of 435 are actual patriots.
Oh, and McCarthy, he’s going to screw them every way but sideways.
I think Someone needs to Photoshop Jack Ruby in that Pic of the Crowd holding
Rogers back….You know the famous Pic of Him Shooting Lee Harvey..
“Stay civil!”
…the only “civil” that can fix this, is the “war” kind.
What this validates is exactly what I have been saying and posting for decades. When it advances their own interests the Republican establishment can and will do what it takes to deliver. How many times do they have to dry shave the conservative base and American people and offer nothing but excuses before people wake up to the fact that these fuckers are not in any way, shape or form are not interested in advancing anything except what benefits them personally politically or financially?
How more transparent does it have to be? This guy is nothing we didn’t see in Ryan. He’s already colluding in the smoke filled rooms and bath houses in and around D.C. with his dear friends across the aisle on how best to screw the American people. That much is for sure and for certain.
Mike Rogers should have challenged Matt Gaetz to an affair of honor!
Mike Rogers might be a drunken redneck but at least he ain’t no Lindsey Graham thank goodness. There should be more fist fighting in our government.
Nothing has happened yet. Since one guy is dead, there are 434. 222 Republicans and 212 Democrats. Simple majority to pass the rules package as promised, which includes one member to bring it to the floor for a vote to remove speaker, so if only 6 Republicans vote with democrats against it that makes it 216 – 218. Five vote against it’s a tie, 217-217. They already have on no vote according to one of the slime balls who say they will vote against it. Then they can also not vote still causing it to fail.
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch, nothing has passed yet and nothing has even been brought to the floor for a vote.
“How can you compromise with people who don’t want you to exist? They want us to disappear. I can’t adapt to death.”
-Amy Harmon, “From Sand and Ash”
I don’t know why everyone expected Gaetz to vote McCarthy. He was on record MANY TIMES saying he would NEVER vote for McCarthy. He feels that McCarthy is just McConnell-lite. The best they would ever get from Gaetz was the Present vote.
If the same thing happened with the democrats, they would be cheering that “this is what democracy looks like”.
So, before the reps are even sworn in, McCarthy has proven FIFTEEN TIMES that he will make political concessions to achieve his personal ambitions.
That is a few good things: transparency into his character and some decent concessions to his fellow reps –and those of us they represent.
“Matt, come on. You’ve made your point. We won’t listen to it but you’ve made your point.”
There are rumors Rogers had had a few drinks.
Right after the final vote my daughter texted me that we now have the 1st gay Speaker of the House. lol
beachmom, wasn’t it Hassert who liked little boys?
If the same thing happened with the democrats, they would be changing the rules to elect last Tuesday nite.
Please! Someone! Explain Donald Trump’s push for McCarthy?I am at a loss. His position on The Vaccine, his endorsement of certain candidates, his support of McCarthy are just a few reasons I’m wondering if I’d vote for him in a primary if it gets to that. Man oh man. Further proof that we should put our faith solely in the Lord, Jesus Christ and never in a mere man. But while here in this place, we have to have leaders to look to, no? Maybe SNS can help me with this one
“The Left Acts Like This is a Bad Thing ”
So does most the Right. It’s freaken amazing. Google “Concessions” people. I heard a great analogy form Gorka. This is very similar to the first Continental Congress in 1774 and our heroic 21 are very similar to Sam Adams and pals. He expects things to grow from this. Passing that Omnibus was a step to fucking far. And thank God the 21 stuck it to them.
“… we have to have leaders to look to, no?”
No. NO!
“Leader” is the English word for “Fuhrer.”
“We, the People of the United States” established this country.
When did “We, the People of the United States” abdicate?
We allowed liars and thieves to “represent” us and act as our agents – which has brought us to this pass – the destruction of America, the plundering of the American Taxpayer, the proliferation of perversion, decadence, and other assorted evils.
It will continue (until the collapse) unless and until we re-assert our sovereignty.
“Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.”
mortem tyrannis
izlamo delenda est …