Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Usually wrong but never in doubt

Incompetence, fear, or corruption? why not all three?

Speaking of republicans, is there a way for a political party to declare intellectual bankruptcy?

Prediction: the GOP will rethink its strategy of boycotting future committees.

Why is it so hard for them to condemn hate?

rich, arrogant assholes who equate luck with genius

The cruelty is the point; the law be damned.

I see no possible difficulties whatsoever with this fool-proof plan.

The poor and middle-class pay taxes, the rich pay accountants, the wealthy pay politicians.

… pundit janitors mopping up after the GOP

JFC, are there no editors left at that goddamn rag?

It may be funny to you motherfucker, but it’s not funny to me.

Fuck these fucking interesting times.

Imperialist aggressors must be defeated, or the whole world loses.

That’s my take and I am available for criticism at this time.

When do we start airlifting the women and children out of Texas?

If senate republicans had any shame, they’d die of it.

Nancy smash is sick of your bullshit.

Sitting here in limbo waiting for the dice to roll

Authoritarian republicans are opposed to freedom for the rest of us.

I’d hate to be the candidate who lost to this guy.

Proof that we need a blogger ethics panel.

fuckem (in honor of the late great efgoldman)

Happy indictment week to all who celebrate!

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Repub Venality Open Thread: Suddenly, Kevin McCarthy Is *Very* Nervous

Repub Venality Open Thread: Suddenly, Kevin McCarthy Is *Very* Nervous

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Just yesterday:

Axios:

… Behind the scenes: In a tense, 30-minute-plus phone call [Monday] morning with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Trump trotted out the Antifa line.

– McCarthy would have none of it, telling the president: “It’s not Antifa, it’s MAGA. I know. I was there,” according to a White House official and another source familiar with the call.

– The White House official said the call was tense and aggressive at times, with Trump ranting about election fraud and an exasperated McCarthy cutting in to say, “Stop it. It’s over. The election is over.”

McCarthy, who is facing major blowback for his role in encouraging dissent over the election outcome, went further:

– He told Trump he should call Joe Biden, meet with the president-elect and follow tradition and leave a welcome letter in the Resolute Desk for his successor.

– The president told him he hadn’t decided whether to do so for Biden.

Doin’ my best, you guys! Tryin’ hard to be the grownup in the room!

Politico:

… To address members’ lingering safety concerns about returning to the Capitol, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy gave Republicans his blessing to use the Democrats’ proxy voting system that allows members to cast votes without being physically present. The GOP is challenging the proxy system in court, so McCarthy encouraged any Republicans who wish to use the voting mechanism to remove themselves from the lawsuit if they are a co-sponsor….

Reader Interactions

79Comments

  1. 1.

    dmsilev

    Liz Cheney just now:

    On January 6, 2021 a violent mob attacked the United States Capitol to obstruct the process of our democracy and stop the counting of presidential electoral votes. This insurrection caused injury, death and destruction in the most sacred space in our Republic.

    Much more will become clear in coming days and weeks, but what we know now is enough. The President of the United States summoned this mob, assembled the mob, and lit the flame of this attack. Everything that followed was his doing. None of this would have happened without the President. The President could have immediately and forcefully intervened to stop the violence. He did not. There has never been a greater betrayal by a President of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution.

    I will vote to impeach the President.

    I think McCarthy is going to be feeling a bit nervous and a bit lonely.

  2. 2.

    piratedan

    for the GOP Congresscitters that don’t sign on to this, its going to be a Political Red Wedding… couldn’t happen to a nicer group.

  3. 3.

    Cheryl Rofer

    Just a reminder that McCarthy spent Fourth of July 2018 in Moscow. He was also the one admonished by Paul Ryan when he said that Trump and Rohrabacher were being paid by Moscow.

    I’m a little surprised we haven’t heard more noodling about Russian connections through the past week. Deutsche Bank is backing away from Trump.

    So much to come out later. And I think it will. The rats are running scared, and now some are breaking for cover.

  5. 5.

    H.E.Wolf

    @dmsilev: Liz Cheney just now: […]

    She’s had her sights on the top GOP job in the House for some time now.
    On the principle of “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree”, I don’t trust her.

  7. 7.

    debbie

    Jesus, can you imagine the letter Trump would leave for Joe? I hope he picks it up with a gloved hand and flings into the trash.

  8. 8.

    Baud

    @debbie:

    It would be nasty if he wasn’t too lazy to write it.  If there is a letter, I’d imagine it’ll be written by Stephen Miller.

  10. 10.

    The Dangerman

    Trump is gonna lose his shit when a whole pile of R’s vote to impeach him. Ain’t gonna be a few … I don’t think it will approach a majority of R’s, but it’s gonna be a big number.

  11. 11.

    jl

    Maybe he’s in a dilemma. Big GOP money corporations and donors are not happy with the shit show and want it gone, or at least they need to pretend that they want it gone for a few months, or longer, depending on how bad the current rioting and insurrection gets.

    But McCarthy needs to win Kern County in the next primary to win, and it went to Trump by 10 points. And I don’t think its easy to pigeonhole the blue, purple or red parts of the Central Valley and Kern Basin. Some pockets of social conservativism, economic populism, and sheer greed and jingoism out of economic self-interest in his district (aka, big farmers and corporations and oil in Kern Basin) McCarthy has balance a quite a few issues.

    @Cheryl Rofer: Thanks for reminding me. Yes, McCarthy has to navigate carefully. He’s not the smartest person around, but I don’t think he’s as dumb as Trump. So sheer stupidity can’t explain his behavior. Or maybe can’t explain it… hard to tell with those people.

  12. 12.

    debbie

    @dmsilev:

    What she left out was that Trump deliberately chose not to authorize the D.C. National Guard to provide assistance to the Capitol Police in a timely manner.

  13. 13.

    mrmoshpotato

    “President Trump won this election, so everyone who’s listening, do not be quiet. We cannot allow this to happen before our very eyes… join together and let’s stop this.”

    Maybe Rick Perry can “oops” McCarthy’s way out of this.

    “Kevin didn’t mean let’s stop this with armed, murderous insurrection.  Ya know – oops.”

  14. 14.

    Cheryl Rofer

  16. 16.

    debbie

    @HumboldtBlue:

    Creepy how that zombie smile returned at the very end. And what’s with the “Esq” appended to her Twitter name? There’s nothing in her description indicating that she’s an attorney.

  17. 17.

    Sloane Ranger

    Mccarthy voted to overturn the voters choice even after the attack on the Capitol. If he is now beginning to rethink his position, it is much more about the threat of the money tap being turned off than anything else.

  19. 19.

    p.a.

    “Wow.  That’s some nasty looking leopard you guys have bred.  Seems… agitated.  Oh, so you’re going into the pen to try and muzzle it?  I’ll wait in my car, thanks.”

  22. 22.

    Elizabelle

    @Cheryl Rofer:   Good.

    Those mouthbreathers are going to get someone killed.

    I don’t understand why only Democrats are getting infected from insurrection day.  Have we just not heard from the GOP types?  They can’t all be immune …

    What time does Insurrectionist Trump speak today?  I’ve heard the speech will not be carried live.  That’s … an incredible statement on this man’s quality, and the danger of leaving him in office.  Can’t tweet, can’t facebook, can’t have his speeches carried live …

  23. 23.

    ballerat

    Why does this Alayna Treen person think whether the decision to impeach or not is somehow “tricky”? Or that it’s an “environment”, like a performance art installation?

    Fuck her. She should be pointing out the real moral response to this by republicans is demanding Trump’s immediate resignation.

    It’s a damned no brainer.

  24. 24.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Cheryl Rofer:

    Are you sure that he went to Moscow for 4th of July? I’ve checked a couple of old articles and tweets from that time and they list only the following:

    Sens. Richard C. Shelby (Ala.), Steve Daines (Mont.), John Hoeven (N.D.), John Neely Kennedy (La.), Jerry Moran (Kan.), John Thune (S.D.) and Johnson, plus Rep. Kay Granger (Tex.).

    If McCarthy joined the CoDel later, his name didn’t make it to the media, at least none that I’ve seen.

  26. 26.

    trollhattan

    @H.E.Wolf:

    Too right. Liz has all of dad’s snarly demeanor and would bring back the era of the neocons in a heartbeat. And we did so well under them.

    Still, her rejecting Trumpism is welcome.

  27. 27.

    lamh36

    Ooooh…I missed this yesterday. Considering charges against Chump Jr! DO IT…DO IT!!!

    DC attorney general considers riot incitement charges against Donald Trump Jr., Giuliani, GOP Rep. Brooks https://cnb.cx/3oAZGba

  28. 28.

    Sloane Ranger

    @Elizabelle:

     

    don’t understand why only Democrats are getting infected from insurrection day. Have we just not heard from the GOP types? They can’t all be immune …

    They’re taking a leaf out of the White House’s book. If they’re not feeling too ill, they’re not telling anyone and carrying on as usual. It’s the strong, macho thing to do. The virus is really impressed by their toughness.

  31. 31.

    Haroldo

    @HumboldtBlue:

     

    These maga fucks are completely off the rails.

    I have no fucking clue who Erin Elmore is but this SKY news reporter just called out her bullshit and she absolutely lost it.

    Good heavens. All these MAGAt women on Twitter are exploding with some sort of crazed rage. I’ve really not seen anything like it.

  35. 35.

    leeleeFL

    @VeniceRiley: I must report that finding myself aligned with both Jonah Goldberg AND Liz Cheney in the same day may be more than I can rightfully be expected to process.

    WT Actual F!?

  37. 37.

    Ken

    [McCarthy’s] more likely to be in a position of power going forward (e.g. as Speaker of the House in 2024).

    As Jonathan Bernstein’s list reminds us, aspiring to become the next Republican Speaker of the House is something like wanting to become the Hogwarts Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.  Or perhaps the Number 3 man in ISIS.  Not a long tenure, and almost always not a good exit.

  39. 39.

    Roger Moore

    @jl:

    It will be interesting to see what the redistricting commission makes of McCarthy’s district. Anything that includes Bakersfield and the surrounding area is going to be red, but just how red could change in unexpected ways depending on how the district is redrawn.

  40. 40.

    Calouste

    @debbie: That’s kind of covered by “The President could have immediately and forcefully intervened to stop the violence. He did not.”

    I think it’s a strong and succinct statement. Yes, there is stuff that could be in there, like mentioning the support of other Republicans for the insurrection, but I don’t think there is anything missing that had to be in there if you just take it as an explanation of a vote for impeaching the shitgibbon because of the events of 1/6. No weasel words either as far as I can see.

  43. 43.

    leeleeFL

    @Just One More Canuck: As well we know, the United States has no friends, only interests.  Liz Cheney is interested in having a future at the head of the GOP leadership.  tRump will f-ck the hell out of that idea…so he has to go, ignominiously!

  44. 44.

    Ken

    May I suggest a compromise for McCarthy?  Impeach Trump and get him out of office now, and follow up with the commission investigating the insurrection in detail and at length.

  45. 45.

    Roger Moore

    @Elizabelle:

    I don’t understand why only Democrats are getting infected from insurrection day. Have we just not heard from the GOP types? They can’t all be immune …

    Someone in that room must have been the source of the infection, but they haven’t let anyone know they were infected.  It’s a reasonable bet that none of the Republicans are getting tested unless they have obvious symptoms.

  46. 46.

    Roger Moore

    @leeleeFL:

    The neocons have been the group of Republicans most capable of resisting Trump, to the point that a fair number of them have left the party and even joined the Democrats.  It shouldn’t be too surprising that the ones who still call themselves Republicans are the first to turn on Trump when he shows real weakness.

  47. 47.

    RSA

    @HumboldtBlue: Thanks for that. Disturbing, until I scrolled down through the responses to one that had a screenshot of the Trump supporter, pointing out that in the background was a fake bookcase printed on paper, with an obvious crease through one of the shelves pictured. I needed a laugh at that point.

  48. 48.

    leeleeFL

     

    @Ken: Republicans don’t compromise with Democrats….. it’s in their platform.

    I am old enough to remember GOP STATESMEN.  You didn’t vote for them, but you didn’t feel like emigrating if they were elected.  Ah, “the good old days”!

  50. 50.

    Sloane Ranger

    @Haroldo:

     

    Good heavens. All these MAGAt women on Twitter are exploding with some sort of crazed rage. I’ve really not seen anything like it.

    Did you see Chuck Schumer’s press conference today? He was heckled by some insane women saying she was sexually aroused watching the invasion of the Capitol and she would never stop fighting to stop communist Democrats.

  51. 51.

    Captain C

    @Baud: I suspect at this point Deadbeat Donnie may be physically and mentally unable to actually write a note of any kind.

  52. 52.

    HumboldtBlue

    @RSA:

    I’ve been perusing the right-wing blogs, and they are just as blinkered, just as off-the-wall as they have always been.

    The talk of Trump triumphantly coming back in 2024 is particularly prevalent.

    These motherfuckers are dangerous and absurd at the same time.

  53. 53.

    VOR

    @Haroldo: But notice the point about using the 25th amendment against Biden. Trump was saying the same thing today, that Dems would regret opening the 25th amendment door because it would be used against them. This must be one of the talking points of the day.

  54. 54.

    HumboldtBlue

    Sweet Jesus spanking Ayn Rand with a switch, even Reason fucking magazine is making sense on impeachment.

    Republican leaders who worry that impeachment will exacerbate disunity have a simple way to address this problem: They can support impeachment themselves! For example, Kevin McCarthy could make a strong statement urging his House caucus to vote for impeachment. Graham, an influential GOP senator, could urge the same course of action on his Senate colleagues. And so on. If impeachment enjoys broad support from Republican leaders, the process could actually promote national unity rather than diminish it.

  55. 55.

    ballerat

    @RSA: The creased fake bookcase was the chef’s kiss of self-owned affirmation that she’s not living in the real world.

  56. 56.

    rp

    @Roger Moore: I hate to defend the neocons in any way, shape, or form, but I think most of them (although not Cheney) actually believe in, ya know, something. They thought they were doing the right thing in Iraq and getting rid of a tyrant. They were complete idiots and got a lot of people killed, but they’re not partisan hacks, nihilists, or white supremacists for the most part.

  57. 57.

    Elizabelle

    @Cheryl Rofer:   I love the idea of Q Loon Marjorie Taylor Green having to pony up cold hard cash.

    And if she still won’t wear a mask, she should be banned from the House floor and chambers.

  58. 58.

    HumboldtBlue

    I am convinced the vast majority of these idiots thought they were going to be able to go to the Capitol, rough up some members of Congress and go home scot-free.

    The man identified as the rioter photographed sitting in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office chair during last week’s Capitol insurrection made his initial federal court appearance Tuesday.
    Richard Barnett, 60, of Gravette, Arkansas, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Erin Wiedemann in Fayetteville, Arkansas, to hear the charges against him. Among them is a charge that he unlawfully entered a restricted area with a lethal weapon — in this case, a stun gun.
    Barnett also is charged with disorderly conduct and theft of public property. If convicted on all charges, including the new lethal weapon count, he could be sentenced to more than 11 years in federal prison.

  59. 59.

    ballerat

    @HumboldtBlue: Like every time in history when religious fanatics burnt people at the stake because they insisted the person was witch.

    Absurd, deluded and yet they nevertheless were perfectly capable of killing people.

    The immediate danger is to not consider them dangerous because they are absurd.

  60. 60.

    MisterForkbeard

    @Calouste: This is the thing that kills me. Trump waited through 3 hours of violence and 2 hours of thugs in the capitol building before issuing his halfhearted shrug of “stop the violence I guess”. He waited until congressional leaders were in the clear before trying to stop anything.

    He also ignored calls for help for those three hours until the NG was authorized by others. Then took credit for it later. Then issued another “You rioters are all correct and you all know I won!” statement over twitter a couple hours after that.

    Even if you don’t think he incited anything, the above is all a good case for impeachment. Complete and utter dereliction of duty in the hopes of getting political opponents killed.

  61. 61.

    geg6

    @leeleeFL:

    I’m old enough to remember them, too.  And I will admit to voting for Senator John Heinz because he was the last “liberal” Republican except my other senator at the time, Spector.  I couldn’t vote for Spector because I couldn’t stomach voting for a turncoat then.  Was forced to vote for him when he turned again but he lost.  That’s how I got burdened with Toomey.  Looks more and more like Fetterman’s going to run for Toomey’s open seat and that would just be delightful.  He takes no shit from anyone.  He’d be a ball in hearings and on the Senate floor.

  63. 63.

    Fair Economist

    @Roger Moore: All Representatives were supposed to be tested for COVID, but a large number (70 or so IIRC) refused. Taking bets on their party alignment…

  64. 64.

    Fair Economist

    @Roger Moore:

    Someone in that room must have been the source of the infection, but they haven’t let anyone know they were infected. It’s a reasonable bet that none of the Republicans are getting tested unless they have obvious symptoms.

    One of the new Republican representatives from Kansas was announced to be positive that night. I assume he’s the reason they’re all supposed to be tested.

  65. 65.

    Barbara

    @Sloane Ranger: These things are so over the top bananas that I have to wonder — as with that crazy lady in the Michigan legislative hearing — whether they are acting the part.  I mean, saying you were sexually aroused to justify your participation in the criminal storming of the Capitol is just . . . so fucking nuts.

  69. 69.

    TS (the original)

    @Elizabelle:

    I don’t understand why only Democrats are getting infected from insurrection day.  Have we just not heard from the GOP types?  They can’t all be immune …

    They don’t get tested unless they need major intervention.

  70. 70.

    Uncle Cosmo

    @Baud: Any letter left for Biden that’s written by Stephen “Reinhard Heydrich’s Mini-Me” Miller is odds-on to have white powder wafting out of the envelope.

  73. 73.

    Uncle Cosmo

    @jl: Big GOP money corporations and donors are not happy with the shit show and want it gone, or at least they need to pretend that they want it gone for a few months, or longer, depending on how bad the current rioting and insurrection gets.

    The Global Oligarchs were jess faaaaaahn with Trumplthinskin so long as he was doing their work by destroying liberal democracy, but his cult of poisonality has driven the economy into the ditch. Right now they need Biden and the Democrats to spend the next few years winching it out – so they can steal it again.

  74. 74.

    LongHairedWeirdo

    To address members’ lingering safety concerns about returning to the Capitol, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy gave Republicans his blessing to use the Democrats’ proxy voting system that allows members to cast votes without being physically present. The GOP is challenging the proxy system in court, so McCarthy encouraged any Republicans who wish to use the voting mechanism to remove themselves from the lawsuit if they are a co-sponsor….

    This is, perhaps, the most Republican thing I’ve seen since Rick Perry was named head of the Department of Ener…oops.

  75. 75.

    LongHairedWeirdo

    @Baud: He’ll only leave a letter if Biden signs an NDA.

    Hm. Someone should tell him that Biden did. Alas, I’d bet he’d write in sharpie, likely leaving stains on the desk… but to reference my last comment, that would perhaps be the most Trump thing ever, an indelible stain even on the *furniture* of the presidency.

  76. 76.

    LongHairedWeirdo

    @HumboldtBlue: Re, the clip posted by HumboldtBlue, if you haven’t seen the clip, don’t go to see a Republican nutcase rage. Go to see a British reporter ask how she’d respond to someone who (paraphrased) thinks she’s a bloody loony, and how her response would look to anyone not steeped in MAGA culture.

    He’s good – like an attorney *never* asking a(nother) question while the witness is proving the attorney’s point beautifully all by herself.

  78. 78.

    jonas

    – He told Trump he should call Joe Biden, meet with the president-elect and follow tradition and leave a welcome letter in the Resolute Desk for his successor.

    – The president told him he hadn’t decided whether to do so for Biden.

    Lol. Joke’s on McCarthy. Trump’s illiterate and can’t write. All he can do is scribble his stupid signature with a big Sharpie on the line his aides direct his hands to.

  79. 79.

    Lacuna Synechdoche

    [McCarthy] told Trump he should … leave a welcome letter in the Resolute Desk for his successor.

    Do they keep crayons in the Resolute Desk?

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