Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

It is not hopeless, and we are not helpless.

The revolution will be supervised.

Sadly, there is no cure for stupid.

When I decide to be condescending, you won’t have to dream up a fantasy about it.

It’s all just conspiracy shit beamed down from the mothership.

Text STOP to opt out of updates on war plans.

The unpunished coup was a training exercise.

This country desperately needs a functioning fourth estate.

He wakes up lying, and he lies all day.

Petty moves from a petty man.

Following reporting rules is only for the little people, apparently.

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

The willow is too close to the house.

Republicans don’t lie to be believed, they lie to be repeated.

“Everybody’s entitled to be an idiot.”

People are weird.

Mediocre white men think RFK Jr’s pathetic midlife crisis is inspirational. The bar is set so low for them, it’s subterranean.

The low info voters probably won’t even notice or remember by their next lap around the goldfish bowl.

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

This year has been the longest three days of putin’s life.

Celebrate the fucking wins.

Wake up. Grow up. Get in the fight.

The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand.

When we show up, we win.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Threat or a Promise? Open Thread

Threat or a Promise? Open Thread

by | 98 Comments

This post is in: ,

My first thought on seeing this is to wonder if this is a low-key offer of availability in case The Squeaker is starting to look more appealing to anyone now that he’s out.

Okay, so I wrote that before clicking the Politico article:

At the same time, some Republicans are reviving his name as a speaker candidate, even as it remains unclear whether he’d accept it.

They argue no one else could get the 218 Republican votes needed to be speaker, they argue, as Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Majority Leader Steve Scalise enter next week’s race as frontrunners that still might not be able to get over the top.

The “only workable outcome is to restore Kevin McCarthy as Speaker under party rules that respect and enforce the right of the majority party to elect him,” Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) said in a statement on Thursday. “This depends entirely on several of the dissidents to disenthrall themselves from their decision and to repair the damage before it is too late. I appeal to them to act while there is still time.”

McCarthy is still expected to be active in GOP matters, whether he’s in the House or out.

“I’ll do anything I can to help almost all of you. Don’t worry, I’ve raised a helluva lot of money in the last hour,” he told his members during the Tuesday closed-door conference meeting, when he made clear he would not seek the gavel again.

Update at 5:20 pm

UPDATE 5PM ET Friday:

Kevin McCarthy has denied the original Politico story and says he will be staying in Congress.

McCarthy told news outlets Friday afternoon that he plans to run for re-election and will make announcements about his political future himself.

⭐️

Here are Judge Chutkan’s rulings on Trump multiple motions for extentions of time:

1. Motion to get redacted copy of govt’s ex parte motion to provide defense with redacted version of some classified discovery: DENIED.

2. Motion for opp to raise procedural objections before she rules on that ex parte motion: GRANTED, but on short deadline. Trump must file by 10/11.

3. Motion to postpone next CIPA deadline–notice of classified docs defense wants to use. DENIED.

4. Motion to extend deadline to file pretrial motions to dismiss by 60-days. DENIED, but she’ll allow 14 day extension.

That first ruling described above may have been confusing. Govt typically files ex parte motion (defense doesn’t see it) to provide redacted discovery of certain sensitive classified docs to defense. Trump wants to see redacted copy of govt’s ex parte motion. Judge denied that.

Long story short on Chutkan’s rulings on motions for extension: She granted two short extensions and denied two big, unusual asks that would have caused major delays.

⭐️

What else is going on in the news today?

Reader Interactions

98Comments

  3. 3.

    bbleh

    Or maybe he’s just sick to death of the whole circus and wants out, à la John Boehner.

    And anyway, he’s still the same reflexive liar with a backbone of Jell-O.  No reason anybody, especially Dems, would trust him any more outside Congress than in.

    Seeing surprisingly quick backlash against Jimmy J.  IN-teresting.  And apparently the rabble didn’t take too kindly to the idea of a steel death-cage match on Fox.  The two are making me less optimistic that this little family feud will be resolved quickly.

    The Republicans are starting to remind me of a college political organization where “everybody agrees that everybody has the right to be heard at all times on any subject.”

  5. 5.

    MattF

    @bbleh: Or the McCarthy version, “(almost) everybody agrees that (almost) everybody has the right to be heard at (almost) all times”.

  7. 7.

    montanareddog

    From the Politico article:

    Kevin McCarthy is considering resigning from the House before the end of his term, two people familiar with the matter told POLITICO.

    Those two people being commonly-known as Mr and Mrs Kevin McCarthy

    I would not be surprised if he and McClintock are just hoping that the election of the next speaker will be hopelessly deadlocked and he will be called upon as a white knight. Today’s Politico “scoop” is just an adolescent telling the world “you’ll miss me when I’m gone”

  8. 8.

    Westyny

    Bilbo said it better, “I don’t know half as you as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you as well as you deserve.”

  10. 10.

    Jeffro

    Rep McClintock: “good LORD!  There IS no such thing as a ‘Speaker of the House Jim Jordan’ in all of the multiverse, you numbnuts!”

    LOLOLOL

  11. 11.

    Geminid

    McCarthy’s departure from Congress would leave Republicans down a vote until his replacement was picked in a special election, so I really hope he follows through on the idea.

    If he does leave McCarthy will likely become irrelevant. He doesn’t lead any important movement or represent an important idea. A year from now people will be like, “Kevin who?”

  12. 12.

    Raoul Paste

    I see that Ron Jonson has endorsed Jim Jordan for Speaker

    So now we know whom the Russians want

  14. 14.

    smith

    I don’t see how McCarthy can expect to keep pulling in the big donor dollars when he no longer has any control over when/how/what legislation reaches the floor. His defenestration and the fact that so many in his party clearly distrust him makes me think he’ll have a hard time selling donors on the idea that he still has all that much sway in the House. He could continue to be just a money conduit, but I bet the fat cats are looking for a more efficient way to use their political dollars.

  16. 16.

    bbleh

    @Geminid: and Santos’ perhaps-not-so-distant conviction would subtract another seat.  And Santos’s would be likely to flip, and per recent articles on the changing demographics of the Bakersfield area, it’s not inconceivable that Qevin’s could flip as well.

    That would reduce the magic number to 3.  Interesting times indeed.

    @Baud: rats.

  20. 20.

    Geminid

    @WaterGirl: I think there will be a vote on aid to Ukraine no matter who is Speaker. This situation is made for a Petition to Discharge, and I bet Democrats have one prepared like they had for a Debt Ceiling vote.  Ruben Gallego was talking about this last January.

  26. 26.

    Another Scott

    From the Politico segment…

    They argue no one else could get the 218 Republican votes needed to be speaker, they argue, […]

    Something something editors left at that goddamn rag?

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  27. 27.

    mrmoshpotato

    @bbleh:

    Or maybe he’s just sick to death of the whole circus and wants out, à la John Boehner. 

    And Zombie Eyed Granny Starver Paul Ryan IIRC.

  28. 28.

    bbleh

    What else is going on in the news today?

    FAT BEAR WEEK!!!!

    Who can’t like that?  Other than salmon, perhaps.

  30. 30.

    Betty Cracker

    @Baud: Pathetic. I wonder what changed his mind? I can’t recall anyone who was ousted returning to backbencher status — too much of a come down. Hopefully someone dangled an opportunity to go medieval on Gaetz, Good, Mace, et al.!

  32. 32.

    Scout211

    The “only workable outcome is to restore Kevin McCarthy as Speaker under party rules that respect and enforce the right of the majority party to elect him,” Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) said in a statement on Thursday. “This depends entirely on several of the dissidents to disenthrall themselves from their decision and to repair the damage before it is too late. I appeal to them to act while there is still time.”

    Let me just say that I am not enjoying my Rep’s current 15 minutes of fame.  He has been a nobody and a GOP leadership toady for all of his too many terms as my Rep.  I am not enjoying his current spotlight.

    Shut up, Tom!!!

  34. 34.

    mrmoshpotato

    @twbrandt:

    House republicans: Where are we? And why are we in this handbasket? 

    House Republicans: And do we, in fact, suck Trump’s ass, and by extension, Putin’s ass?

  35. 35.

    bbleh

    @Scout211: “… and also an immediate special appropriation for PONIES.  For EVERY AMERICAN that wants one! And unicorns for Members of Congress!  And also lower taxes.”

  36. 36.

    HumboldtBlue

    @Scout211: ​ 

    At least, at the very least, he’s a pro at politics and politicking, he’s not Marge or the boner grabber, but he’s the closest Dems are going to get to a normal politician from that side of the bench.

  37. 37.

    NotMax

    Date in da future:

    Noon: Jordan elected Speaker.
    12:01 p,m.: McCarthy requests House take up motion to vacate.
    //

  38. 38.

    Betty Cracker

    This time tomorrow I’ll be sitting in great seats at The Swamp and cheering for the Gators! Sis and I are taking our niece to her first college game! The Gators will probably lose because they suck this year, but it will still be fun.

  39. 39.

    gene108

    I doubt the House will elect a Speaker next week.

    There are just enough egotistical pricks in their caucus who want to carve out a petty bit of power outside the usual order of how a chamber of Congress has typically been run to keep it from happening.

    I just wonder if the new Speaker has to surrender to every interest in his caucus to win or are the rules already set for this term, and no further abasement is possible?

  41. 41.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    I imagine on K Street he’d be a pretty hot property as a Republican lobbyist, one foot in MAGAland, one foot in the Reasonable Republican camp bc he was taken down by Gaetz. Maybe his office will be on the same floor as Nina Turner’s at Mercury. They can have lunch and shit

  43. 43.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Betty Cracker:

    I wonder what changed his mind?

    he fell asleep last night gazing at his own image in the Young Guns poster he had made for his wall. See if he flies down to Mar-A-Lago with a fresh jar of curated Starbursts as the beginning of his comeback

    and something I’ve been wondering: I haven’t had starbursts in probably forty years. Is there really any difference in flavor from color to color?

  48. 48.

    Another Scott

    @gene108: This afternoon I heard a bit of “The Daily” – FTFNYT’s daily 30 minute news summary on my NPR station.  Michael Barbaro was oh-so- seriously interviewing some House GQPer.  The rep was oh-so-seriously going on about how we “cannot” continue to “print money” and have to stop having deficits.

    The FY23 deficit was around $1.5T.  Oh-so-serious GQPer was saying he will not vote for a budget that has a deficit.  Oh-so-serious Barbaro didn’t ask him about the $1.5T tax increase he was wanting, or the $1.5T in cuts he was demanding instead.  He just let him pontificate about how serious and responsible a deficit hawk he is.

    Yeah, I expect the bomb throwers to keep throwing bombs, even if they somehow do elect a Speaker.  It’s what they do.

    Grr…,
    Scott.

  50. 50.

    Brachiator

    OT. A basic income experiment in Denver produces positive results.

    The guaranteed income also dramatically reduced visible homelessness. When the initiative began, some 6% of the people in the $1,000-a-month group said they were sleeping outside; the number fell to zero six months later. The group that received a large lump sum similarly reported a decline from 10% sleeping outdoors to 3%. Even those who received just $50 moved indoors, to a degree, with the outdoor-sleeping rate declining to 4% from 8%.

    Where were people going? Many, actually, to their own place. In the group receiving $1,000 a month, 34% of participants said they resided in their own home or apartment, up from just 8% a half-year earlier. For all groups, the number who said they were sleeping in shelters was more than halved, and all reported increased feelings of safety in their current sleep location. Overall mental health also seemed to improve, though the group that received $50 reported slightly more stress and anxiety than before — and a little less hope.

    People were able to get off the street even though we still have a housing problem.

  53. 53.

    Geminid

    @HumboldtBlue: Brian Fitzpatrick (PA), Don Bacon (NE) and others are similar to McClintock, maybe even more centrist because they represent purple districts.

    A really striking (to me) feature of this majority is how the Freedom Caucus Republicans are unwilling to accomodate the needs of their purple district colleagues. They know they need to carry purple districts in order to win a majority in the next Congress but they don’t seem to care.

    Back during the May Debt Ceiling fight, Republicans unwisely passed a measure to cut non-defense spending by 22%. That included VA funding. Freshman Jen Kiggans (VA-2) represents a district full of veterans, so I figured she was one of the five Republicans who voted against. But the five no votes were cast by Matt Gaetz and his cronies.

    Nancy Pelosi always protected her purple district caucus members, but McCarthy could not.

  54. 54.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    is it just me or can you feel the contempt dripping from her comments about His Kevin and Kevin’s Patrick?

    Elex Michaelson @Elex_Michaelson 4

    @SpeakerPelosi on Speaker Pro Tem @PatrickMcHenry kicking her out of her “hideaway” office. “That’s so incidental, I’m more concerned about the fact they’re trying to cut 30% out of the food for children…the office means nothing to me!“

  56. 56.

    sdhays

    On the basis of “McQarthy always lies, or at least his mouth doesn’t know what he’s doing”, I assume he’s resigning Monday.

  57. 57.

    Jay

    @Brachiator:

    SFU ran a similar controlled study here.

    $7500 cash to 100 people. With that they got housing, better jobs, ID, bank accounts and most had managed to still have $2000 in the bank.

    Welfare here pays $1060 a month. Median rent on a 1 bedroom is $2800, and to sign a lease requires first month, last month and a damage deposit.

  59. 59.

    eclare

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    Sounds like typical Nancy to me.  When she was on Colbert a few years ago, he asked if it bothered her that other Democrats were pledging not to vote for her.  She said not at all, she has very thick skin and can take it.  I believe her.

  62. 62.

    Wapiti

    @Brachiator: Without reading the link…

    Many homeless had a place before ending up on the street; it might have been a room or a couch in a friend or relative’s place. Being able to contribute something to rent is a big deal.

  63. 63.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @eclare: I remember when some reporter asked if she had a reaction to trump calling her Crazy Nancy. She fixed a regal gaze on him for a good five seconds then said, “Who cares?”, then went to the next question.

    Listening to MSNBC, the guy trump blabbed classified info about our sub fleet to is “the cardboard king of Australia”. Seems fitting somehow

    If you’ve missed that story:

    Trump allegedly discussed US nuclear subs with foreign national after leaving White House: Sources

  68. 68.

    Betty Cracker

    Was anyone besides me dumb enough to read David Brooks’ column about Biden? Jesus, what a steaming pile of horseshit — rambling, circular, relentlessly self-referential, and, above all, boring. I think at the end he even came to the correct conclusion: Dems gotta ride with Biden. But the entire column is unimpeachable evidence of our elite media’s profound mediocrity.

  69. 69.

    smith

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: NEW: Members of Trump’s team are quietly preparing to go on offense against RFK Jr. as internal campaign polling suggests his expected third party bid could draw more votes from Trump than Biden in a general election,

    RFK Jr has noticed this, too — he will be speaking at CPAC, not, I would guess, a very good place to look for Biden voters.

  70. 70.

    Baud

    @Betty Cracker:

    I think at the end he even came to the correct conclusion: Dems gotta ride with Biden “I can’t away with being overtly in support of Trump.”

  73. 73.

    Misterpuff

    @Geminid: Good if true. Kennedy has a small but loyal following, and Trump would do better to co-opt them rather than alienate them by attacking Kennedy.

     

    Trump team: Do we want the Q nuts or will they hurt us? I thought we wanted the Qmunity!

    Trump: Destroy him, he is taking my oxygen/spotlight!

  74. 74.

    HumboldtBlue

    @Geminid: ​ 

    A really striking (to me) feature of this majority is how the Freedom Caucus Republicans are unwilling to accomodate the needs of their purple district colleagues. They know they need to carry purple districts in order to win a majority in the next Congress but they don’t seem to care.

    That’s a very good point.

  76. 76.

    prostratedragon

    Jim@63:
    From Steve Benen, a handy Top 10:

    Trump has been accused of disclosing national security secrets so many times that I’ve put together The Top 10 Instances In Which Donald Trump Allegedly Shared Sensitive Information For Reasons Unknown.

  77. 77.

    Another Scott

    @smith: The Qanon people must be going nuts with the cognitive dissonance.

    “No, no, the Kennedy is supposed to run with TIFG, not against him!!11″

    Seriously, many more grifting opportunities on the GQP side than on the Democrats ‘side. Lots more press attention, also too.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  79. 79.

    smith

    @Another Scott: Next we’re going to hear from the usual suspects that RFK JR is actually an agent of Deep State and that elderly guy in the White House sent to undermine the beautiful campaign of the One True President.

  80. 80.

    Jeffro

    @Betty Cracker: I read it…ok, I read the first third of it before skimming to the conclusion.

    Thanks, David, for helping us out with your insights and all!  NOT.  Anyone with half a brain already knows that ridin’ with Biden is this country’s best best for progress and sanity.

  81. 81.

    Jeffro

    @Baud: many thanks!

    related: I got an email from Spoutible today and I think I’m going to pop over there on a regular basis starting next week.  Twitter is just about worthless at this point.

  82. 82.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @MattF:  The PAB knows losers well, as he is one. Another note from New York: Trump Organization controller sez that Qusay (that is, babby Ewick) ordered him to include a valuation for sale of seven mansions on the Seven Springs compound that had not been built.

  87. 87.

    bbleh

    @Jeffro: @WaterGirl: interesting. Perhaps a jackal-sourced review of the alternatives to The Service Formerly Known As Twitter might be useful.  Certainly informative, and might spur a mass migration.

  88. 88.

    bbleh

    @Mr. Bemused Senior: I read at some point a remark by Engoron that the valuations on the financial statements were in his opinion clearly “current,” which of course was immediately contradicted by one of Trump’s attorneys.

    That is, they actually argued, in court, during a trial for financial fraud, that values on a financial statement were, indeed, aspirational.

  94. 94.

    TriassicSands

    @Betty Cracker:

    After reading your comment, I did something I rarely do anymore, I went and read Brooks’ column. And now I have to admit, I’m quite surprised at your response. I’ve never had any use for Brooks, but it is difficult for me to imagine any Republican columnist today writing a column that has so much positive to say about Joe Biden.

    Some of Brooks’ criticisms are spot on. Biden talks to much (when he shouldn’t and maybe too little when he should say more, though that is my opinion, not Brooks’ who limited his assessment to Biden talking too much). Biden’s gaffes have always been a problem, true, but Trump’s are far worse, it’s just that no one holds him accountable for saying batshit crazy stuff.

    Brooks also cites “Biden’s chip on his shoulder about those who think they are smarter than he is.” Doesn’t every high ranking politician think they are smarter than everyone else? Even if that were true of Biden, Trump exhibits quite possibly the greatest chasm between his actual intelligence and his self-proclaimed smartest guy on the planet about absolutely everything persona. Again, even if Biden has such a chip, it is a mere shaving when compared with Trump’s have a dozen giant Sequoias. I think there are probably a lot of rooms that Biden occupies where he isn’t the “smartest” guy in the room, but his is the best president and far better than many people who might be smarter. There is far more to being a good president than having the highest IQ. And it is there that Biden has excelled.

    Overall, I was surprised by the generally very positive picture Brooks paints of Biden. Unlike his fellow right wing columnist, Bret Stephens, I have no doubt Brooks will vote for Biden against Trump, whereas I don’t trust Stephens once he’s in the privacy of a voting booth.

    I think Brooks lays out some genuine worries about Biden’s candidacy, but like virtually all columnists he describes the problems, but not the source — the stupidity, ignorance, and ill-informed electorate.

    I’m old, but it is understandable to me that people are concerned about Biden’s age. Today, Biden is more than up to the job, but people age very differently and can go downhill very quickly at his age. However, Biden is positioned to remain capable far better than is Trump or most other octangenarians. His age won’t affect my willingness to vote for him, but I know from speaking to a number of younger voters, it will affect them. I only hope that in the end they are smart enough to understand the stakes and realize that, for better or worse, Biden is running and having done such a good job as president deserves to be overwhelmingly re-elected. If he dies in office or becomes disabled, so be it, life will go on and the country will still be in far better hands with Harris as president than we will be with any Republican candidate.

    Now, I’ll go back to ignoring David Brooks and his columns.

  95. 95.

    brantl

    When did the word ask become a noun? I keep hearing people talking about what are properly requests and calling them “an ask”. It sounds illiterate to me, and it chaps my ass. I hear it all over now, from a lot of people who should know better.

  96. 96.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @TriassicSands: Brooks has been mostly useless since he emerged from the swamp that is The Village decades ago, and he misses why the public is so misinformed.  It’s because of the fucking Village, of which he is an integral part.

  98. 98.

    TriassicSands

    @Villago Delenda Est: It’s because of the fucking Village, of which he is an integral part.

    Yes and no. The “Village” has done a terrible job, but fewer and fewer Americans are willing to spend the time to seek out sources that would make them better informed. Almost everything is more important today for millions of Americans than seeking out reliable sources to help people fulfill their responsibilities as citizens. In fact, what percentage of the electorate truly believes they have any responsibility to be well-informed and actively involved? It has never been easier to be reasonably well-informed than it is today. But that has to be important to people. I constantly hear excuses for why it just isn’t worth it from people who spend more time watching sports in a week than they spend trying to be socially and politically well-informed in an entire year.

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