Watch:
(Partial) transcript!
GAETZ: “To catch everyone up, last week there were 36 votes against Kevin McCarthy in the Republican conference, and again, Kevin has had years to try to convince people of the worth of his candidacy. Since that time, zero of those 36 have come out to say, ‘You know what, I voted against McCarthy previously, but I’m now prepared to vote for him on the floor.” Zero. Meanwhile, five members, which include myself, Andy Biggs, Bob Good, Matt Rosendale, and now most recently Ralph Norman, have all come out and said that our ‘no’ vote on McCarthy is firm. It was not just a no vote within the Republican conference. It is a ‘no’ vote we intend to carry to the floor.
“The reason that’s significant is because Republicans are expected to hold a four-seat majority. So five of us saying publicly we have no intention of voting for McCarthy—we are firm in our opposition to him—well, that ought to trigger a realization among Republicans that we need a consensus candidate. We need someone who is more broadly respected throughout the Republican conference, and we need someone who believes in a bottom-up, membership-empowered House of Representatives.”
A Republican who can assemble a broad coalition while also keeping the likes of Marjorie Taylor Greene on a leash—perhaps literally? Not sure it can be done.
RELATED: Far-right Rep. Andy Biggs announces challenge to McCarthy in House Republican leadership election
For every infrastructure earmark or agricultural subsidy, they want to toss to a normie Congress member, they’ll have to throw in a floor vote on making Caucasian the official race of Jesus and Santa Claus. Or declaring that trans men still need to be regularly monitored for girl cooties. Imagine trying to get Marjorie Taylor Greene—who’s been cozying up to McCarthy because he promised her reinstatement to House committees—to agree with three other people on pizza toppings.
Now imagine what McCarthy would face if he ever did become speaker.
GAETZ: “When conflict arises, the human instinct is fight or flight, and we’ve seen time and again that Kevin McCarthy chooses flight. In the days following Jan. 6, he believed that Donald Trump should resign, and when I verbally criticized Liz Cheney, Kevin McCarthy said that might have been encouraging violence against people. And actually, in our country, we’re smart enough to know that when we engage in discourse and debate and, yes, sometimes even sharp criticism, that doesn’t green-light violence. Oftentimes that’s what stops a civilized society from devolving into violence.”
Oh, I see. This is all about the unforgivable affront to Dear Leader, who incited a riot that led to the tragic loss of American lives. Guess it’s not enough that McCarthy almost singlehandedly reanimated that dyspeptic earwax golem just weeks after the insurrection occurred. He flinched, and that’s an unforgivable sin among the “Trump won” crowd.
GAETZ: “It’s interesting to see McCarthy going around talking about all the subpoenas he wants to issue, because when he was in the majority last, when he was the majority leader last, he did not utter one word in support of subpoenas that Jim Jordan and, at the time, Ron DeSantis and Mark Meadows and I were calling for on the House Judiciary Committee. So Kevin McCarthy will revert to his establishment mean the moment he gets power, and that’s why there are enough of us now, a critical mass, standing as a bulwark against his ascension to the speakership.”
This is a huge rolling nightmare for Kevin McCarthy, who thought he was going to get a big majority to work with, and have a cushion of support that would easily vault him to the speakership.
RELATED: The House GOP’s knives are already out for McCarthy
Instead, the few loose bricks he thought he could safely ignore are now load-bearing blockheads, and his dream of filling the stately high heels of Nancy Pelosi is in serious jeopardy.
Unless McCarthy can somehow swing a deal with Gaetz—perhaps to make sex trafficking a light misdemeanor—he may be looking at an uncertain future.
Popcorn futures, on the other hand? Those are sure to rise in the coming months.
Sen. Raphael Warnock is still defending his Georgia seat, and the Dec. 6 runoff is coming fast. If you can—and if you aren’t too tired from saving America on Nov. 8—please rush a donation to Team Warnock now! You can also write letters to Georgia voters with Vote Forward! Let’s finish up strong!
Check out Aldous J. Pennyfarthing’s four-volume Trump-trashing compendium, including the finale, Goodbye, Asshat: 101 Farewell Letters to Donald Trump, at this link. Or, if you prefer a test drive, you can download the epilogue to Goodbye, Asshat for the low, low price of FREE.
