I rarely post Steve Schmidt, but, PLEASE, DU, read this.

[blm]

Kevin McCarthy was my friend. He betrayed the United States of America and his duty and obligations to the Constitutional Oath that he took.

His conduct over the Trump era has been abhorrent. McCarthy is cynical, dishonest, delusional and toxically transactional — sometimes all at once. He knew full well what was happening on January 6, 2021, because he helped light the fire. When it was over, he obstructed the investigation and accountability. He slandered the Capitol Police officers who risk their lives protecting him. He personally travelled to Mar-a-Lago and singularly gave Trump immunity from his seditious conduct and criminal behavior by appeasing it, rewarding it and encouraging it.

Kevin McCarthy is utterly unfit for national political leadership. He is deeply dishonest and a brazen liar who believes he is beyond scrutiny, accountability or rebuke. He is part of a conspiracy to permanently seize political power. He has made clear what his role will be in destabilizing the United States over the next two years in an attempt to create a crisis big enough to end democracy. He will revel in authoritarian executive orders and decrees around a crisis of his own making in early 2025.

First, Kevin McCarthy will embrace and empower extremism for the chance to be the Speaker of the House. Here is what Marjorie Taylor Greene, the most extreme and crazy politician in America, said about the power that will be hers when a MAGA/GOP majority controls Congress:
"I think that to be the best speaker of the House and to please the base, he [McCarthy] is going to give me a lot of power and a lot of leeway. And if he doesn't, they're going to be very unhappy about it," referring to GOP supporters. "I think that's the best way to read that. And that's not in any way a threat at all. I just think that's reality."

She is a toxic loon nut who is smart enough to know that McCarthy will serve at her pleasure. Extremists run extremist movements and Kevin McCarthy is a political extremist. The difference between McCarthy and MTG is cynicism. MTG is crazy, not cynical. McCarthy is cynical, not crazy. Together, they bundle both vices and multiply it exponentially when it combines with the MAGA/GOP conference. The conference is a hive of sedition, disordered personalities, sociopaths, Christian nationalists, and the clinically certifiable.

Second, Kevin McCarthy has committed the country to mayhem with his announcement foreshadowing his coming economic vandalism over the raising of the debt ceiling. It goes without saying that his threat to destabilize the global economy to please Fox News nihilists comes after his complete and abject silence as Trump immorally added $7 trillion to the national debt in four years — making him the biggest and most reckless spender in US history. The country will be hurled into an economic crisis at the edge of a recession by a MAGA Congress. The ability for politicians to turn a recession into a depression should not be underestimated. If anyone can do it, it will be the disgraceful trio of pathological liars who comprise team McCarthy: Steve Scalise, Jim Jordan and Elise Stefanik.

Lastly, Kevin McCarthy has signaled that the MAGA conference will cut off weapons and funding for Ukraine in its life and death struggle for liberty against naked Russian aggression and war crimes. That decision will make the world profoundly more dangerous. It will also turn a war that the Ukrainians are winning into one in which American treachery will seal their fate. The war will spread to Moldova next. It will keep spreading, and the world will spiral towards danger.

The Russians have allied themselves with both the Saudis and Iranians. The MAGA conference, led by McCarthy and controlled by Trump/MTG, has allied themselves with the Iranian and Russians against Zelensky, Biden, Ukraine, the United States and NATO. That is the truth. It is incontestable and irrefutable. It is despicable and an affront to American values, decency and dignity.

Kevin McCarthy has basically asked for power to light a fire. Is that what Americans want?

Do the American people want economic calamity, war and chaos?

I don’t.

Kevin McCarthy broke somewhere along the way. It makes me sad. He was a fun guy with whom to hang out before he betrayed America. Now, all anyone should ever think about when they look at McCarthy is this: why did he become a domestic enemy of the US Constitution? Why did he sell out to Trump? Why was he so pathetic and weak at a moment of testing and crisis? Why wouldn’t he fight for America?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Steve Schmidt looks like he's on the right track, unlike Kevin McCarthy.

This is a clear call to get out the vote and to stop these MAGA/GOP types from hijacking our government for their own horrible purposes.

They must be stopped.

[blm]

7. IMO, Dems are dropping the ball on Ukraine when it

would only help their candidates in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Iowa, and Wisconsin, states with engaged Ukrainian and Polish communities.

[Kid Berwyn]

26. It is strange.

Russia Russia Russia still matters. And yet, we devote zero resources to spell out what’s at stake in November.

[Thomas Hurt]

2. It always amazes me how the Republicans are shocked when their fellow

conservatives and christofascists go too far. This despite the fact that they share an ideology that consists of the most base human vices...greed, the individual over the community, power mongering, hatred, religious fanaticism, hypocrisy.

[blm]

27. I don't think they're as shocked as they claim.

Stuart Stevens admits he realized how morally bankrupt Republicans were and he still stuck with them beyond what he knew was right.

I’ll give him an ancianita cookie for admitting it.

[leftieNanner]

3. Here's your answer Steve

Kevin McCarthy is a deeply stupid and cowardly man who lusts for personal power and wealth.

He may have been "fun" at some point, but he has not changed.

We must keep the republicans in the minority.

[Mike Nelson]

4. I think...

... Steve is very articulate... great speaker and writer. I can't believe Kevin was ever a "fun guy," but I never met him.

[UTUSN]

5. K&R

[SCantiGOP]

6. Nothing wrong with Schmidt

I have no problem with anti-Trump, sane Republicans.
I had a Libertarian Party membership for a year or two in High School, but had dropped them by the time I reached voting age. My Libertarian leanings came from my strong civil liberty beliefs, and I realized that the Democratic Party was the only way to further those considerations. Having my minor in Economics in college finished my full conversion to liberal Democrat.
Should that prior infatuation with Libertarians decades ago make me suspect now on DU?

[ClimateHawk]

20. Just so you know, Steve Schmidt is no longer a republican.

He changed his registration from Independent to the Democratic Party right after the 2020 election.

[SCantiGOP]

22. I didn't know that

I hope we welcome people who will hold their nose and vote Dem because they know we need to stop Trumpism.

[markodochartaigh]

44. Imho

There is no longer a Democratic party, at least at the national level. The Republicans killed the two party paradigm when they eschewed the brokered convention that was being discussed in 2015 and put their party before country, choosing Trump as their Strong Leader. In order for a democracy to work there have to be at least two viable parties which are dedicated to democracy. The US only had two viable parties and the Republicans knew that giving their party to the authoritarians, who are not committed to democracy, would cripple democracy in the US. Now there is only the anti-democratic authoritarian party, and everyone else who will fight together against the authoritarian takeover. Unless and until the corporate Republicans can take their party back or raise a new viable party democracy in the US will be one election away from extinction. Apparently this is not intuitively obvious to everyone now, but with each election, whether a real election or a sham election under an authoritarian regime, it will become more obvious.

[soldierant]

66. Thanks for reminding us.

I knew he was now a registered Democrat, but I'd forgotten about the Independent along the way, and the actual timing.

[NH Ethylene]

40. I also strong feelings about civil liberties.

I looked at Libertarianism decades but was aghast at the 'sink or swim' attitude toward their fellow human beings.

[Irish_Dem]

8. I second your request blm. Everyone should read this.

[niyad]

9. May all involved receive everything they deserve.

[dhol82]

10. Is there a link for this?

[blm]

14. The writer, Paul Slansky, posted this.

I know Paul,personally, this should be legit.

[teach1st]

21. Here's what I found

https://steveschmidt.substack.com/p/kevin-mccarthys-betrayal-of-the-united

[dhol82]

34. Thank you.

[ancianita]

12. Schmidt knows "No PR is bad PR." He is sad?? After analyzing an elected official turned bag man??

He's not a Democrat for another full voting cycle in my book. He f'n picked Sarah Palin for McCain.

[blm]

15. His points about Ukraine need to be made, though,

and our regular Dems aren’t making it.

[ancianita]

16. Sure. He gets a cookie.

How do you really know our regular Dems aren't making points about Ukraine?
There's plenty on here about Ukraine, and it's not just talking points.

[blm]

17. Heh, I know

because some of those posts on Ukraine and MAGA are mine.

On TV and print press, the Dem spokespeople should have jumped on this point like a pit bull with a ribeye.

[ancianita]

24. Cool.

On TV and print press, Dem spokespeople aren't jumping on Biden as a talking point, either.
Does either point mean that Dem spokespeople are failing at messaging and Schmidt isn't?
I wouldn't give Schmidt anywhere near that kind of credit. Just a cookie.

[Grasswire2]

45. agree

and support you here

[NH Ethylene]

43. I am happy to consider that he learned a valuable lesson from the Sarah Palin catastrophe.

People change and political alliances shift. I like him a lot and eagerly welcome him to the Dem fold.

[ancianita]

49. Yeah, well,

Last edited Sun Oct 23, 2022, 04:05 PM - Edit history (1)

I will, too, once he proves he voted Democratic -- holding photocopies of his signed ballots -- over these next two elections.

He's been a Republican since college for over 30 years, and worked closely with Bush and Cheney.

Just notice that he's never given any long analysis about why President Biden's character, or the Democratic administration's strengths, are reasons to vote.

He's no promoter of Democrats, just a betrayed detractor of the party that left him.

He's been among the Republicans who got this country into this mess.

I think I'm gonna talk myself out of giving him even a cookie.

[calimary]

60. I can't get past that, either.

It’s nice that he seems to have seen the light, but it’ll take me awhile to risk trusting him.

Besides, how do we know he won’t eventually go back to his bad old ways when he thinks Republicans will have “learned their lesson” and the coast is now clear, and “hey, all is forgiven and forgotten”?

[allegorical oracle]

62. Yep. He's articulate but his DNA is Repug. Find him self-serving. n/t

[calimary]

78. Yeah. I'll take it - for now. But time will tell.

HAS HE REALLY seen the light?

Even a lapsed Catholic like me still believes in redemption. But with my eyes WIDE open. Time will tell, over the next weeks, months, and election cycles. I’m just gonna watch and keep track.

Don’t forget, there’s been a lot of mea culpa stuff coming from that side of the aisle, but it’s often only a growing realization of how no-good trump is. Okay, maybe they don’t like trump, but if they’re still “with the program,” still want to keep siding with the rich over the needs of the poor and disadvantaged, still want tax cuts when those taxes support genuinely useful and beneficial programs that help families in need, keeping kids fed, educated, cared for, and protected, protect our environment and more, then they won’t see me freely flinging the door open.

There used to be a famous political saying, mainly aimed at the Russians: “trust but verify.” I’m squarely on the “…but verify” part. They’ll have to prove it to me, over time and adversity, that they’ve TRULY among the converted.

[Trust_Reality]

69. Steve Schmidt... as a Republican... I think of him as having been like a paid political mercenary.

He is really good at it.

It seems to me that he has seen the effect of his work as a Republican and determined to follow his conscience and become an honorable political citizen.

[ancianita]

76. That's who he's become -- and kinda trumpian in that regard.

[Genki Hikari]

70. Oh for crying out loud

Stop blaming him for a decision that only one person could make--and did. It wasn't like the idea was originally Schmidt's. Go yell at Fred Barnes, Bill Kristol and Rich Lowry for promoting that brainless Tundra Tart to the heavens, long before she was ever on the McCain campaign radar. Schmidt also knew that their choices were slim because McCain wanted Lieberman--which the party would never tolerate. And McCain was too much of a cranky old wanker to go with his best choice, Romney. Because McCain's fee-fees were still owie about Romney from the 2008 primary campaign.

Ultimately, the person responsible for that trashy church lady being on the ticket was one person ONLY: John McCain. He was the one who chose that idiot.

It's all on him, because the buck in that campaign stopped with him.

[ancianita]

74. Schmidt was diehard Republican.

First he screwed up...

He ran President George W. Bush’s reelection rapid-response team in 2004 and later headed Vice President Dick Cheney’s press shop. He orchestrated the confirmations of Supreme Court justices Samuel Alito Jr. and John Roberts on Capitol Hill. And, most recognizably, he was the senior adviser on McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign ...

...It was Schmidt who encouraged McCain to select Sarah Palin as his running mate, a focal point which some say paved the way for the rise of Trump...Schmidt later regretted the Palin decision. It wasn’t his choice alone — McCain had the final word — but Schmidt pushed hard.

Then he did his 180 to go for the dough ...

Schmidt’s drive took The Lincoln Project from an idea to a lucrative super-PAC drowning in donations. In total, the group amassed $90 million from donors. According to Schmidt, $63 million to $66 million went to “voter-contact programs.”

But with financial success came scrutiny. The Associated Press reports that over $50 million of the group’s earnings went to firms controlled by the group’s leaders — $27 million to a small firm run by strategist Reed Galen and $21 million to a firm run by former member Ron Steslow, among others. Only $27 million of the group’s funds — less than one-third — went toward advertisements on cable television or the internet, based on an analysis from the ad tracking firm Kantar/CMAG.

As of right now, he's not even a Democrat...

In December, he announced that he was registering as a Democrat, but Utah voter registration data accessed by the Deseret News currently identifies him as a member of the far-right Independent American Party...

https://www.deseret.com/2021/8/25/22580333/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-trumpiest-never-trumper-lincoln-project-steve-schmidt-donald-trump

He's all yours.

[Wild blueberry]

13. K&R a million!

A must read.
Then VOTE.
And bring your friends.
Thank you.

[Turbineguy]

18. The problem as I see it is that

the republicans never succeed at what they try and do. The Democrats just save them from their bad policies. The result is that nobody ever actually finds out just how bad they are. If we let them succeed, the country would be in chaos and everybody would know it. Then we could line 'em up and mow 'em down, which is what they need.

[Turbineguy]

47. In a way the Republicans are dependent on the Democrats

who keep the nation from finding out just how terrible Republicans are.

[Samrob]

19. Steve, the McCarthy you see now is probably the real McCarthy. nt

[Pepsidog]

28. It's all true. Rs will light the world on fire. You cannot reason with them. I'm very worried.

[SheltieLover]

29. K&R!

Ruskie asset!

[Iggo]

30. Sarah Palin. (n/t)

[GreenWave]

31. When former GOP hog the airtime for most or all the blabbing against the GOP

it drowns out what few voices our side has airing to the uncommitted voters who may see only GOP talking bread and butter issues (of course with no solution) but talking nonetheless.

[blm]

37. Oh. I'll delete it then, so

Maybe, just maybe, our approved spokespeople will make the points made and get the attention before voters get to the polls in swing states with Ukrainian and Polish communities.

[GreenWave]

41. My point is not that.

It is that MSM has way too many former GOP voices and they gloss over what should be said.

e.g. Where was their opinion piece that Comey was a Republican first, FBI director maybe when he rushed to make his comments against Clinton? Or that another GOP director of the FBI was virtually handcuffed by Barr and would not dig deep?
Or when people commit acts of treason they can be executed?

I don't say we have approved spokespeople. We hardly have anybody on any consistent basis

[ancianita]

75. No need. But at least be aware that what he says and what he does are still two different things.

As of right now, he's not even a Democrat...

In December, he announced that he was registering as a Democrat, but Utah voter registration data accessed by the Deseret News currently identifies him as a member of the far-right Independent American Party...

He's going where media money is, not where Democrats are.

https://www.deseret.com/2021/8/25/22580333/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-trumpiest-never-trumper-lincoln-project-steve-schmidt-donald-trump

[llmart]

32. Great read but...

who is actually going to see this outside of people like us on DU? He's preaching to the choir here.

[blm]

35. It's up to us to use the points being made

and spread them further, just like we do for other important matters that most media and some of our Dem spokespeople have mistakenly ignored.

[llmart]

38. True, but I doubt I would be any help in spreading the points...

because I don't have anyone in my life who doesn't feel the same way about the GOP as I do.

[blm]

39. I've been finding sites that host Ukraine and Poland

communities. I jumped in with the info when I saw there was an appropriate opening. Not in a troll way, just with links to the few articles that reported on McCarthy’s intentions.

[llmart]

42. Good for you!

Outside of DU, I don't do social media.

[Cha]

48. Exactly.. the more the Better

For Democracy.

Isn’t he the one who changed to being a Dem?

[Hekate]

36. My God, Steve, don't hold yourself back! Tell us how you really feel!

Thank you, Steve Schmidt.

[Duppers]

46. Oh Wow! Wow Wow!!!

Say this in a commercial, Steve, please.
Hold up the mirror and tell them who they are.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

50. Billboards Please!

"Trump immorally added $7 trillion to the national debt in four years — making him the biggest and most reckless spender in US history."

[OldBaldy1701E]

51. "He is deeply dishonest and a brazen liar..."

"...who believes he is beyond scrutiny, accountability or rebuke."

*looks at the nonexistent actions taken against him, plus the fact he is still in Congress after helping start a coup attempt*

I'd say it is more than a belief.

[blm]

58. So would I.

It’s like many of them saw Trump get away with so much that they no longer fear being held accountable.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

77. There have been no consequences for office holders who aided the insurrection.

Without those consequences, there is no rule of law.

[FakeNoose]

53. K & R - Everyone please read

Steve Schmidt, a Never-Trumper from the getgo, quit the Repuke Party before the 202 election. I don't believe he has joined the Democratic Party, however he had a complete about-face regarding his political insights from 10 years ago. Schmidt, along with Rick Wilson and several others, kissed their old political careers goodbye when they formed The Lincoln Project in 2019 to campaign against Chump and the MAGAts.

I think this guy is worth a listen.

[TomDaisy]

54. there is a vast infection of evil in this country

[Joinfortmill]

56. Man, I hope Schmidt goes on Nicole Wallace and tells it like only he can.

[czarjak]

57. So, you were for him before you were against him? Because...

I remember when Steve thought if you were anything BUT a conservative, you were an impervious imbicile. (Or worse) Being sorry now is not really comforting.

[BlueJac]

59. Well said!

Nice read!

[seabiscuit5920]

61. England and its right wing nut

All of have should learned on what happened to England when the short term prime minister thought her economic plan was the best. England may not fully recover from the damage she did. McCarthy's ideas would destabilize this country and much of the rest of world.

[Snoopy 7]

63. You say these words

Yet, you have never apologized, that I have seen/not seen, for your roll with GW Bush. You go back as far as Regan. Now understand your positions lead to this point. I'm glad you woke up but it's like starting the California fires and throwing a bucket of water on it and saying "great I've done my part". Sorry Steve but you're just like "Mika & Joe" who vote and continue to vote for the republican party. You may not be voting for the republican party but I saw that bucket in your hand before the trump sedition. Now the republican party is just out to cover their a$$es NOTHING MORE.

[kacekwl]

64. We've known this for a long time. Hopefully some of the

MAGA loyalists and those Republicans who have yet to join the cult may read Schmidt's article and take it in consideration. The others are too far gone.

[Upthevibe]

65. blm ............

Thank you for this post.

[dalton99a]

67. Kick

[Brainfodder]

68. I don't need told what shits the Republican leadership is, the PILE-ON is 10,000 miles high already?

[Snackshack]

71. How has it come to this.

It used to be that voting in an election had an impact on yearly budgets and procedures. Now it is literally for the survival our allies and our own Democracy. This not what voting is supposed to be.

The gop leadership should never be forgiven for what they have done. In a hope for power they have aligned themselves with fringe groups and hostile foreign powers.

Our electoral choices are either peace and continued prosperity as we climb out of the pandemic hole DT put us in or chaos and the possibility that our Democracy will fail. The gop looks at ppl like MTG as leadership material when in reality she is total nut case. DT & McCarthy turned to a person like her to cover their ass because the chaos she deals in keeps the focus off the real crimes DT & McCarthy have committed.

This is not a decision voters should have to make and wouldn’t if the law had been applied as it should have been.

[The Wizard]

72. Republicans aligning with Putin

should be charged with treason.

[blm]

73. I concur.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

79. Great article. Sorry you felt you had to preface it with a disclaimer :(

[blm]

80. I'm an old timer here 😉

We tend to take our responsibilities seriously. 🥸

[Laura PourMeADrink]

81. Carry on

[blm]

82. 😉

[Bluethroughu]

83. He's a fascist. They are always weak, unless they have an entourage of idiots looking to follow.