McCarthy floats partnership with Jim Jordan as assistant speaker

[brooklynite]

Source: NBC News

Amid the speaker impasse, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy is floating a plan that would reinstall him as speaker and make conservative Trump ally, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, the assistant speaker, according to three sources familiar with McCarthy’s pitch.

Asked why this idea — which lacks key details like how it would be enacted and if it could even gain enough traction to happen — was being floated now, one GOP lawmaker replied: “We’re desperate.”

While the idea might seem far-fetched and has not been pitched broadly within the GOP Conference, it is being discussed among some Republicans after Rep. Tom Emmer, the third GOP nominee for speaker, dropped his bid for the top job. A source briefed on the idea likened it to the Speaker Nancy Pelosi/Assistant Speaker Katherine Clark arrangement that the Democrats had.

“Kevin speaker, Jordan assistant speaker,” the source said.


Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/live-blog/house-republicans-choose-new-speaker-nominee-live-updates-rcna121674/rcrd22879

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Begging the question: what’s the difference between Assistant Speaker and Majority Leader?

[rzemanfl]

1. What do two assholes provide other than twice as much shit? n/t

[brooklynite]

3. Answer political cover

MAGA members vote for McCarthy because they also get Jordan. Establishment member vote for McCarthy because he’s not Jordan.

[rzemanfl]

10. Thank you. WTF is an Assistant Speaker though?

[EmmaLee E]

30. third in line

to the presidency?

[Escurumbele]

20. What you wrote may be a good bumper sticker, with Kevin's face on one side and Gym on the other.

[bobby202]

32. no way would I disgrace my car !!!

[3Hotdogs]

24. They provide 1/2 of a soul, each. They sold their other halves.

The rest is due as payment, at a later date, to be determined.

[The Unmitigated Gall]

2. Hmmm, I don't know....

I’ll have to consult the Constitution on the “assistant speaker” office. You know, strict constructionist and all…

All snark directed at Gym n’ Kev

[BumRushDaShow]

4. The loony 8 don't want McCarthy and got rid of him in the first place

and a pile of "moderates" including those who were threatened, don't want Gymsuit anywhere near that position. So this is all DOA.

ETA - I switched over to CSPAN and the chyron said that they would be back at 8 pm EDT to try voting on another candidate.

[Rhiannon12866]

15. "Gymsuit!"

Perfect! And while I'd certainly prefer a non-election denier (it's gotten that desperate), I'm just enormously relieved it's not going to be "Gymsuit!"

[underpants]

26. I was going to say the crazy 8's will never go for it

McCarthy is establishment and as you said the other members who have 1/2 a brain don’t want Jordan anywhere near that power.

[czarjak]

5. Apprentices. Big sillies, only The Donald gets passes.

[Javaman]

6. oh yeah, that will work real well

[magicarpet]

25. A do NOTHING 118th Congress,....

With a do NOTHING GOP majority,...

That only seeks to create mayhem and chaos to destroy American Democracy and swap it for a ruthless brand of Fascism.

[Blue Owl]

7. Those two turds might float in Dump's gold toilet for a brief time...

But not anywhere else...

[maxsolomon]

8. Called it! McCarthy coming back!

This idea will get the crazies back in the barn.

[Marthe48]

9. Reminds me of Thelma and Louise

The last scene

[FakeNoose]

13. Unforgettable

[BOSSHOG]

11. Abbott and Costello?

Laurel and Hardy?

McCarthy and Jordan?

Hitler and Mussolini?

Oh if the fate of the planet did not depend on it.

[azureblue]

12. there is no

official position of assistant speaker. That would require a major rules change that the Democrats would not vote for. . Once again, Kevin is BS'ing..

Wait a second - do you really think Jim will play second fiddle to Kevin? Jim will say, "me first, Kevin second."

[GB_RN]

14. Not Even Sure This Would Be Legal...

The Constitution provides for the Speaker, but there’s not even one word on (much less the two required to create) Assistant Speaker.

Now, on a personal note, having a designated Speaker Pro Tempore is one thing, but an actual, active position of “Assistant Speaker of the House”? Yeah, no (see above). But especially, “hell fucking no”, if the person under consideration is the Ohio State Wrestler Molester Protector.

[LudwigPastorius]

16. Like Dwight Schrute, Jim Jordan may *think* he'll be Assistant Speaker, but...

in reality he'd be Assistant to the Speaker.

[underpants]

27. Ha! I was just about to post something like that

I could see the press conference
Kevin - well I’m speaker again
Jordan - and I’m Assistant Speaker
Kevin - assistant TO the Speaker

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

17. Rename it assistant sphincter and you're at least more accurate

[bucolic_frolic]

18. 15Kev & Gymbo

[Escurumbele]

19. McCarthy has no dignity, no scruples, no morals. Now he wants to join with one of the people who kicked him in the butt.

How can anyone want to vote for any of these thugs? These are not normal people, there are many things very wrong with them.

[gordianot]

21. That worked so well for the Roman Republic.

The knives are already out.

[DivByZero]

22. In that scenario, what happens...

…when McCarthy resigns or is being ousted again, is Jordan then the speaker by default? Sneaky!

[JohnSJ]

23. This implies to me that McCarthy was working in the background to undercut

The other speaker designate speakers, which is why a significant number voted for McCarthy

[underpants]

28. Yes it does.

I read - what was that last week? - that McCarthy was encouraging either Scalise or Jordan to go for another vote. Surely going to fail again. I wasn’t the only one here who saw it as Kevin messing with the candidate and setting him up to be embarrassed.

[EmmaLee E]

29. Speaker is 2nd in line to the presidency

Does this mean we'd have an assistant 3rd in line?

[Resistance1]

31. Figures: It would take 2 GOP asswipes

to do the job of one Nancy Pelosi