McCarthy makes first speech as House speaker: One thing is clear, I never give up - MSNBC Reports

[Rhiannon12866]

Kevin McCarthy promised to address the national debt, explore plans to "secure our southern border" and open the chambers to all Americans in his first speech as Speaker of the House, saying, "Our system is built on checks and balances and it's time for us to be a check on the president's policies." - Aired on 01/07/2023.

[Skittles]

1. no, what is clear is you are a PATHETIC SUCK-UP

yes INDEED

[Rhiannon12866]

2. After all this, the only thing he has going for him is the gavel, that's it.

And how long can he keep it??

[Rhiannon12866]

4. Agreed, he's got to go. As do the whole cabal that voted for him.

Compare and contrast that with Hakeem Jeffries' inspiring and inclusive speech - which I'm listening to again since the repeat is on now. That's what we need and should aspire to as soon as we can. That's what this country is really about.

[SheltieLover]

5. The sooner, the better!

[Rhiannon12866]

6. And from what we saw tonight, they can't even get along with each other!

[SheltieLover]

7. Or behave professionally.

[Rhiannon12866]

8. I know! That, too! Can you imagine someone like Adam Schiff or Jamie Raskin threatening to have a

Scuffle with one of their fellow Reps?? Let alone a fellow Democrat!

[SheltieLover]

9. Of course not!

But we expect them to behave with proper decorum & they never disappoint. 😉

Sadly, most of America will never know of the qpukes' maladaptive behaviors because our M$M never does its job.

[Rhiannon12866]

10. Well, just from what I posted here, it was reported live on MSNBC and in the Washington Post!

[SheltieLover]

11. That's great, but rural areas are low on cable & internet.

[Rhiannon12866]

13. I would think that fights in Congress would be big enough news to be reported in most newspapers

I'll have to check mine...

[SheltieLover]

17. I hope so

[Rhiannon12866]

16. Okay, here's the local paper, small town, mostly rural area, Stefanik's district - from the AP:

McCarthy elected House speaker in rowdy post-midnight vote

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Kevin McCarthy was elected House speaker on a historic post-midnight 15th ballot early Saturday, overcoming holdouts from his own ranks and floor tensions that boiled over after a chaotic week that tested the new GOP majority’s ability to govern.

“My father always told me, it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish,” McCarthy told cheering fellow Republicans.

Eager to confront President Joe Biden and the Democrats, he promised subpoenas and investigations. “Now the hard work begins," the California Republican declared. He credited former President Donald Trump for standing with him and for making late calls “helping get those final votes.”

Republicans roared in celebration when his victory was announced, chanting “USA! USA!”

Finally elected, McCarthy took the oath of office, and the House was finally able to swear in newly elected lawmakers who had been waiting all week for the chamber to formally open and the 2023-24 session to begin.

After four days of grueling ballots, McCarthy flipped more than a dozen conservative holdouts to become supporters, including the chairman of the chamber’s Freedom Caucus.

He fell one vote short on the 14th ballot, and the chamber became raucous, unruly.

McCarthy strode to the back of the chamber to confront Republican Matt Gaetz, sitting with Lauren Boebert and other holdouts. Fingers were pointed, words exchanged and violence apparently just averted.

At one point, Republican Mike Rogers of Alabama, shouting, approached Gaetz before another Republican, Richard Hudson, physically pulled him back.

“Stay civil!” someone shouted.

Order restored, the Republicans fell in line to give McCarthy the post he had fought so hard to gain, House speaker, second in the line of succession to the presidency.

The few remaining Republican holdouts began voting present, dropping the tally he needed. It was the end of a bitter standoff that had shown the strengths and fragility of American democracy.


Read more: https://poststar.com/news/national/mccarthy-elected-house-speaker-in-rowdy-post-midnight-vote/article_f5782618-29f7-5d76-892a-c07e8bba1667.html

[SheltieLover]

18. Good, but it should have been the headline.

And many people don't of cannot read.

M$M needs to do its job.

Thx for sharing!

[Rhiannon12866]

20. It was the headline at the top of the front page

I'll have to look at the actual paper. Wednesday's paper (which was lying around) had an article on the front page about McCarthy's bid for Speaker likely bound to fail with a big pic of him smack in the middle of the page. It would be tough to ignore that. The top front page headline was about Damar Hamlin and the article at the bottom was about George Santos' lies. So even here in the North Country we get news.

[SheltieLover]

22. Glad to hear this!

Thx for sharing.

No such coverage anywhrre here in red hellhole TN. newspapers here are all behind paywalls most cannot afford & many cannot read here. Not joking.

[Aussie105]

12. Kevin is feeling the power!

He has dreamed a lot about this moment, knowing the Magic Gavel would endow him with leadership, backbone and a clear vision of the future.
Any moment now, that power will flow up his arm and to his brain.

Reminds me of another man, orange of color, now hiding in Florida somewhere.
He too felt that the Magic Table in the Oval Office of the White House would flow its magic powers into him.
All he had to do was sit down, and place his hands on that table, and the things he desired, wisdom, intelligence and the vision to see a clear way to his Dictatorship would be his.

As for Kevin and the Magic Gavel - nothing happened.
Same for the other fella.

A little bodiless voice is heard in the air above them at the time of this disappointing revelation:

"No stupid, the things you wish for are things you bring to the job. They don't flow from the job, they flow from you - if you have it in you."

Obama knew. Biden knew.

[Rhiannon12866]

14. Extremely well said and I couldn't agree more

He compromised and made promises and bargains just to get that gavel - not to mention the humiliation of a history-making number of votes - and now that he finally has it, what does he do now? He's compromised and has to live up to those promises and bargains just to keep it...

[twodogsbarking]

15. You step in shit and it takes fifteen times to wash it off your shoes.

That's powerful stuff.

[ShazzieB]

19. He looks so disgustingly pleased with himself wielding that gavel.

I didn't listen to much of the speech because I was too exhausted with all those endless rounds of voting. But the part I caught sounded like he was about to break his arm patting his own self on the back. *gag*

He actually thinks he accomplished something last night, and I guess he did, if you call selling your soul for the illusion of power accomplishing something.

Sucking up and selling out is what he accomplished. He's nowhere near the conquering hero he thinks he is. He's a spineless jellyfish with no ethics, no principles, and no integrity, and he's going to be the weakest speaker of all time. Lauren Goebert and Matt Gaetz might as well each be wearing one of his gonads on a string around their neck, because they sure as hell own them at this point.

[Rhiannon12866]

21. Well, I watched and you're right.

Not only was there squabbling, but twice last night fights nearly broke out. I posted about both of those, too - since MSNBC and The Washington Post both offered videos. Now Matt Gaetz had threatened to resign if McCarthy became Speaker, he was huddled with Boebert, another "never-McCarthy," and the near-fisticuffs involved him. So it isn't a good start, I can't imagine what McCarthy had to promise those two - looks like the only thing he got out of this was the actual gavel.