Maybe the saga of Jim Jordan’s quest for the Speaker’s gavel will have a black comedy twist and the Democrats could be running the lower chamber. That is a distinct possibility and no joking matter. Jordan’s plan at this moment (and you know how he can change strategy on a dime) is to keep having vote after vote, in the fashion of Kevin McCarthy. And maybe that’s what he’ll do. The Catch-22, however, is that Hakeem Jeffries has a solid block of 212 votes and if enough House members go home this weekend, that could be a winning number.
this is the absolute funniest outcome
— ramsey (@jwr082OO2) October 20, 2023
It’s quite possible. And to show you how nuts this has gotten: even Kevin McCarthy is making sense right now.
It's a disaster for the whole country. But McCarthy is right: why would Dems empower a temp speaker just to buy time for Jordan the insurrectionist to intimidate his colleagues some more? If they can't pick a speaker now, what's diff in January? Broker a bipartisan deal now.
— BlueThroughline (@bluethroughline) October 19, 2023
This is what everybody has been asking, “What will happen magically on January 3?” And the answer is nothing. It’s just kicking the can down the road, which the Republicans are expert at.
Here’s the great conspiracy theorist, folks. Is this who we want leading the lower chamber of Congress? For even a day?
Is this asshole checking his texts during this bullshit presser?
— Molly Ploofkins™ (@Mollyploofkins) October 20, 2023
Jim’s mind isn’t on the presser, he’s checking with his staffers to see if more votes have been promised. After all, it’s Friday morning and he needs answers. For that matter, so does the rest of the country, but we have enough sense to realize that the House debacle is frozen like a glacier right now and not moving.
Steve Scalise would have been the logical choice if McCarthy was so disliked. The problem with that, is that Scalise was basically the same person. And the MAGAs voted that way. They didn’t want McCarthy and they don’t want Scalise for the same reason. Which leaves them with one of their own, MAGA extremist Jordan.
Meanwhile, “The rancor amongst Republicans in Washington over the House Speaker vacancy has some flinging insults and sinking to high school hallway social media blocking,” according to Raw Story.
This is exactly what’s wrong with this place – too many men here with no balls… pic.twitter.com/QllzpiBo5D
— Rep. Nancy Mace (@RepNancyMace) October 20, 2023
That was in response to this exchange:
The essence of Mace’s messaging, first reported by MSNBC’s Tim Miller, is that lawmakers should dig in and not leave the Capital until a speaker is voted into power.
An hour later, it appears Murphy challenged Mace’s call to stick it out in town with a reply to her comment.
Murphy posted: “How about apologizing for causing this mess?”
Quick to the draw, Mace then fired back.
“If you want to vote against the people who elected you that’s on you [Murphy], but I’m gonna stand with them, not Washington,” she wrote. Then she claims Murphy gave her the stiff arm.
“For context,” she tweeted. “Tried to reply but he blocked me after posting this. What a [cat emoji]).”
Mace then posted a screenshot of Murphy’s account, replete with idyllic ocean breakers and golden sand beaches, showing he blocked her on the social network.
Nothing like statesman level maturity, right? So refreshing to see the example that our leaders set. No question about it.
Here’s a bonus clip on why everybody hates Jim Jordan, called “The Bully Is Losing: the Downfall Of Jim Jordan.”
I feel safe in saying Congress will recess later today and this issue will not be solved.
I left my below comment* elsewhere but I’m pasting it here because the problem is ubiquitous!! Even Jake Sherman is doing it…reporting as if Jordan is the Speaker! Sherman says “no actual leader who people are listening to…” but he is and so are other reporters!! They hang on every decision by Jordan!! How about treating McHenry or Scalise like the leadership because they hold the positions and Jordan doesn’t?! He’s the bully you are listening to…STOP IT!!
*I’m so angry at the way anything out of the House is being reported these days!! Gym Jordan is calling a press conference! Gym Jordan has announced a third vote! Dammit!!! Jordan is not the Speaker or the Interim Speaker or the Leader or the Whip!! Why is it being reported as if he holds any position of power?! The caucus can’t control him now or even give McHenry a little respect and let him be the voice for announcements!! I don’t care about the Republicans, but I care about decorum and proper order and accurate journalism!! Stop giving power to a man who doesn’t have it!!
Syke’s video is interesting. What IF the MAGA playbook doesn’t work anymore? I’m not sure that’s the case, nor has it ever been. I do think it all originated with Trump, but as some have learned along the way while imitating Trump including the bullying and insulting shit has sometimes worked, that hasn’t always been the case. I still think the only person who can get away with anything near the level of shit Trump’s gotten away with is Trump himself. Even that is now in question with all his legal woes but we’ve had other indicators. Ron DeSantis has gotten away with it in FL but it sure as hell hasn’t played nationally as his distastrous, failing campaign shows. If grumblings are to be believed it’s even wearing a bit think in FL itself.
In Jordan’s case, I doubt he’d have run in the first place if Trump hadn’t told him to do so and that he (Trump) would endorse it. Trump as we know hasn’t done jack for Jordan since but Jordan has gotten away with way too much for way too long and thought he was a Congressional version of Trump and could win the Speakership by being Trumpian. He’s yet another to learn the bitter lesson that only one person can get away with the breathtaking outrageous actions of Trump and that’s Trump. And, as I said even Trump’s not getting away with it anymore!
Yes – there were, indeed, problems with the 2020 election.
They included Gymslip Jordan, Rude Julie-Anne and others