Ambition is a dangerous drug. Look at Kevin McCarthy, who is trying desperately to become speaker -- to the point where he's trying to threaten Republican senators! Probably why rumors abound that non-Freedom Caucus Republicans are reaching out to get Democratic votes for Anyone But Kevin. We'll see how that all works out for him.
Jake Tapper spells it out.
"Kevin McCarthy desperately trying to get the number of votes he needs to become the next leader in the House. He is threatening senators if they vote for this $1.7 trillion omnibus spending package, that any future legislation they offer will be dead on arrival when it comes to the House. Take a listen to the one Republican senator reacting to that," Tapper said.
SEN. KEVIN CRAMER: Well, I don't know if I buy the threat, but I find it -- Kevin's in a tough spot. Statements like that, and statements coming from House Republicans is the very reason that some Senate Republicans feel they probably should spare them from the burden of having to govern.
(Ooo, ya burnt, Kevin!)
"I mean, this is the exact irony. The reason that Senate Republicans are coming into this deal with the devil in their view is because they look at Kevin McCarthy and his gang of flying monkeys. They're not going to be able to legislate," Tapper said.
"They were saying it's going to be dead on arrival any because of the composition of your current conference. This is the second time Kevin McCarthy has tried to flex on Mitch McConnell when he doesn't have the votes to be speaker. He is having to whip his speaker vote in a way I've never seen. I think there is an expectation that there is going to be multiple rounds of voting," journalist Jackie Kucinich said.
"I think he has bigger things to worry about than trying to threaten Senate Republicans. I mean, you saw Senator Cramer is not exactly a squish. He is a pretty strong Republican. all you need to know."
"I love that quote," Tapper said. " 'The very reason that some Republicans feel they should spare them from the burden of having to govern.' You're ready for speaker of the House. That's the burden you're trying to get."
"I think you're right about the fact that a lot of these things were already going to be dead on arrival," Francesca Chapman said. "This is a preview of what's to come in a Republican-run Congress. On the one hand, Democrats are saying that, well, McCarthy is doing whatever he can to become speaker. Okay. but then what happens if he does become speaker?
"The idea that this is all going to end and he won't have to satisfy the right anymore. I don't know that that's the case. If he wants to remain speaker, he is still going to have to put up with a lot of these demands. It's not just fighting between Mitch McConnell and Democrats at this point. You're seeing this interparty fighting. You have folks like Rand Paul, who also don't want the defense spending in this.
"This is definitely what you can expect."
