January 5, 2023

"For the first time in recent memory, former president Donald Trump found himself relegated this week to the outskirts of a humiliating Republican implosion...."

"In the long run-up to the race for speaker, Trump was the leading character in a bevy of political parlor games — including breathless, overhyped scenarios in which the former president would offer himself up for the gavel and speculation about whether Trump would endorse McCarthy’s bid. In the end, Trump supported McCarthy’s candidacy — and his party responded with a collective shrug. The former president and his endorsement, it seemed, were essentially irrelevant."

Write Ashley Parker and Josh Dawsey in "The House hard-liners blocking McCarthy aren’t listening to Trump/In another sign of the former president’s waning influence, his efforts to bolster McCarthy’s bid as House speaker have not persuaded 20 Republicans to drop their opposition" (WaPo).

The 20 Republicans who voted against McCarthy were nearly all hardcore Trump loyalists; all but two were election deniers... and 15 of the 20 had received Trump’s endorsement during the primaries. Some, such as Matt Gaetz (Fla.), have made fealty to the former president almost their entire political brand....

Trump’s main relevance during the unfolding drama came only when he specifically injected himself into it, such as during a brief interview with NBC News on Tuesday night that suggested he might be waffling in his support for McCarthy....

“We’ll see what happens,” Trump said when asked directly if he was sticking with McCarthy, who by then had lost three rounds of voting. Two Trump advisers said that Trump’s call with NBC News, as well as a subsequent one with Punchbowl News, were the result of the reporters directly calling one of the former president’s cellphones and were not orchestrated by his team. “He just answers the phone,” one of these people said, who like some others interviewed for this report spoke on the condition of anonymity to disclose internal details, and added that Trump was considering take that cellphone out of rotation for a while.

Is he "specifically inject[ing]" or "just answer[ing] the phone"? I don't see why he'd "specifically inject[]" himself just to say "We’ll see what happens." By the way, "We’ll see what happens" was a catchphrase years ago, maybe circa 1990. It was said to excess, similar to the more recent "It is what it is." It's a way to say nothing.

But Trump certainly did "inject himself" on Wednesday, when he "truthed" "VOTE FOR KEVIN, CLOSE THE DEAL, TAKE THE VICTORY." And that didn't change one vote.

The holdouts have all offered slightly different reasons for disliking McCarthy, and Trump has grown exasperated listening to them — privately expressing incredulity at how “stupid” the fight is, because none of the hard-right Republicans can seem to articulate a clear plan.

The former president watched the proceedings all day Tuesday and complained they were a political embarrassment, an adviser said. “This needs to end,” Trump has told the recalcitrant Republicans, the adviser said. “You all need to figure this out. Kevin is the one who can get the most votes. We ought to try and make a deal.”

McCarthy — whom Trump has called “my Kevin” and who once instructed his staff to sort through a supply of Starbursts to provide Trump with his favorite cherry and strawberry flavors — has spent much of the last half decade trying to kowtow to the whims of Trump.

He was the first major elected Republican to appear publicly with Trump in the wake of the deadly Jan. 6, 2021...

Deadly!?

“I can tell you one thing: Trump’s base is 99.9 to 0.1 percent against McCarthy,” said Stephen K. Bannon, a former senior adviser in the Trump White House and the host of “War Room,” a far-right podcast. “His Truth posts had zero impact. People love him; they respect him. On this one, he’s just dead wrong.”

Is the Trump movement reconfiguring itself to be Trumpless? Is it better Trumpless — Trump without Trump? I'll start a new tag — "Trumpless Trumpism" — to keep track of this phenomenon.

Going forward, there's the 2024 election, and Trump himself is already a candidate, but there can be a better Trump — someone to fill the space he defined and do it better than he ever did. Is that something you hope for and, if you do, is your goal furthered by continuing to resist McCarthy? It's Trumpian — isn't it? — to keep fighting long after everyone's telling you the fight is over, you need to give up... CLOSE THE DEAL, TAKE THE VICTORY....

Ah! It's tragic for Trump — the "Art of the Deal" author — to have uttered "the deal" and not closed.

ADDED: A poll: 

What do you think of "Trumpless Trumpism"?
 
pollcode.com free polls

160 comments:

John henry said...

WaPo whistling past the graveyard again

They are still scared spit less about our president emeritus.

Say, whatever happened to those tax returns anyway? Perhaps the walls are not closing in after all?

And yes, I would love to see him as Speaker.

John Henry

Meade said...

I'm in the middle about Trump and would like "Trumpism" to evolve [with or] without him.

Mary Beth said...

“His Truth posts had zero impact. People love him; they respect him. On this one, he’s just dead wrong.”

When it comes to taking action, Trump was pretty good. When it comes to picking people, he has made major errors. He'll have to forgive us for not going along with this one.

tim in vermont said...

I don’t get the “humiliating” part, unless you are talking about a dictatorship. But the left loves strong-man type leadership, so it’s confession by projection again.

Lawnerd said...

I voted for Trump and think he has been unfairly treated by the press and the dems. But he has got to go. At this point all of his flaws are at point and none of what made him appealing to me.

Meade- I have a similar photo to your avatar that I took this fall. Sometimes it seems like there are more sandhill cranes in Wisconsin than mosquitoes.

Breezy said...

Not sure what advice Trump is giving in private, but I think he should be behind these 20 getting the rule and process changes they seek. The House has been out of order for a long time. It needs to be brought back to being the People’s representative body, not the Leaders’s (sorry!) representative body. The ridiculous recent Omnibus is a great example of its failure to represent everyday citizens. McCarthy has not been fighting on the right side of these issues, so he needs to be chastened. I’m not as unhappy now about this fight as I was 2 days ago.

Mike Sylwester said...

Democracy Dies in Darkness!

Michael said...

Trump was done after 1/6. I know of many supporters who still admire the man but, "we didn't sign up for this".

It's the press who keeps Trump alive in their desperate search for clicks and revenue.

Earnest Prole said...

Republicans are now in Phase 2 of their Underpants Gnomes plan.

Beasts of England said...

A ‘humiliating Republican implosion’? That’s some serious analysis right there…

Dave Begley said...

Meade:

Millions and millions of Sandhills Cranes in Nebraska in March. Just off of the Interstate. Prehistoric.

Enigma said...

WaPo is blinded by its rabid Trump hatred. The 20 holdouts reflect divergent conservative and populist views rather than blind Repub or Trump support. Many, many Rs voted for Trump despite his character and conduct. A divorced NYC real estate developer with centrist deal-making tendencies...still resulting in placing many moderate to conservative judges on the bench...

McCarthy stands for the establishment, the "Do Nothing" image of the Rs, and the back-room, pork-barrel atmosphere of DC. They may yell and scream about the other side to get votes, but none of the long term Ds or Rs intend to change from the status quo. Just pay lip service and respond to the current weather.

The 20 holdouts don't wanna play that game. Will they win...maybe to the extent that the hard left won over the last few years...but it'll be a fleeting and pyrrhic victory. Because the swamp is real. Because power corrupts.

michaele said...

Trump showed Republicans that it was ok to push back hard against the narrative the mainstream media was in lockstep parroting. It really is embarrassing how they so frequently use the exact same language about an issue. First time I really noticed that phenomenon was the constant use of the word "gravitas" after George W. picked Cheney as his VP. Anyway, Trump served his country but now it's time to pass the torch to someone younger who is going to have to live with the consequences of his/her decisions. Trump's narcissism has wearied me although I'd still vote for him over Biden and any of the current Dem crop.

Big Mike said...

Anyone thinking he or she will get some insight into Republican internal politics from the Washington Post is seriously deluded. As to the quiz, I’d like to know what Althouse and Meade mean when by “Trumpism.” I doubt either one of them sees it the way I do.

tim maguire said...

So much (predictably) wrong with that article. Why should the choice of a leader be frictionless? Why shouldn’t people fight for the best result? No reason, just the shit-stirrers at WaPo stirring shit. So what if it takes a week rather than a day? Who will care in a year? A month? Even just two weeks?

The holdouts have all offered slightly different reasons for disliking McCarthy,

So what? Is there some reason why they all have to agree on a reason? I know the left is a top down phenomenon, with the street fighters taking orders from higher ups, but that’s not how Republicans work. Nor should it be. (Ironic, isn’t it, how Democrats used to take pride in being an unkempt free for all, “I don’t belong to an organized political party, I’m a Democrat,” but now free-thinking is unruly, out of control, dangerous…)

Trump is on the wrong side, which has happened a lot since he declared his 2024 run. His vaunted political instincts are failing him.

Danno said...

Ann's should be singing-

Clowns to the left of me
Jokers to the right
Here I am stuck in the middle with you (Meade).

Steven said...

Deadly!?

Well, yes. When someone is killed, it is accurate to describe the events as "deadly", as in "The January 6, 2021 protest turned deadly when an unarmed woman, Ashli Babbitt, was deliberately shot and killed by Capitol Police Lieutenant Michael Byrd."

Mark said...

Dave Begley, those Nebraska cranes are the more populous lesser variant, the WI flock are mostly greater Sandhills which are slightly larger and migrate generally to the southeast like our few Whooping Cranes do.

Howard (not that Howard) said...

I'm with Meade. Several facets of "Trumpism", such as border security, defense spending by NATO countries, fair trade, are all critical to our strength as a nation. But the incessant whinging has become intolerable.

narciso said...

Could you find too more pig ignorant reporters than dawsey and parker

rwnutjob said...

"Humiliating" smh

'McCarthy has lost more ballots than a democrat poll worker'
~Gutfield

Frank Luntz is his roommate for God's sake. Does it get more Beltway than that?

These people aren't negotiating for minor committee assignments.

When Bobert goes against her "favorite President" Shit is getting real.

Gusty Winds said...

If there is a shot here to hold out and get somebody else in as Speaker, or force McCarthy and the GOPe to make some REAL concessions...go for it.

Funny. You can say what you want about Trump the man or the politician. But clearly the "Trumpism" movement that now bears his name...is one he created and defined. Good for him. But now it is bigger than him. I'd call that...success.

The Freedom Caucus wants Congressional Term limits brought to the floor, and they want border security base on whatever model the Texans proposed. McCarthy won't agree to either. Fuck him then.

Achilles said...

Is the Trump movement reconfiguring itself to be Trumpless? Is it better Trumpless — Trump without Trump? I'll start a new tag — "Trumpless Trumpism" — to keep track of this phenomenon.

Trump is too soft.

He is supporting McCarthy even after McCarthy betrayed him and has betrayed the voters so many times.

The Republicans in DC are the problem, not the democrats. The democrats are at least honest about their agenda.

DC serves the WEF Globalist Oligarchs because that is who has the money.

Trump apparently doesn't understand what the problem is. We need someone new to step up and run against the globalists openly from Trump's populist side.

Gusty Winds said...

The one-eyed jack, WEF compromised Dan Crenshaw is calling the Freedom Caucus "publicity hounds".

Now I'm REALLY rooting for Gaetz. Other than Pelosi, that dickhead Crenshaw is the biggest inside trader on Capitol Hill. Fuck him too.

Oh...and Bryon Donald is the latest "Uncle Tom" who, as a successful black man "supports white supremacy"...because he opposes Kevin McCarthy. WTF??

These people are all sick.

rhhardin said...

"It is what it is." It's a way to say nothing.

The first "is" is taken broadly and the second "is" is taken narrowly. Everything happening now should be seen narrowly as what characterizes it.

It's not saying nothing. It's closing off a search for new interpretations.

Achilles said...

Meade said...
I'm in the middle about Trump and would like "Trumpism" to evolve [with or] without him.

He needs a challenger from the side of the voters.

Someone who will actively court the antiwar anti big corporation Bernie voters.

The culture war/war on drugs/abortion stuff needs to be deemphasized.

We need to fight back on the great reset, the border and energy policy.

rhhardin said...

The holdouts are expressing distrust of the other half of the party. Maybe the party ought to stand for what they all can agree on, dropping the stuff that could be characterized as RINO. There is a common area.

rhhardin said...

A pyrrhic victory doesn't shatter when you pour hot water into it.

n.n said...

A conservation of principles. A conservative revival of our republican form of government established by the People and "our Posterity" through The Constitution... less The Twilight Amendment that is, ironically, no longer viable.

iowan2 said...

Trump was done after 1/6. I know of many supporters who still admire the man

Yes a certain amount to people like you are susceptible to media propaganda.

wendybar said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
wendybar said...

Just goes to show who the REAL cultists are. The GOPe.

Temujin said...

I don't think Trump could win a next run for the Presidency. And I'm not sure I'm up for the barrage of idiocy coming from the entire world media if he were to run...and win. That said, there's a part of me that would love to see Trump nominated and winning the Speaker of the House position.

The cacophony of noise that would follow would be the sound of heads exploding from Washington DC to San Jose, Paris to Beijing, Palo Alto to Madison, Ottawa to London. It would be the single greatest piece of entertainment in a lifetime.

Not sure what would happen after that, but it would be fun to watch.

Christopher B said...

John henry, I'd agree the DNC stenographer media are likely scared witless. Trump never ran the Republican Party to the degree their narratives stated, and when even Gaetz and Bobert are ignoring him, you know eventually that narrative is going to die.

Wince said...

The issue boils down to whether McCarthy is a politician you can trust to do the right thing once he's ensconced.

The hold-outs are saying: Fool me four times?

In that sense, by their example, Hastert, Boehner and Ryan are the Republicans responsible for the impasse.

Because of them, it's not unreasonable to extract guarantees in public from McCarthy before his ascension.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

Nobody outside politics cares about how many votes they have to hold to elect a Speaker. The less Congress does the better. Not surprising the players are unmoved by Trump’s advice. Kinda scraping the news barrel for Trump mentions because there’s an insatiable appetite among some people for Trump “news.”

Heartless Aztec said...

What Meade said.

Bob Boyd said...

Millions and millions of Sandhills Cranes in Nebraska in March.

But will they turn out for Trump?

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

Ann Coulter said "we need Trumpism without Trump" a long time ago.


AMDG said...

This entire exercise is a futile and stupid gesture and Gaetz et al are just the guys to to it.

What is the end game here? They do not have an alternative candidate.

Even if they could elect their poster boy, Gosar, as the speaker nothing would change. Given the make up of the government there is going to be no significant legislation passed over the next two years. The biggest thing the house can do in a divided government is investigate and nothing happens until there is a speaker.

When even MTG is a voice if reason it might be time to re evaluate your situation.

Sebastian said...

""in the wake of the deadly Jan. 6, 2021..." Deadly!?"

Althouse may add the question mark, but of course it's a prog fact. Just a minor illustration, in a throwaway line, of the prog bubble effect. Nothing shakes their faith, their assumptions, their facts.

William said...

I'd like to see a more inclusive Republican Party that includes the 192 House members that voted for McCarthy. Maybe even guys like Pence.

Bob Boyd said...

"Trumpism" was never about Trump.

wendybar said...

What Temujin said @ 7:56 am

William said...

In your late seventies your health can turn on a dime. If Trump should win in 2024 we'd have another octogenarian in the Oval Office. I'm one of the oldest men alive, and I speak from experience not ageism when I say that eighty is too old for the Presidency.....As we have seen with the sainted RBG and with Joe Biden, old people simply don't always know when it's time to retire gracefully. Trump appears to be vital and energetic, but don't bet on him being that way for the next six years and don't bet on him knowing when his time is past.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

Have y’all noticed how factless the reporting is on this Congressional kerfuffle? Not one TV news outlet or radio station has offered up the details on the points of disagreement. The tiny bit of explication I’ve seen makes the differences seem quite minor, like bringing term limits up for a vote. Why are McCarthy/GOPe so afraid of holding votes on that? Or on border security? Or on the “no confidence” equivalent?

Every time a reporter confronts Kevin with a question like “are you going to hold another vote?” it makes me realize how hard they avoid getting to the point: “Kevin what exactly is the sticking point in the negotiations?” Have NOT heard that question put to anyone who had an answer in plain English.

William said...

Trump isn't the boot forever pressing down on the face of the oppressed. He's the middle finger forever raised against the pundits and the elite. I hope he continues to tell them to fuck off, but I would hope he finds some venue other than the Presidency to perform this vital and important task.

Dave Begley said...

If Trump was the Speaker would he be immune from criminal prosecution? As Speaker, he could conduct a probe into how the FBI set him up on January 6.

Dave Begley said...

As Speaker, Trump could tear up Biden's State of the Union address on live TV.

Leland said...

I don't want to promote the delusion that Althouse has gotten by reading WaPo's delusion. It's amazing after so many of Althouse commenters have noted they didn't support Trump during the 2016 primaries and voted in the general because he was better than Hillary that they were ever "loyalists". Trump does have loyalists, but that these 20 Republicans opposed Trump has put them on the wrong side of those loyalists. And those 20 were never so much loyalists as supporters of a President that was a good leader for this country.

It's Trumpian — isn't it? — to keep fighting long after everyone's telling you the fight is over, you need to give up.

You mean like give into the notion that the Steele Dossier is real and that Trump is just a stooge of Putin? Maybe give into the notion that Jan. 6th really was an insurrection and only certain citizens (not Ray Epps) should be in prison for terrorizing the legislature? It seems like Trumpism by the definition given is just to quit fighting when those opposed to you want you to give up. Why not call it McCarthyism to just accuse your opposition of doing things you dislike and demand they be remanded to a life of confined solitary until you get your way? After all, McCarthy doesn't have the votes and neither does Jeffries, so should they give up too?

Lurker21 said...

The writing is itself breathless and overhyping. Promoting the party line and writing "colorfully" replace actual reporting.

I like Trump, but it seems to me like his moment has slipped away (or been taken away). I wouldn't necessarily prefer someone younger. It depends on who and depends on how much Trump is able to change between now and the election.

I do feel great sympathy for anybody who has to put up with Matt Gaetz, but if McCarthy couldn't seal the deal by now, it's a sign that he's not really up to the job and isn't really a unifier.

Ficta said...

Humiliating? Why? This sort of thing happens all the time around the world: the Center Right party has the most votes but not enough to form a government so they're attempting to form a coalition government with the Populist Right party who are currently holding out for more concessions. The previous government was a coalition between the Center Left, the Socialist, and the Populist Left parties, but there wasn't much drama then because the leader of the Center Left party was a ruthless operator and the Socialists and the PLs are kind of a joke.

alanc709 said...

Why does anyone quote "news sources"? We have no journalistic media anymore in the country. We have propagandists and seditionists.

Blair said...

People love Trump, but he really screwed the pooch with his post whining about Dobbs and pro-life voters. The phone is off the hook now. People just want to put him out to pasture and move on to DeSantis.

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

Trump just endorsed a squish sell-out and the Pro-Trump folks are still OK with Trump?

Perhaps this is more 3-D chess.


BillieBob Thorton said...

I don't know what all the 20 are asking for but I hope it includes a return to regular order, an actual budget, closing the border as a prerequisite to adopting a workable immigration system, stop sending any more money to Ukraine until there is some method to accounting for the money, cut the budget and investigate Biden, Hunter, Pelosi and the res of the swamp creatures.

Old and slow said...

McCarthy doesn't have the votes needed to win. He should remove himself from consideration. It's really that simple. I've had just about enough of the entire political class. And enough is too much.

GRW3 said...

By siding with McCarty, Trump gives cover to the dissenters from being cast as Trump's stooges. I think it also applies to the abortion issue, strategic statements jar the accepted meme of MAGA brainwashing.

Overall, however, I think McCarty can lay the blame for this at the feet of Mitch McConnel. If he can't persuade the Senate Rs to delay the big $1.7T budget until the new GOP congress had a shot at it, what good is he?

rcocean said...

Just more DNC Propaganda. Again, the game is to attack Trump 24/7/365. Everything he does is bad. The walls are ALWAYS closing in. The Truth? Trump only has so much power, he's just one guy. People don't seem to get that. McCarthy is supported by the big Donors and a majority of the Congressmen. MTG endorsed him. There's nothing trump can do except go with the flow and support McCarthy. He did so tepidly.

The real important story, is that Trump is doing nothing to convince the holdouts to support McCarthy. No strong arm. No phone calls. No activity. And why should he?

McCarthy's private response to J6, shows he's a GOPe clown with the backbone of a wet noodle. Never forget, he wanted to Keep liz cheney as the No. 3 leader in the House, even after she voted to impeach Trump. Its only after she publically kicked him in the balls, about 4 times, that he finally pushed her out.

Lurker21 said...

Divided government has the advantage of keeping the government from doing too much. The disadvantage is that instead of dealing with the big issues, it's all about the little deals. The dissenters were right to oppose McCarthy if they think he'll sell out on the big issues, but the most they can get from him now is little perks for their districts or changes in the internal operations of the House.

hombre said...

Once, it took many votes to elect a Speaker. The skids don't seem so well greased now.

The name calling is juvenile, but so Republican cannibal.

D.D. Driver said...

I voted for Trump and think he has been unfairly treated by the press and the dems

I agree that Trump is treated "unfairly" by the press, but that doesn't mean he isn't a stupid, petty, blowhard. Both things can be true!

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

rcocean said
"McCarthy's private response to J6, shows he's a GOPe clown with the backbone of a wet noodle"

and Trump just gave that noodle his blessing.

Drago said...

HBTPFH: "Trump just endorsed a squish sell-out and the Pro-Trump folks are still OK with Trump?

Perhaps this is more 3-D chess."

Its as though you can take a hesitant and tentative first step towards potentially understanding something fundamental and basic but then you are blinded by what that might mean and you hurriedly scurry back under the rug.

Its probably a terminal condition clearly driven by emotion.

D.D. Driver said...

As Speaker, Trump could tear up Biden's State of the Union address on live TV.

As Speaker, he also would have to do a job. Jobs are a boring buzz kill and would cut into his busy schedule of golfing, having donner with famous rappers, and doing bus stop tours even in nonelection years. You sweet precious things believe Trump wants to do boring hard work because he loves you and he loves America. That's darling.

BUMBLE BEE said...

So sayeth the Lying Sack O' Shit WAPO. Trump's liars have given him a bloody nose. He's still fighting harder than anybody out there. Geez, what would Hillary do? Chopper back to Kosovo?

Drago said...

Bob Boyd: ""Trumpism" was never about Trump."

This is THE fundamental fact the usual idiots can't begin to fathom.

Drago said...

HBTPFH: "Ann Coulter said "we need Trumpism without Trump" a long time ago."

We've had earlier populist/economic nationalist/America first movements before....and your GOPe heroes worked hand in glove with your democratical allies to attack those movements with the full force of a weaponized government.

That's how you got Trump.

Try paying attention next time and you won't be so easily confused....well, yes you will, but at least you will be slightly better informed.

Slightly.

Drago said...

rcocean: "McCarthy's private response to J6, shows he's a GOPe clown with the backbone of a wet noodle"

HBTPFH: "...and Trump just gave that noodle his blessing."

Yes, he did, and the supposed "Trump Humpers" told him to lump it....

.....so that means.....(go ahead, see if you can take your first real logic-baby step)

Drago said...

Blair: "People love Trump, but he really screwed the pooch with his post whining about Dobbs and pro-life voters."

There actually is some post-election analysis that shows pro-life single issue voters, who vote republican, did not turn out in the same numbers as previous elections due to the pro-life movement's success in the Dobbs decision.

That assessment wasnt just conjured up out of the blue.

Yancey Ward said...

If McCarthy can't get the votes by tomorrow, he needs to step down from consideration. It takes two parties to enforce a deadlock.

Michael K said...

McCarthy stands for the establishment, the "Do Nothing" image of the Rs, and the back-room, pork-barrel atmosphere of DC. They may yell and scream about the other side to get votes, but none of the long term Ds or Rs intend to change from the status quo. Just pay lip service and respond to the current weather.

This is the truth. McCarthy has been a loyal member of the WEF side for years.

Thew typical lefty misunderstanding of Trump.

As Speaker, he also would have to do a job. Jobs are a boring buzz kill and would cut into his busy schedule of golfing, having donner with famous rappers, and doing bus stop tours even in nonelection years. You sweet precious things believe Trump wants to do boring hard work because he loves you and he loves America. That's darling.

I guess that $9 billion just fell out of the sky into his lap. You people are so deluded by your lack of understanding economics that you think Modern Monetary Theory makes sense.

Michael K said...


Blogger Drago said...

Bob Boyd: ""Trumpism" was never about Trump."

This is THE fundamental fact the usual idiots can't begin to fathom.


Yes. You have to look at the response to the TEA Party and Sarah Palin to understand what happened.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

Am I the only one who, when I see Rep. Chip Roy on TV, thinks of former Althouse commenter and animator Chip Ahoy? I can't be the only one.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

What is the end game here? They do not have an alternative candidate.

As far as I can tell by looking into the demands they are saying, "we will vote for McCarthy if he makes these concessions to run Congress in 'regular order' without the stupid omnibuses and CRs that characterize the Pelosi era." That is something we can all agree to on the R side, but like the Tea Party and Trump, that demand is despised by GOPe. They hate their base and this is the third clear signal from the party members that the Party needs to start acting Republican.

Kevin said...

Shorter WAPO: Republicans capable of imploding without Trump.

BillieBob Thorton said...

Drago said...

Bob Boyd: ""Trumpism" was never about Trump."

This is THE fundamental fact the usual idiots can't begin to fathom.

Trump saw a movement in search of a leader and jumped to the front of the line, the movement was here before Trump and will be here after Trump.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

BillieBob Thorton said...
I don't know what all the 20 are asking for but I hope it includes a return to regular order, an actual budget, closing the border as a prerequisite to adopting a workable immigration system, stop sending any more money to Ukraine until there is some method to accounting for the money, cut the budget and investigate Biden, Hunter, Pelosi and the res of the swamp creatures.


Yes, it appears that most (maybe all) of this is exactly the dispute keeping Kevin from reaching 218 votes. Why is he so intent on resisting the "motion to vacate" when it was available to Congress for 250 years and never used once, only threatened at a single time during Boehner's term? I don't believe the reporting that this is his "big concession" now because it is far less meaningful than a vote on term limits and returning to regular order.

Although they are being portrayed as being chaotic, the Republican Resistors are actually working to reduce future chaos by returning the budget process to regular order and avoiding future "shut-down diplomacy" as practiced since 2008 at least.

Mark said...

Elon Musk just tweeted support for McCarthy. Althouse pundits at loss ok how to flip flop best in order to support Dear Leader.

Earnest Prole said...

The real important story, is that Trump is doing nothing to convince the holdouts to support McCarthy. No strong arm. No phone calls. No activity.

Seven seconds of googling will tell you your real important story is a fantasy 180 degrees from reality. Lauren Boebert and Byron Donalds said they received personal phone calls from Trump telling them to knock it off and get in line behind McCarthy; Boebert and Donalds told Trump to pound sand, with Boebert taking to the House floor to crow publicly about her rejection of Trump’s advice.

Clown-car dumpster fire.

Michael said...

Dave Begley
As a Texas hunting guide explained to me about hunting cranes. “ There are too many of the goddamn things”. Loved seeing the flocks of those birds coming over the west Texas prairie. Impossible to shoot as they have an uncanny ability to increase elevation when they sense or see you. I was there for quail anyway.

Dude1394 said...

So I guess all of the lying democrat smears about trump supporters being automatons are as expected. Lying democrat smears.

walter said...

Meade said...
I'm in the middle about Trump and would like "Trumpism" to evolve [with or] without him.
--
That's what's happening.

I heard Levin last night posit that it was wrong for some who supported McCarthy 2 years ago to vote against now.
Said so much.
Also, the constant effort to frame the opposition as only having "personal" beefs is propaganda.

walter said...

Yes Mark,
Hard to believe Musk's opinion on Republican politics might be ignored.
He also probably wishes pols had neuralink implants.
But hey, as a tech guy, doing some nice things with Twitter.

wendybar said...

"As far as I can tell by looking into the demands they are saying, "we will vote for McCarthy if he makes these concessions to run Congress in 'regular order' without the stupid omnibuses and CRs that characterize the Pelosi era." That is something we can all agree to on the R side, but like the Tea Party and Trump, that demand is despised by GOPe. They hate their base and this is the third clear signal from the party members that the Party needs to start acting Republican."

It's always been this.^^^^^

Drago said...

Dumb Lefty Mark: "Elon Musk just tweeted support for McCarthy. Althouse pundits at loss ok how to flip flop best in order to support Dear Leader."
1/5/23, 11:23 AM

Earnest Prole: "Lauren Boebert and Byron Donalds said they received personal phone calls from Trump telling them to knock it off and get in line behind McCarthy; Boebert and Donalds told Trump to pound sand, with Boebert taking to the House floor to crow publicly about her rejection of Trump’s advice."
1/5/23, 11:23 AM

Looks like the Usual Suspects will be unable to come up with their newest Unified Talking Points since their "logic" (LOL) circuits appear to be overloading with contradictory inputs.

I expect a Dumb Lefty Mark and HBTPFH to continue to get it wrong, but I will give Earnest Prole credit for at least acknowledging what events have actually transpired in the last 24 hours.

Gee, its almost like, almost, every time Trump does his little "make friends" bit with establishment types, the folks who oppose that oppose Trump! Un-possible!

Its inexplicable I tell you!

It's almost like telling people that voters in GA who saw incredible democratical electoral corruption in real time, happily funded by Zuckerberg and implemented by the Raffensberger dem-aligned crew, were turned off from supporting the GOP in close follow on elections only because they were just following orders from Donald Trump!

Because that makes it all so easy to dismiss the underlying reality and the fact that we are moving into a true political realignment period.

hombre said...

Drago (10:17): "This is THE fundamental fact the usual idiots can't begin to fathom."

That may be because many Trumpers also don't get that it's not all about Trump. See, e.g., Instapundit comments.

Drago said...

Mike (MJB Wolf): "As far as I can tell by looking into the demands they are saying, "we will vote for McCarthy if he makes these concessions to run Congress in 'regular order' without the stupid omnibuses and CRs that characterize the Pelosi era." That is something we can all agree to on the R side, but like the Tea Party and Trump, that demand is despised by GOPe. They hate their base and this is the third clear signal from the party members that the Party needs to start acting Republican."

Correct.

What McCarthy and his vocal supporters here at Althouse blog wanted was to keep the Appropriations and Rules Committee totally stocked with controlled opposition GOPe-ers so that ANY process rules agreements McCarthy made with "OMG TERRORIST INSURRECTIONIST REBELS!!!" could easily, in the course of a 2 year term, could be overridden in real time by the Rules and Appropriations committees.

Everyone should know that McCarthy and his crew were (are) setting up to completely capitulate to all democratical demands on the next budget continuing resolution and the "OMG TERRORIST INSURRECTIONIST REBELS!!!" know it.

Achilles said...

Earnest Prole said...
The real important story, is that Trump is doing nothing to convince the holdouts to support McCarthy. No strong arm. No phone calls. No activity.

Seven seconds of googling will tell you your real important story is a fantasy 180 degrees from reality. Lauren Boebert and Byron Donalds said they received personal phone calls from Trump telling them to knock it off and get in line behind McCarthy; Boebert and Donalds told Trump to pound sand, with Boebert taking to the House floor to crow publicly about her rejection of Trump’s advice.

Clown-car dumpster fire.


If Boebert runs against Trump with this message she will beat Trump.

You call it a clown car dumpster fire because you are too limited to understand what this is all really about.

When dumb people don't understand something they lash out.

wendybar said...

Mark said...
Elon Musk just tweeted support for McCarthy. Althouse pundits at loss ok how to flip flop best in order to support Dear Leader.

1/5/23, 11:23 AM

We aren't ideologists like you Progressives. Elon has ALWAYS been liberal. He is a classical liberal....on the other end of YOUR progressivism loving Government Control. We all KNOW his ideology and we have no problem with it. How many of us are flip- flopping on Trump?? A lot of us have been the same BEFORE Trump. We are the Tea Party, and we have been thrown out by the same GOPe forever. And we STILL voted for them. Lesson learned. Don't trust ANY of them now....EXCEPT for the 20 brave patriots who are putting their careers and their lives on the line...not the cowards standing with the Deep State Progressives.

As BillyBob Thorton said above...
"Trump saw a movement in search of a leader and jumped to the front of the line, the movement was here before Trump and will be here after Trump."

Achilles said...

Mark said...
Elon Musk just tweeted support for McCarthy. Althouse pundits at loss ok how to flip flop best in order to support Dear Leader.

It is really confusing to idiots when people question or disagree with leaders.

The hardest thing for people like Mark is to actually think for themselves.

Achilles said...

D.D. Driver said...
I voted for Trump and think he has been unfairly treated by the press and the dems

I agree that Trump is treated "unfairly" by the press, but that doesn't mean he isn't a stupid, petty, blowhard. Both things can be true!

Trump is much smarter than you are.

He has at least 20 IQ on you.

Probably more like 40.

BillieBob Thorton said...

Going down again. Go lock yourselves in a room and keep going till you have a deal. Or get out of the way and let someone else run.

Saint Croix said...

People love Trump, but he really screwed the pooch with his post whining about Dobbs and pro-life voters. The phone is off the hook now. People just want to put him out to pasture and move on to DeSantis.

Trump is not stuck on conception.

Trump is not stuck on anything! He is open-minded and pragmatic (in my opinion).

The problem both parties will have is that they have been lying to their voters for decades, making abortion the most extreme divide in American politics.

There's all kinds of room between conception and birth to protect unborn children. Republican candidates for president need to think about winning the primary but also winning the general. Same with the Democrats. It's going to be a brutal fucking campaign. It could lead to a civil war. The analogies between slavery and abortion are obvious to fucking everybody. Pay attention!

I suppose we're going to have to have a few decades of infanticide in the north and baby-kissing in Texas before Democrats realize they are on the wrong fucking side (again!)

rcocean said...

Yes, Trump called several of the holdouts. We don't know what he said. Probably very "Low energy". Or maybe, tepid "Hey, for PR purposes I needed to call you. Hope you vote for him. Bye".

rcocean said...

Love how supposed "Life long Republicans" keep attacking Trump every chance they get. Guess they think the D's will like them. Except they wont. Ever.

Bob Boyd said...

The media is portraying disagreement and disputes in the Republican party as bad. Meanwhile the Dems always march in unquestioning lockstep. Which looks more like a democracy?

Drago said...

It seems like only yesterday that Newt Gingrich was a "bomb throwing" "terrorist" bent on "holding a knife to the throat of our government" and "bringing the government to its knees" which would lead to the "destruction of the US government" and would only be "helping our enemies".

History may not repeat itself but there is certainly alot of rhyming going on.

Saint Croix said...

The federal government needs to take infanticide off the table in all 50 states.

Recognize the humanity of unborn children at the federal level!

I'm open-minded about voting for Trump again. The key with him is not his words (like me, the damn guy talks too much). The key with Trump is what he does. If he goes moderate on abortion, and nobody else can stay with him, he's liable to win again.

Just saying. Americans love moderates!

Remember: Trump learned how to "triangulate" from Bill Clinton.

In the primary, Trump makes pro-lifers the bad guys. "I'm moderate!" Then in the general, Trump calls the Democrat a baby killer and hammers the media for its censorship. And all hell breaks loose. Again!

Drago said...

Yancey Ward: "If McCarthy can't get the votes by tomorrow, he needs to step down from consideration. It takes two parties to enforce a deadlock."

I don't think so. Despite it being suicidal in its own way, I believe McCarthy, rather than resign, would happily cut a deal with his democratical allies to get the votes necessary to win which would alienate probably about 1/2 to 2/3 of the McCarthy supporters who would view it as a step too far.

But about 1/3 to 1/2 of the McCarthy voters would probably go along with all the dems, especially since McCarthy could dump all the conservative demands and replace them with his preferred democratical demands.

This would simply be an accelerator of what some believe is an unavoidable political realignment and there is some talk, and I have no way to prove this or substantiate it but it makes for interesting observations, that the "OMG INSURRECTIONIST TERRORIST REBELS" have simply decided that this is the time to draw a real line in the sand to force the issue and expose just who is on each side.

Biff said...

Exercise for the reader: Describe how this year's Speaker selection process would be portrayed in the media if the parties were reversed.

I'll start with "This is what democracy looks like." You'd also probably see words like "vibrant" and "vital" being used a lot.

Rusty said...

Mark said...
"Elon Musk just tweeted support for McCarthy. Althouse pundits at loss ok how to flip flop best in order to support Dear Leader."
That give you a chubby, Mark?

Readering said...

Time to hire a mediator? Ken Feinberg is the top mediator on East Coast. Here on West Coast there's Layn Phillips in SoCal and Randy Wulff in Bay Area. And Tony Piazza in Hawaii. I don't practice labor law but maybe labor negotiator best if sticking point jobs on committees.

wendybar said...

What Biff said @ 1:09 pm

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

Well, we know where Trump stands. Team McCarthy-McConnell.

Drago said...

hombre: "Drago (10:17): "This is THE fundamental fact the usual idiots can't begin to fathom."

That may be because many Trumpers also don't get that it's not all about Trump. See, e.g., Instapundit comments."

This is a fair comment as far as it goes. But for those "Trumpers" that think its all about Trump, that might very well be because they only see Trump fighting for those things that they value that have been shat upon by the GOPe-ers and their dem allies for decades.

In which case its not a "Trump" or perception problem, its a "where the heck is everyone else that is supposed to be fighting for us" problem.

Drago said...

HBTPFH: "Well, we know where Trump stands. Team McCarthy-McConnell."

And?.........(keep going, you're doing great! Well, "great" for you anyway)......

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

Just "unsubscribed" from an unsolicited random blast Trump campaign donation e-mail.

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

When Trump makes another dick-step - Trumpers say "Stop talking about Trump"
hahahahaha.

I'd love to.

TeaBagHag said...

I’m enjoying all the comments defending MAGAtism as a non-cult.
“See! We are way to petty, vicious and disorganized to be a cult!”

Jupiter said...

WaPo speak with forked tongue.

Drago said...

HBTPFH: "Just "unsubscribed" from an unsolicited random blast Trump campaign donation e-mail."

A powerful statement of independence. Almost Ukraine Flag In Profile level integrity.

Almost.

Drago said...

TeaBagHag: "I’m enjoying all the comments defending MAGAtism as a non-cult.
“See! We are way to petty, vicious and disorganized to be a cult!”"

Sooooo, then not a cult...or still a cult but not really...or yes still a cult but maybe a more secretive cult than at first suspected?

I'm guessing you were trying to make an actual point. Maybe.

Jim at said...

I’m enjoying all the comments defending MAGAtism as a non-cult.
“See! We are way to petty, vicious and disorganized to be a cult!”


The cult bullshit is pure projection on your part. You're just too stupid to realize it.

wendybar said...

Hunter Biden's tax payer funded Hooker said...
Well, we know where Trump stands. Team McCarthy-McConnell.

1/5/23, 1:45 PM

So he stands with you. Trump humper.

Drago said...

HBTPFH: "When Trump makes another dick-step - Trumpers say "Stop talking about Trump"
hahahahaha.

I'd love to."

Literally no one saying that.

But I get it. To "win" "Teh Interwebs" for the day, you have to construct your own "opponents arguments" to do it.

Good luck with that.

Bob Boyd said...

Well, we know where Trump stands. Team McCarthy-McConnell.

Naw. I think Trump decided McCarthy has the votes and the power and, like it or not, his faction must be dealt with.
Trump will make the best deal he can today and live to make more deals tomorrow. I think in Trump's view, there are more deals to be made tomorrow with McCarthy than with Hakeem Jeffries.

Where do you stand, Hook? What would you do in this situation if you were a House Republican? What is the upside the holdouts see in thwarting McCarthy at the cost of letting Hakeem Jeffries become Speaker? If they have articulated one, I have not herd it.

The holdouts have made a valiant effort to try to get somebody else, but it's looking like that effort has failed. Sometimes you have to ask yourself, is this the hill I want to die on.

D.D. Driver said...

Trump is much smarter than you are.

He has at least 20 IQ on you.

Probably more like 40.


🤣😂🤣 You have never met me or Trump. Sure, whatever!

Inga said...

“I’m enjoying all the comments defending MAGAtism as a non-cult.”

They were a cult, now enough of them have left the cult, chaos ensues. News at 7. The breakup of a cult is a messy business. No cults last forever, either the cult member come to their senses and leave the cult or they become like the Japanese soldiers fighting the 2nd WW from caves 30 years later.

“See! We are way too petty, vicious and disorganized to be a cult!”

It was always a disorganized, vicious and petty cult.

Achilles said...

Drago said...

This would simply be an accelerator of what some believe is an unavoidable political realignment and there is some talk, and I have no way to prove this or substantiate it but it makes for interesting observations, that the "OMG INSURRECTIONIST TERRORIST REBELS" have simply decided that this is the time to draw a real line in the sand to force the issue and expose just who is on each side.

People need to read this.

It is no longer about Republican vs. Democrat.

This is about America and Americans First vs. Globalist Oligarchs.

Most americans are tired of paying for all of the globalist bullshit and the censorship and the corruption in DC.

Most americans don't care about political ideology. They want to go to work, raise their kids, and smoke some pot/drink some beer while watching a football game.

Both ideological groups have decided that the average american needs to pay for their stupid bullshit. This revolt is about corruption and graft.

Less than half of Republican voters want McCarthy as speaker. The 20 TERRORISTS are just doing what Republican voters want them to do. The other 200 are just corrupt grifters.

Achilles said...

Hunter Biden's tax payer funded Hooker said...
When Trump makes another dick-step - Trumpers say "Stop talking about Trump"
hahahahaha.


You and Inga are just two sides of the same coin in the dumbass club.

It could be argued you are more like Gadfly though.

Bob Boyd said...

https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1610707481797267456

D.D. Driver said...

Just "unsubscribed" from an unsolicited random blast Trump campaign donation e-mail.

Me too! I wonder how much of Achilles paycheck he tithes to Trumpism. 🤣😂🤣

Michael K said...

This would simply be an accelerator of what some believe is an unavoidable political realignment and there is some talk, and I have no way to prove this or substantiate it but it makes for interesting observations, that the "OMG INSURRECTIONIST TERRORIST REBELS" have simply decided that this is the time to draw a real line in the sand to force the issue and expose just who is on each side.

I tend to agree. I have seen several of the rebels on TV say they have been trying to negotiate with McCarthy for months. We've already seen how McConnell chooses sides. He and Biden celebrating. Maybe this is the end of two party system in this country. The two traditional parties gradually became one.

Inga said...

“Because that makes it all so easy to dismiss the underlying reality and the fact that we are moving into a true political realignment period.”

Drago cannot fathom that the realignment he speaks of may not realign in the direction he would like to see. But keep hope alive, extremism in the Republican Party may still have a chance to survive, even without Trump, who is now irrelevant.

Michael K said...

Blogger TeaBagHag said...

I’m enjoying all the comments defending MAGAtism as a non-cult.
“See! We are way to petty, vicious and disorganized to be a cult!”


You are correct. Cult-like behavior looks too much like Democrat "unity."

walter said...

Runaway guvmint is working just fine for Dems. Hence the lockstep, cult-ish..unity.

Ficta said...

"See! We are way to petty, vicious and disorganized to be a cult!"

If the Rs want working class voters, they're going to wind up with some working class flavor in party operations (cue Will Rogers quote about "no organized party"). They're going to wind up with some "colorful" characters in congress. Most of the histrionics (from both parties) about how awful this all is seem snobbish and authoritarian. It's the House of Representatives, it's supposed to be a bit crazy. The Democrats are revealing themselves to be the party of church ladies who sit on sticks.

Earnest Prole said...

You call it a clown car dumpster fire because you are too limited to understand what this is all really about.

"You're too limited to understand our brilliant Underpants Gnomes plan."

cf said...

I agree with those fans of "Trumpism" with or without Trump.

I tweeted my encouragement on hearing the Gaetz nomination, and it was exciting to see quick agreement, I retweeted my original (typo and all) a few minutes ago, now that there are some hashtags going:

https://twitter.com/Ertist/status/1611102093770915840?s=20&t=AjtHzsoB8VEz82nDK2vgPw

what an astonishing couple of years this could be, hahah!

Gusty Winds said...

McCarthy has not lost nine votes. Kick ass!!

jim said...

So, McCarthy will eventually be elected, with the single MEMBER motion to vacate rule.

Before long the motion to vacate will be "weaponized" by the bipartisan jerkoff caucus.

How along before the republicans-on-their-meds rebel and elect Josh Gottheimer speaker, with a rule change?

Gahrie said...

If I was Jeffries, I'd instruct every Democratic member of the House to vote for McCarthy on the next ballot. Then come out with a statement saying that "the business of government is more important than politics. We need to end this futile process and get on with governing this great nation".

Drago said...

Russia Collusion Truther and Hillary/FBI Hoax Dossier Dead Ender Inga: "Drago cannot fathom that the realignment he speaks of may not realign in the direction he would like to see."

LOL

Its "aligning" in precisely the direction its been aligning for several decades.

Up until 15 minutes ago you couldn't fathom there was a realignment afoot at all even though you have been awash in the evidence of it for decades.

That level of obtuseness is what makes you a perfect leftist and will lead to your joining with the HBTPFH's of the world to advance whatever cause your "betters" dictate to you.

Inga said...

“But I get it. To "win" "Teh Interwebs" for the day, you have to construct your own "opponents arguments" to do it.”

Oh yes, I’m quite sure you do “get it”, you’ve been doing just that for years now on every thread you comment on.

Drago said...

Earnest Prole: "You're too limited to understand our brilliant Underpants Gnomes plan."

The only "brilliant Underpants Gnomes plan" I've seen are the independents and GOPe-ers banding together to defend corruptocrats like Raffensberger taking $45M directly from Zuckerburg's organization to "fortify" elections in order to defend democracy.

It doesn't get any more "Underpants Gnomes-sy" than that.

Drago said...

Russia Collusion Truther and Hillary/FBI Hoax Dossier Dead Ender Inga: "Oh yes, I’m quite sure you do “get it”, you’ve been doing just that for years now on every thread you comment on."

I dont blame you for wanting to run away from the seemingly never ending trail of lies and bizarre conspiracies and rather sick positions you've pushed at Althouse blog and how desperate you are for everyone to forget them.

But we never will.

However, in the interest of allowing you to demonstrate progress, lets start here:
Do you still believe it is "perfectly normal" for a father to shower with his daughter?

Michael K said...


Blogger Inga said...

“Because that makes it all so easy to dismiss the underlying reality and the fact that we are moving into a true political realignment period.”

Drago cannot fathom that the realignment he speaks of may not realign in the direction he would like to see


The resident dullard does not understand that the country is being run off a cliff by the looney left. The GOP used to be the "Country club Republican club" and about a third of its office holders still are. We call them the GOPe. As the Democrats destroy the country, many of their former working class and middle class voters are figuring out what is going on. Dullards do not see this. They think the political class and the billionaires who fund the Democrats now are interested in their welfare. Many of those billionaires are smart in the field where their money came from but ignorant about all the causes they support. Even so, dullards complain about billionaire Elon Musk but ignore Jeff Bezos. The "realignment" is going on but I'm not sure it will save us from the disaster these Harvard grad student running our country will create.

Achilles said...

D.D. Driver said...
Just "unsubscribed" from an unsolicited random blast Trump campaign donation e-mail.

Me too! I wonder how much of Achilles paycheck he tithes to Trumpism. 🤣😂🤣

Do you even read?

Do you even know what "Trumpism" is?

Did you notice that I do not support Trump in this and I would happily support some of the 20 TERRORISTS that are actually doing what Republican voters want if they ran against Trump?

I am truly curious if you are as stupid as your posts make you look.

Achilles said...

Earnest Prole said...
You call it a clown car dumpster fire because you are too limited to understand what this is all really about.

"You're too limited to understand our brilliant Underpants Gnomes plan."

When you can actually summarize what I am saying and respond to it in a reasonable manner please post it.

As long as you are going to post dumbass shit like this I will just continue to mock your stupidity.

But really we all know by reading your posts over the last months/years you are kinda stupid and limited.

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

Wendy

Trump Humper- Definition
a
: a meaning or description of a person who would die for a man named Donald Trump.
d
: a statement expressing the essence of a die-hard Trump supporter.
c
: a product of Blind faith and adoration leading to purchasing super hero bubble gum cards with Trump likeness cartoon depicting bulging muscles where the fat goes.
d
: a sell-out whiplash - see McCarthy and McConnell... with a dash of Jeff Sessions and other assorted undermining nincompoops.
e
: the act of changing the subject by Trump Humper to straw-men and red herring to protect Trump from undue criticism. Kitchen sink word salad variety.

pretty sure that's not me. I only voted for the guy. I don't do hero worship.

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

Achilles -

No wrong. I defend Trump from Gadfly's lies. I defend Trump from the left's lies. Doesn't mean Trump isn't a trap-stepping dick-stepping sell-out dork-man who sells bubble gum cards to dupes.
Are you stupid or willfully ignorant of that distinction?

Drago said...

HBTPFH: "pretty sure that's not me."

Pretty sure that's not anyone, but if it helps get you thru the night.

Now, returning to reality, how do you explain the supposed "Trump Humpers" opposing Trump on any number of issues?

Spoiler: You can't.

What is clear is that you do not tolerate criticism of the GOPe-ers very well and you certainly don't want any attention paid to their continuing sellout of the republican base.

What you term "kitchen sink word salad variety" is simply irrefutable lists of the sellout actions.

So cry more about it. We aren't letting your GOPe heroes off the hook.

Drago said...

HBTPFH: "No wrong. I defend Trump from Gadfly's lies."

LOL

You push gadfly-like lies. In particular your insane "Saudi's fund the Trump campaign" lies.

Not even gadfly has gone that far.

Earnest Prole said...

the independents and GOPe-ers banding together to defend corruptocrats like Raffensberger taking $45M directly from Zuckerburg's organization to "fortify" elections in order to defend democracy

Instead of dicking around with pointless junior-high class-council play on the House floor, Republicans better get to work building their own early-voting operations — otherwise you’ll be out of power for well more than a generation.

Drago said...

Rumor has it Luntz is already polling for general public reaction to a potential Team McCarthy (McCarthy + 1/4 of republican House members)/Dem coalition joint vote for McCarthy as Speaker and then just letting the dust fly as long as McCarthy and his globalist pals have control.

As mentioned earlier, McCarthy and his pals joining openly with the Dems would likely result in McCarthy dumping about 3/4 of his republican support (though some still secretly support him but don't want to get called out) with the remaining 1/4 of republicans able to give each other cover for their actions and deliver a majority with their democratical allies. Their excuse would naturally be that "work just has to begin on the "conservative agenda" (wink wink) and besides, they were still voting for a "republican" in McCarthy!

Only time will tell what will happen but if it becomes clear, as it seems to be, that there will be no movement for McCarthy, then it will be that or vacating his campaign for the Speakership, and I don't think Frank Luntz will allow that.

Ironically, if McCarthy and crew were to join with the dems (another HBTPFH/Inga dream scenario because it would really stick it to those icky Trump supporters and conservatives) it would validate the very concerns the "OMG TERRORIST INSURRECTIONIST REBELS" had all along that McCarthy couldn't be trusted.

Inga said...

Extremism and senility don’t pair well. The doc maybe needs to drop his desire for a coup. January 6th failed and the lunatics such as the senile coot failed right along with them. What needs to be realigned is the shrinking grey matter in his brain, what’s left of it.

Extremism is losing, moderates, Democrats, independents, are not going to align themselves with lunatic extremists.

Creola Soul said...

If this is what it takes for the Republicans to be rid of Trump, so be it. Let’s call it *check library notes* the art of the deal.

Inga said...

Drago responds to my comment and with that he goes on to prove exactly what I just said he does every single day.

Drago sez…
“But I get it. To "win" "Teh Interwebs" for the day, you have to construct your own "opponents arguments" to do it.”
———————————————————
Hahaha, sorry for laughing, but Drago, Doc, Achilles and a few other loons are excited because they are under the delusion that these 20 extremists are forcing a “realignment”. What pathetic fools. The country laughs at you extremists who actually believe you have any power. Normal Americans reject such extremism and lunacy. All this silly exercise will do is drive more normal Republicans to the middle and away from the right fringe. I can’t wait for 2024.

WWIII Joe Biden, Husk-Puppet + America's Putin said...

Inga uses the language of the corrupt left. She obeys.

20 house members not going along with a squish is called - democracy.

Inga- tell us about your adoration of the drooling old man crook Joe and his corrupt money grubbing corrupt family.

Drago said...

Russia Collusion Truther and Hillary/FBI Hoax Dossier Dead Ender Inga: "Hahaha, sorry for laughing, but Drago, Doc, Achilles and a few other loons are excited because they are under the delusion that these 20 extremists are forcing a “realignment”."

LOL

Completely made up. You, gadfly and HBTPFH make a "good" team.

Drago said...

Inga: "Extremism is losing, moderates, Democrats, independents, are not going to align themselves with lunatic extremists."

Your time would be better spent advocating against child mutilation in service to the dems perverted theories on trangenderism.

Big Mike said...

I watched a clip from today’s voting for the Speaker. One of McCarthy’s supporters looked into the news camera and angrily proclaimed that “there are two hundred of us and just two dozen of them so we will not be ruled by them.” (That's the gist; it may not be precisely verbatim.)

I thought to myself that, it isn’t a question of him governing them, nor of them governing him. If he wanted to be part of group think and hive mind he should have been a Democrat. I don’t think even someone as relatively close to the center as Althouse is (or imagines herself to be) gets us. We don’t do hive mind. We don’t do group think. Leading the Republicans is an exercise in coalition government. And right now all three of the Republican leaders whose names begin with “Mc” are proving that they can’t do that very well. (The third being rich Romney relative Ronna McDaniel.) We can’t do much about McConnell, yet, but I think McCarthy’s a goner and so is the rich Romney relative.

Note to Drago and Achilles, I think Trump could be a coalition builder and leader, but I question whether he grasps the need just yet.

Drago said...

I suspect the collapse of basically every single one of Inga's many conspiracy delusions over the last 6 years along with her inability to understand any of the events swirling about her coupled with her significant general baseline ignorance will lead to more performances like the ones we've witnessed today.

Inga is not alone in that of course. She has lots of company with those equally flummoxed by recent events which contradict every talking point those buffoons have been peddling for years.

Its fun watching them attempt to hold their previous transpatently incorrect premises together with rhetorical tape and bailing wire in reaction to the harsh mistress of reality.

For instance, today we "learned" that the "Trump cultists," are really only part-time cultists..or maybe apprentice cultists...or maybe not cultists at all but still cult-y in bizarre and unexplainable new ways.

Its all been very enlightening.

Achilles said...

Hunter Biden's tax payer funded Hooker said...
Achilles -

No wrong. I defend Trump from Gadfly's lies. I defend Trump from the left's lies. Doesn't mean Trump isn't a trap-stepping dick-stepping sell-out dork-man who sells bubble gum cards to dupes.
Are you stupid or willfully ignorant of that distinction?


You don't understand the distinction.

You say you support a set of policies, then you attack the people that actually try to make those policies happen.

You support corrupt shitheads and call the people who are fighting the corruption names and attack them.

You are just Inga and Gadfly with a different set of lies.

Achilles said...

Hunter Biden's tax payer funded Hooker said...

pretty sure that's not me. I only voted for the guy. I don't do hero worship.

You don't do reading either.

You are just dishonest and can't deal with the central argument here.

Inga is happily cheering for team WEF. At least she is being more honest than you right now.

Achilles said...

Matt Rosendale, TERRORIST-MT, explains why he is opposing McCarthy.

I know it is hard for some of you stupid people to read small words on a page.

Rosendale will say them out loud so you can listen.

You WEF cheerleaders and clowns might be illiterate morons but you can probably listen to him and understand his words.

You might even try to address them but I find that unlikely. You are dishonest as well as stupid.

Big Mike said...

Inga is happily cheering for team WEF.

Yes she is. She wants her grandchildren to eat bugs. It’s nothing I’d want for my grandchildren, but sh is what she is.

Achilles said...

Big Mike said...

Note to Drago and Achilles, I think Trump could be a coalition builder and leader, but I question whether he grasps the need just yet.

Possible.

He could be feigning support for McCarthy and planning on "reluctantly" becoming speaker.

That would be manipulative garbage.

I want transparency and open honesty. I hope Boebert runs for president.

RYUKIN said...
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