In a recent interview with the progressive media organization MeidasTouch, Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) reminded ousted former Speaker Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) that he’d never be just like Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), the former Speaker whose legacy is one of consistent action. Under McCarthy, the House struggled to pass basic measures needed for government functioning, and under provisions to which he’d agreed, he got booted.
“And Kevin McCarthy? Sorry, but you will never be a Nancy Pelosi,” Crockett remarked. “I know that you thought you were better than [her]. But as they say, you f’ed around, and you found out. It ain’t easy to be Speaker. It’s not one of those cutesy little things. It takes real skill. And it actually takes strategy. Two things that McCarthy is inept of — in addition to being able to count, which is another thing that we have determined since day one that he was unable to do.” She’s referring to locking down a needed number of votes before heading to the floor in circumstances like what became the historically lengthy process — 15 rounds of voting! — of McCarthy ever becoming Speaker in the first place.
McCarthy’s removal stemmed from a motion for that outcome from Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), which Democrats supported after McCarthy evidently rebuffed the idea of making some kind of deal with them to salvage his stint as Speaker and keep the House operational. McCarthy preferred what ended up being a forced exit from the position as Democrats held firm and were joined by a small number of Republicans, reaching a majority.
And the so-called moderate Republicans now who are trying to pass blame elsewhere for the procedural paralysis gripping the House themselves could help end the problem by voting with Democrats to get a Speaker seated, but so far, that’s not happening, even as major domestic and world events — like the mid-November deadline for government funding! — unfold or approach. Watch below:
Crockett: And Kevin McCarthy, sorry but you will never be a Nancy Pelosi. I know you thought that you were better than but as they say… you f’d around and you found out pic.twitter.com/PVXRzbjQep
— Acyn (@Acyn) October 13, 2023
