32 Comments
User's avatar
Amanda Rueda's avatar

A consensus speaker would be a breath of fresh air. Imagine a focus on getting things done for the American people and not for selfish interests. Would be even better if it were you!

Charles Gonzalez's avatar

Tell me this doesn’t sound like middle school class politics -

Ian Mark Sirota's avatar

This is a circus inside a clown car.

Peter Holstein's avatar

Worse, this is middle school dance planning committee politics!

Kay G's avatar

Interesting update - better than listening to reporter questions - Thanks

Gwen's avatar

I like the consensus candidate idea, like Cheney, but wouldn’t she need a democrat to nominate her? Why would the republicans do that when they think she betrayed them. I’d love your thoughts on what that process looks like.

Adam Kinzinger's avatar

Def will need to be after a few more iterations here. Yes dems in theory would nominate, all vote for this person, with 5 or more reps. Unprecedented, but so is everything nowadays

Gwen's avatar

If you were still in congress, would you vote for Jeffries? He has 212 votes so they just need to convince 5 of the moderate republicans to do so. I would assume this is a path to getting primaried.

Linda's avatar

That’s a very good question. Adam please give us your thoughts.

Michael Geline's avatar

One possibility is that there do exist enough Rs who feel this way, but if they started talking about it publicly then McHenry would simply put off the vote indefinitely and do his best to function as Speaker on an acting basis until the next congress. Of course it could also be fear of getting primaried or just old fashioned stubbornness.

Gwen's avatar

Excellent point. The Republican Party used to be militaristic with messaging discipline. Now with the Pure Grade A Colombian MAGA in leadership roles, they’ve lost control. I saw they were going to vote on rules that would require a congressperson to have the same vote on the floor as they do in their private meetings. If the vote changes then they would lose their committee assignments. So they know that they can’t be trusted to keep their word in public or in private!

Also, there is an unconfirmed theory that Jordan and the other insurrectionists in congress are about to be charged. Propping up Jordan to make it seem like he has a real shot at being speaker and then DOJ drops charges? The Republicans would scream about a politically motivated witch hunt.

Michael Geline's avatar

Thank you, but the theory is not looking very good!

ZCob's avatar

A ; R voting D would be career death. This is exactly why taking 15 votes to be speaker. What number is Jordon on?

No system that takes one vote after another wins anything.

Bill Rivers's avatar

What you wrote above reminded me of the story awhile back about how Tucker Carlson was a source for many reporters. I'm unsure what to feel about a potential Jordan speakership. It's what Republicans deserve, and at some point they need to pay a large electoral price for their actions. However, Ukraine aid and other issues are too important for me to fully embrace the schadenfreude. A compromise speaker seems to be best for the country, but has never happened on the federal level. Although it has happened in state legislatures, and the removal of a Speaker of the House hadn't happened either - until Kevin McCarthy. So, maybe the time is now.

Pamela Wing's avatar

THIS is just tragic. Oh please NOT Gym (I know this is childish but I can't write his name any other way anymore) Jordan. Please if there is anyone left with a teensy bit or a moral compass left in the Republican side of the House, do NOT cave. Sigh.

Thanks Adam. I know there have been political backroom deals since the beginning of time, but I think we are in new territory with this group. Always, good to get your take.

Linda's avatar

Your update really helps clarify what is going on. We are almost to Halloween and the whole situation plays like a bad horror film. Have you considered putting your name forward to the Dems? Surely you could get more than five Republicans to come together and get a speaker who will work to preserve democracy. Coming from the 60s I wonder if l accidentally ate some magic mushrooms.

Cathy Lynn's avatar

INSANE!!!

let's get to the consensus speakership already!! Go Adam...

Larry Forsblad's avatar

I love it that you are more concerned with speaking truth than your appearance.

Carrie Neal Walden's avatar

These assholes just never disappoint

justathought917's avatar

Maybe a consensus speaker should be in the rules no matter who’s in the majority. It’s clear once the helm gets turned back over to ppl whose core personality structure isn’t manifesting at pathological levels some serious guardrails need to be put in place to eliminate the capacity for minority tyranny. We have got to get mega money out of politics.

Gwen's avatar

One more question I have about having a Speaker that isn’t a sitting member of congress is how that would actually work. Tim Hogan had a great post on this on Twitter but I deleted Twitter so I can’t get to it.

Here’s a write up in Wikipedia that describes the numerous constitutional contradictions regarding this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speaker_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives#Eligibility_of_non-members

Elaine H's avatar

Thank you once again, Adam. Enjoyed your video with some behind the scenes information to this circus. I agree with you and others here, a consensus speaker is what we need. It is something that won’t happen, if there is even a shot at it, until the GOP has exhausted all other possibilities. This is a cluster.... of epic proportions and very sad for our nation. We are in troubled waters in so many areas and it’s time, beyond time to put our country ahead of party, ahead of power, ahead of money, ahead of ego, ahead of tv hits. The GOP needs to pull up their big boy panties and do what is right for the country, as well as our allies.

Jon Blackwood's avatar

I believe that its time for a few Moderate Republicans to save their party by leaving it. If a few brave Congressman would like to change history and save their party, and Country from maga, resign and realign as Independents. The moderates are the majority. Its time they rescue us all. I understand the potential outcome for them personally, but true warriors know the risk of the battle.

Ray Brown's avatar

LOVE your Congressional insights. Many thanks, Adam.

Arthur Silen's avatar

Time for the Democrats to throw some chum in the water and offer a select group of Republicans a deal on creating a fusion coalition on picking a speaker for the House of Representatives. Recall that the two Republicans who joined the House Select Committee on the January 6 Insurrection became the stars, Adam Kinzinger and Liz Cheney. The Republicans will sink into the slime of the swamp that they created. The cross-overs get to occupy an elevated place in our politics. They can run as Independents next time, or run as Democrats. We need a working majority in the House to get stuff accomplished. Political doctrines are maliable when you need to get stuff done. Do it.

Dave Holbrook's avatar

"All versions of past events are inherently equal, and the one that wins out is simply the one that's sold the best--and which the most people subsequently believe. Gathering evidence, assembling the facts, acknowledging that there is a set of circumstances that make up reality past and present: These are not part of the equation." ~Esquire, Jack Holmes

Who could this possibly be describing?

We've found a loophole in democracy to exploit.

Approximately 20% of the American population experience some sort of mental disorder each year. 4.8% of Americans drop out of high school. Now I'm not saying that all individuals in the parabolas of these groups have trouble with facts or reality but maybe, just maybe, enough "selling" can damage clear functioning into paralysis.

Who would have thought that in a country of divided ideology, it would only take 4% of a Republican MAGA-NUT fringe?