😡

 Katy Tur on MSNBC this afternoon (I was trapped in the car!) asked why the “moderates” in the House GOP and among the Democrats (the “vast middle,” she said, IIRC) didn’t get together to compromise and agree on a third party as speaker. 

“BECAUSE!,” I yelled at my wife, “THERE AREN’T ANY MODERATES IN THE HOUSE GOP!”

You’ve likely seen a lot of the holdouts described as “moderates.” An overwhelming majority of them are nothing of the sort and their ideological views are almost identical. Where they differ is their temperament and tactics.

But Ari Melber (now I’m trapped in a hotel room, and I hate CNN) is talking to a WaPo reporter about “the moderates.”

I’ll retire to Bedlam.

(On the upside, I listened to the roll call vote that Jordan lost. All the pundits agreed last Friday that Jordan had it sussed. 20 “moderates” (like Ken Buck(?)) voted against Jordan:

I’m just glad that Jordan tried to become Speaker because it’s only leading to his public humiliation, some election defeats for his colleagues in 2024 in swing districts who voted for him, and we got to blow up the sex cover-up allegations again. Pretty much wins all around.

😆 )

No, I’m not through yet:

Buck: The Republicans who are going to vote against Jordan on the second ballot, which will be more Republicans, want the cover of saying I voted for Jim Jordan, but now it's time to move on. The problem is they are afraid of a primary.

I agree with Ken Buck. But that doesn’t make him a “moderate.” (And that’s probably why there was no second vote today. Jordan must think the election fairy will give him the votes tonight if he puts a MAGA cap under his pillow.)

Or:

I think the way Jim Jordan normally handles these situations is to help organize a mob to storm the Capitol.

CNN:

Source tells me: Scalise and Jordan just met. Jordan asked for Scalise’s help in the Speaker race. Scalise wouldn’t commit. Not being a team player.

So Scalise is a moderate? That term really has lost all meaning.

NYT Pitchbot gets the last word:

How long are Democrats going to stand by in the world of identity politics, and zero-sum politics, and not save Jim Jordan's Speaker bid?