WaPo: Moderates could unite amid House speaker chaos. Why don't they?

[phylny]

"Just hours before a vote to oust Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) as the House speaker Tuesday, a group of Democrats and Republicans met in a conference room on the third floor of the Cannon House Office Building to make a last-ditch attempt to avoid the history that was soon to be made.

"The group was drawn from the 64-member bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, representatives who consider themselves more moderate and more pragmatic than their parties’ firebrands. Some hailed from swing districts where voters might applaud bipartisan action.

"For over an hour, people familiar with the session said, Republicans in the group begged Democrats to support the stability of the institution by agreeing to save McCarthy — the speaker who had spent nine months catering to the most extreme elements in his party and who helped resurrect Donald Trump’s image after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

"Democrats were bewildered, the people said. They felt McCarthy had done little to earn their trust — and had not asked for their help."

https://wapo.st/3rHu22A

(gifted article, no paywall)

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I thought the article was interesting, but I'm glad Democrats didn't help. It's time to let the Republicans take the blame for their collective idiocy, even if it's painful in the process.

[relayerbob]

1. Fear

For all their bluster, the GOP represents the most cowardly aspects of American culture.

[Lovie777]

2. Pretty much on target...............

[gratuitous]

3. Riddle me this, Washington Post

When was the first, last, or any time in between when the minority party voted for the majority party candidate for Speaker? I'll save you some research: Never. It's never happened. Not even for "Mr." Sam Rayburn or "Tip" O'Neill. Nobody in the minority party has voted for the majority party's candidate for Speaker.

But let's brush that aside, and consider the argument being put forward here. What isn't laughable is nonsensical. Even if McCarthy had dealt fairly and honestly toward the minority during his time as Speaker, there's no reason that Democrats should have to bail out Republicans for their governmental fecklessness. The list of broken promises and outright hostility toward Democrats had destroyed whatever credibility McCarthy might have had once upon a time. You acknowledge this in the standard oblique fashion: Democrats "felt McCarthy had done little to earn their trust," without any apparent reason, or at least for no reason the reporters at the Post could find.

So bring on the counterfactual, Washington Post: Democrats "feel" something is true, but is there any evidence for it? Did McCarthy actually done all kinds of things to establish a level of trust that Democrats should have honored? If so, cite the facts. Did McCarthy ask for help from the Democrats? When and where? Because it wasn't deep in ancient history, in fact, it was just this past weekend when McCarthy said he didn't need or want any help from Democrats. Do you have anything that says otherwise?

Knock off this fatuous bullshit, Washington Post. Whatever fantasy "moderates" you're trying to conjure up don't exist, and the Democrats have no reason - compelling or otherwise - to keep the Republicans from kicking each other in the junk.

[phylny]

4. I agree!

I enjoyed reading the comments section of this article most of all.

[getagrip_already]

5. First, there is no moderate core of the house gop left....

None, nada, gone.

They were driven out in the last election cycle with Cheney and those that served on j6 and who voted to impeach.

Even those who merely stood and criticized.

Gone. All gone.

So stuff it with the moderates. What they are, are the cowardly liars who want the dems to save them for free.

And who would then turn around and bl a me the dems for causing the mess in the first place.

[phylny]

6. Yup.

I trust Hakeem Jeffries.

[usonian]

7. SHOW ME THE MODERATES who objected to racist and violent calls in plain sight.

NOT A ONE.

[Girard442]

8. Why wouldn't the moderate R's pledge to vote for a speaker OK with the D's?

I'll tell you why. They're MINOs. Moderates in name only.

[aeromanKC]

9. Dems are always the adults in the room

In this case the Dems are practicing tough love.

[JohnSJ]

10. republicans have the majority in the house, they are the ones who threw McCarthy out

[Miguelito Loveless]

11. Because there is no such thing as a "moderate" Republican