Seven masked midgets were spotted running amok in a DC Starbucks today. No one was hurt, but damage was done to several skirting boards and light sockets as a white woman with a tiara and broom feverishly chased after them.

Shortly thereafter, word spread that Kevin McCarthy’s office will assuage Republican fears about his spineless UniParty propensity by working with Democrats to construct the roadmap for his inevitable installation.

(WASHINGTON DC) – Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on Wednesday failed to secure the Speakership on the House’s fourth vote. Preliminary vote totals showed him getting 201 votes, short of the 218 required to secure the gavel.

Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) on Wednesday said “preliminary talks” had begun with Democrats about supporting a “consensus candidate” for Speaker. Bacon told CNN, however, he wanted to hold back on the details of the conversations so as to not get ahead of the negotiations.

“There are preliminary talks, but we don’t want to go too fast on this because that then highjacks what Kevin is trying to do, and we want to support Kevin, he’s worked hard to get this,” Bacon said. (read more)

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Day two of the House Speaker battle is scheduled to begin at noon, maybe.  Amid the chaos “GOP leaders and aides were still deciding how to proceed on the floor on Wednesday. Top Republicans are giving little indication of any future speaker votes, how long the battle will last, or even whether they’ll hold conference meetings. It’s possible that the House could reconvene on Wednesday only to vote to punt further speaker votes until Thursday.”

Kevin McCarthy is demanding the House Republicans give him his “precious,” an affectionate term for the speaker gavel that is in sight, but just out of reach.  Meanwhile, the conservative caucus is not flinching. “It may not happen on the day we want it, but it’s going to happen,” McCarthy said late Tuesday night.

As frustrated spectators CTH readers decry the visibility of the UniParty apparatus, yearning, thirsting for a bold contrast.  Well, finally 20 House Conservatives are delivering that battle, the big ugly, and I am happy to see this unfolding with all the brilliant and chaotic mess it deserves.  Fight on my friends, fight on.  WATCH: 

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Let Day Two of the Big Ugly commence forthwith.

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In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the JoeBama Administration and Presidency.

“This is no small thing, to restore a republic after it has fallen into corruption. I have studied history for years and I cannot recall it ever happening. It may be that our task is impossible. Yet, if we do not try then how will we know it can’t be done? And if we do not try, it most certainly won’t be done. The Founders’ Republic, and the larger war for western civilization, will be lost.”

“But I tell you this: We will not go gently into that bloody collectivist good night. Indeed, we will make with our defiance such a sound as ALL history from that day forward will be forced to note, even if they despise us in the writing of it.”

~ Mike Vanderboegh

This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread.

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Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †

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Apparently, California Representative Kevin McCarthy has already moved his personal effects and furniture into the House Speaker’s Office despite not winning enough votes to be considered Speaker of the House.

Republican House member Matt Gaetz, a strong opponent of Mr McCarthy, sends a letter of inquiry asking how is this possible?

Full letter below.

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The management and branding team behind Florida Governor Ron DeSantis continue to track a transparent path toward a 2024 nomination run.  Florida Governor DeSantis was sworn into office today at Noon eastern, complete with Jeb Bush as a special on-stage guest of honor.

Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush is one of the primary organizers and influencers for DeSantis ’24 presidential bid.  Former governors Rick Scott (R) and Charlie Crist (R/D) did not participate in the ceremony.   Additionally, despite the early hour and not appearing to be coincidental, it appeared the political branding team decided to have Casey DeSantis take a page from First Lady Melania Trump’s wardrobe style. WATCH:

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They are going to recreate Camelot whether you want it or not.  However, once you see the strings on the marionettes, it’s impossible not to watch the performance and not see them.

Ron DeSantis is the counterfeit $100 bill on a fishing string being dragged through the MAGAhood by the professional political class and Bush family revenge operations.

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The House of Representatives failed to elect a House Speaker through three rounds of voting.   Approximately 20 members of the Republican conference will not vote for Kevin McCarthy, as a result there is a stalemate.   The Republican caucus requested adjournment until noon tomorrow, Wednesday January 4th.

Essentially Kevin McCarthy needs to: (1) step aside and accept he will not be Speaker, or (2) continue the House voting in futility, or (3) find a way to convince the Republican holdouts to support him.

“They’re just not into you Kevin”… 

This has happened before, just not in the modern political era.   The holdouts want Jim Jordan to accept the Speaker position.

Don’t get defrosted, worried or overly attached to any outcome.  This is simply the way our system was designed.

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The House of Representatives continues efforts to elect a Speaker of the House.  Republican candidate Kevin McCarthy failed in his first-round effort on the floor in dramatic fashion. A group of conservatives blocked his path amid one of the smallest GOP House majorities in history.  Democrat Hakeem Jeffries had the highest overall number of votes, but still not enough to become speaker.

As noted by Politico, “In a stunning moment of chaos on the first day of the new Congress, McCarthy and his allies will now attempt to quell the revolt, preparing members to take repeated votes as pressure mounts from their colleagues. It will mark only the second time since the Civil War that a party will need multiple attempts to choose its leader on the House floor — with all business in the chamber, even the swearing-in of members, halted until a speaker is chosen.”

Voting continues, video below. UPDATE After Three Failed Votes, the House is adjourned until noon tomorrow:

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Republican house member Matt Gaetz delivered a fiery speech in opposition to Republican candidate for Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy.

Florida Representative Matt Gaetz nominates Ohio Representative Jim Jordan, and then gives a blistering critique of California Representative Kevin McCarthy as a selfish, self-centered political sellout who will do anything to gain power and then undermine the Republican caucus he claims to represent.  WATCH:

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Ohio Representative Jim Jordan’s speech to the House of Representatives is below:

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The Republican battle for Speaker of the House of Representatives continues with multiple factions competing for influence.  The sausage making inside the GOPe conference is doing what that sausage makers in the GOPe conference always do.  There’s a lot of opposition to Kevin McCarthy and the vast majority of it is well deserved.

Yes, the swamp is doing swampy things, and yes, it’s a hot mess.  But that’s also what happens in a two-party congress within a constitutional republic where members from very different states end up arguing for position based on an ideology that varies wildly.   Notice that if you get rid of the two-party system, all of this stuff seemingly evaporates.  Funny how the people who construct the two-party system don’t want us to notice that.

In this video, Marjorie Taylor Greene, a representative who supports the MAGA agenda and Kevin McCarthy for speaker, calls out some of the well-known voices in the GOPe apparatus who are doing swampy things.   WATCH:

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I would suggest not getting emotionally invested in any of this internecine arguing.   If you have let your congressional representative know your expectation, the only thing we can do is watch it play out.

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