Whatever 76-year-old former President Donald Trump’s sway with the GOP, he showed yesterday, with 57-year-old year-old House Speaker Rep. Kevn McCarthy (R-Calif.) that he still has sway with conservatives. McCarthy became Speaker after midnight Jan. 7 once 48-year-old Rep. Marjorie Talyor (R-Ga.) handed her cell phone with Trump on the line to wanted to talk to 40-year-old Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fl.). Trump got off the fence about McCarthy, telling his conservative friends to back the former House Minority leader for Speaker. Whatever did the trick on the 15th ballot, it ended a five-day drama that gave the House GOP a black eye, something exploited by 52-year-old incoming House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.). House Democrats couldn’t contain their glee watching Republicans bicker over the House Speaker. Objections to McCarthy were mostly about his fiscal leadership.
Trump’s sway with certain members of GOP conservative faction is undeniable, especially for his American First agenda, something nowhere seen in the Biden administration, currently spending billions on a deadly proxy war against Rus to advance Ukraine’s agenda not the U.S. House conservatives resent 80-year-old President Joe Biden spending billions on Ukraine when so many Americans live on the streets. So when Trump talked with Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-Mt,) before the 15th ballot late last night, something changed, enabling McCarthy to finally pull out the vote. Whether or not Greene or Rosendale like McCarthy, they have the utmost respect for Trump, knowing his America First agenda helped the country grow the economy and promote peace around the globe Under Biden, the U.S. finds itself in a costly proxy war that’s all but wrecked U.S.-Russian relations.
Trump also spoke with 64-year-old Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Az.) before the 15th ballot, getting both Biggs and Gaetz to voter present, reducing the number of votes needed by two. So, whatever Democrats and the media say about Trump, he still has clout insides conservative GOP circles. Not all Republicans agree with 75-year-old Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Yt.) and other anti-Trumpers that the former president must be kept away from the Oval Office. Trump’s 25% base would like to seem him back in the White House, not enough math to win a national election. But when it came to getting McCarthy over the finish line, Trump’s voice carried the decisive influence. Democrats, the media and certain anti-Trump Republicans blamed the former president for the lack of a Red Wave on Nov. 8, 2020 when, in fact, he help get the House back for Republicans, a major feat.
When it comes to Democrats and the press, Trump gets no credit for anything positive during his presidency, including a stable, inflation-free economy and a foreign policy built off traditional relationships. When Biden took office, he almost immediately alienated Russia and China to the point that both countries considered breaking off diplomatic relations. Relations with Russia and China under Biden are at the lowest point in post-WW II history. Democrats and the media back Biden whether the U.S. economy or world goes up in smoke. McCarthy taking office means that the GOP flips-the-script on Democrats, opening up hearings on Biden’s domestic and foreign policy. Democrats and the media give Biden a free pas regardless of how close Biden pushes the economy into recession and world into WW III. At some point, Republicans are going to ask questions about Biden’s leadership.
McCarthy knows that Trump pulled him across the finish line, getting Biggs and Gaetz to vote present, reducing the 218 vote threshold to 216. “I don’t think anybody should doubt his influence. He was with me from the beginning,” McCarthy said, crediting Trump with his victory. Some of the anti-Trump sentiments led certain conservative to oppose McCarthy, knowing, it the next two years, he would throw his backing to Trump 2024 run for president. “The ‘Speaker’ selection process, as crazy as it many seem, has made it all much bigger and more important than more conventional way. Congratulations to Kevin McCarthy and our GREAT Republican Party!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social network. Democrats and the press exploited the GOP process to make Republicans look incompetent, but, more importantly, unpatriotic according to 80-year-old former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).
McCarthy prevailed because there’s simply no other GOP candidate for House Speaker that made any sense. When some House conservatives threw their weight behind 44-year-old Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fl.), you know that vote was purely vindictive, not based on what’s good for the party. Like McCarthy or not, he’s the most experienced GOP elected official in the House to hit the ground running on Day One. Whatever concessions MeCarthy made, including the Motion to Vacate with only one vote, it won’t change a thing next two years. Under McCarthy, Democrats should get some of its own medicine going after Trump. Biden’s been give an free pass by Democrats and the press, leaving the economy close to recession and foreign relations close to WW III. Republicans can now do the necessary oversight to figure out whether Biden’s fit for office..
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
