Year: 2023

From Nothing Speaker to Speaker Nothing

Buck Banks

“I didn’t think Kevin McCarthy was going to be ousted from his position of speaker of the House. I believed you couldn’t beat something with nothing. … Well, right now, America has Speaker Nothing. Matt Gaetz cobbled together enough Republican votes with Democratic votes to get rid of McCarthy, but at least for now, no one knows who, if anyone, could garner enough votes to become the new speaker.”

— Jim Geraghty

Trump Hits New Height of Hypocrisy

Buck Banks

“Will Congressman Jamal Bowman be prosecuted and imprisoned for very dangerously pulling and setting off the main fire alarm system in order to stop a Congressional vote that was going on in D.C. His egregious act is covered on tape, a horrible display of nerve and criminality.”

— Donald Trump took to Truth Social to ask when Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) will be punished for pulling a House fire alarm.

The Republican Clown Car Races On

Buck Banks

“At every turn this past week, when the spotlight was on them, Republicans showed the public their worst: marching toward a government shutdown wholly of their own making; botching their first hearing in an impeachment inquiry into President Biden that was launched without serious forethought or evidence of criminal wrongdoing; squabbling and shouting by presidential candidates during a nationally televised debate that mostly ignored the elephant not onstage.”

— Dan Balz

DeSantis Super PAC Cuts More Than a Half Million in TV Ads in Iowa and News Hampshire

Buck Banks

$530,000

“Never Back Down, the super PAC supporting Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s presidential bid, cut more than $530,000 in reserved time on broadcast television stations in Iowa and New Hampshire on Friday in what the group said was a shift in strategies following the second Republican debate,” Bloomberg reports.

Only Trump Rose in Polls After Second GOP Debate

Buck Banks

61%

A new Morning Consult poll finds Donald Trump leading the Republican presidential race with 61%, followed by Ron DeSantis at 13%, Nikki Haley at 7%, Vivek Ramaswamy at 7%, Mike Pence at 5%, Chris Christie at 3%, Tim Scott at 1% and Doug Burgum at 1%. Every candidate except Trump has lost ground since the second debate — and he didn’t even participate.