Democrat Party Has No Biden Backup Plan If He Should Decide To Halt His 2024 Re-Election Campaign

U.S. President Joe Biden speaks In the Indian Treaty Room of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House complex in Washington, U.S., November 27, 2023. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein  

Reuters: Democrats have no Biden backup plan for 2024, despite age concerns 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Democratic Party has no Plan B if President Joe Biden decided for any reason to halt his 2024 re-election campaign, and a sudden need to replace him as its standard-bearer would spark a messy intraparty battle. 

Despite weak poll numbers and questions, including from some Democrats, about his age, Biden has stuck to his plan to seek a second term after clearing the field of serious Democratic primary challengers when he announced in April that he was running again. 

Even if more Democratic candidates were to jump in now, the path forward would be unclear as deadlines to get on the primary ballot in critical states such as Nevada, South Carolina and Georgia have already passed. 

Biden loyalists, citing his record in office, argue that the party does not need a backup plan to defeat probable Republican nominee Donald Trump, who Biden beat in the 2020 election.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: I guess the Democrats feel confident that these polls are going to reverse their direction before the election .... The Polls Keep Getting Worse For U.S. President Biden (November 25, 2023).

U.S. President Biden Floats A Gavin Newsom Presidency

 

SFGate: Joe Biden floats Gavin Newsom presidency at APEC welcome reception in San Francisco 

President Joe Biden led off his remarks at an APEC welcome reception in San Francisco on Wednesday evening by semi-jokingly floating a future Gavin Newsom presidency. 

“I want to talk about Gov. Newsom. Want to thank him,” Biden said at the Exploratorium in San Francisco, according to a transcript released by the White House. 

“He’s been one hell of a governor, man. Matter of fact, he could be anything he wants. He could have the job I’m looking for.” 

Newsom, the governor of California, has for years been a rumored presidential candidate. Those rumors have subsided slightly in recent months, as Newsom has taken on more of a surrogate role for Biden’s 2024 re-election campaign. But even a full-throated endorsement of Biden hasn’t fully killed off the presumption that Newsom is waiting in the wings, either as a 2024 last-minute replacement, or for a full-fledged 2028 run.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: If Governor Gavin Newsom does run, it is not a sure thing .... Newsom would lose to Trump if he replaced Biden atop Democratic ticket, new poll finds (Washington Examiner). 

U.S. President Biden Floats A Gavin Newsom Presidency  

Biden reveals who he thinks 'could have the job' he's running for as 2024 'shadow campaign' rumors swirl -- FOX News  

Biden says Gavin Newsom 'could have the job' of president after calling him 'one hell of a governor' -- NYPost  

Biden quips Newsom could ‘have the job I’m looking for’ -- The Hill

U.S. Speaker McCarthy Ousted In Historic House Vote

 

The Hill: House makes history, removes McCarthy as Speaker 

The House on Tuesday voted to remove Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) as Speaker, a never-before-seen historic vote that leaves the lower chamber of Congress in chaos. 

The mutiny, led by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), came days after McCarthy averted a government shutdown by putting a stopgap measure on the floor that garnered Democratic support — a move that infuriated hardline Republicans. 

In the final 216-210 vote, seven Republicans joined Gaetz to unseat McCarthy. Every Democrat in the chamber also voted to boot McCarthy, refusing to help protect him from his unruly conference. McCarthy said he would give Democrats nothing if they were to vote to help him.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: It looks like this is the end of the road for him .... McCarthy won’t run for Speaker again (The Hill). I recall watching the news a day before the vote where Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy was deriding talk that Rep. Matt Gaetz was going to succeed in having him ousted. Hmmmm talk about underestimating your opponent.  

Update: The search for a new Speaker now starts .... It's on: The bare-knuckle battle for House GOP leadership spots begins (Politico). 

U.S. Speaker McCarthy Ousted In Historic House Vote 

Speaker McCarthy ousted in historic House vote, as scramble begins for a Republican leader -- AP  

House speaker chaos stuns lawmakers, frays relationships and roils Washington -- AP  

These 8 Republicans voted to oust McCarthy -- The Hill 

Rep. Patrick McHenry of North Carolina is the leader of the House, at least for now -- AP News  

Who is Patrick McHenry, the new acting Speaker of the House? -- The Hill

U.S. Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California Dies At Age 90

 

CNBC: Dianne Feinstein, California’s longest-serving senator, dies at 90 

* Dianne Feinstein, the oldest member of the U.S. Senate and the longest-serving senator from California, has died at age 90. 

* Feinstein’s death leaves vacant her powerful Senate seat, requiring Gov. Gavin Newsom to appoint a temporary successor.

* The Democratic senator’s decades-long career was studded with major legislative achievements on issues including gun control and the environment. 

U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California has died at age 90, her office confirmed Friday. Feinstein, a Democrat, was the oldest member of the Senate, where she served since 1992. 

She held her seat in the chamber longer than any other woman, and any senator from California. She passed away Thursday night at her home in Washington, D.C.  

Read more .... 

WNU Editor: Supporters of President Biden are putting the pressure on California Governor Newsom to quickly appoint a replacement .... Pressure is on Newsom to quickly appoint Feinstein’s temporary replacement (Politico). My gut tells me he is not going to rush into it. As a reader of this blog astutely told me this morning. This gives Newsom an opportunity to appoint Vice-President Harris to take the job, and remove her as an opponent to his own Presidential aspirations.

U.S. Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California Dies At Age 90  

Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, an advocate for liberal priorities, dies at age 90 -- AP  

Dianne Feinstein, longest-serving female US senator in history, dies at 90 -- CNN  

Sen. Dianne Feinstein dies at age 90 -- The Hill  

Feinstein, trail-blazing California senator, dies at 90 -- Politico  

Senator Dianne Feinstein Dead At 90, One Day After Casting Vote -- Zero Hedge  

Who will be Dianne Feinstein's replacement? Here are California's rules for replacing U.S. senators. -- CBS News  

Dianne Feinstein is dead. Here's what happens next, and what it means for Democrats. -- Business Insider

What Is Wrong With U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell?

 

Business Insider: Mitch McConnell might be freezing up in public because he's having small seizures, doctors suggest 

* Mitch McConnell froze once again during a press conference on Wednesday. 

* Doctors have speculated that the Senate Minority Leader may be experiencing seizures. 

* Absence seizures can cause the person affected to space out and lose awareness of their surroundings. 

Doctors have speculated that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell may be having seizures after he awkwardly froze up again during a press conference. 

McConnell, 81, was taking a reporter's question about running for reelection during a news conference on Wednesday when he suddenly appeared disoriented and confused.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: He has been cleared to resume his work .... McConnell cleared to resume 'schedule as planned' following KY press conference freeze (FOX News). More here .... Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell can continue with his work schedule, congressional physician says (AP). 

As to what is my take. 

I am not a doctor but when my father had his stroke, months later he had many of these episodes where he just froze. Take it from me. It was a very uncomfortable (and scary) event to experience that. 

It is clear to me that U.S. Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell is still suffering from the concussion he suffered earlier this year .... Mitch McConnell hospitalized with a concussion after a fall (NPR). He is 81 years old. He needs to take some time off to rest and recuperate.

U.S. Secretary Of The Treasury Admits That She Ate Magic Mushrooms In China

Here's the US Secretary of the Treasury describing her hallucinogenic trip on shrooms in China.

On national TV.

By the way — the US Treasury plans to borrow $1.1 trillion before 2024, pushing total US debt above $33.5 trillion.

Our enemies are laughing.pic.twitter.com/HZ2uQISOXx

— Joe Consorti ⚡ (@JoeConsorti) August 15, 2023

WNU Editor: Not the message that I would want to be spread by a US Treasury Secretary.

New York Times Says President Biden Is Facing A Tight Race Against Trump

Former US president Donald Trump (left) and US President Joe Biden 

DNYUZ: New York Times: Biden Shores Up Democratic Support, but Faces Tight Race Against Trump 

President Biden is heading into the 2024 presidential contest on firmer footing than a year ago, with his approval rating inching upward and once-doubtful Democrats falling into line behind his re-election bid, according to a New York Times/Siena College poll. 

Mr. Biden appears to have escaped the political danger zone he resided in last year, when nearly two-thirds of his party wanted a different nominee. Now, Democrats have broadly accepted him as their standard-bearer, even if half would prefer someone else.

Still, warning signs abound for the president: Despite his improved standing and a friendlier national environment, Mr. Biden remains broadly unpopular among a voting public that is pessimistic about the country’s future, and his approval rating is a mere 39 percent.  

Read more .....  

WNU Editor: If the New York Times tells me that President Biden and former President Trump are tied in their opinion poll (link here), that is a confirmation to me that the polls (link here) that indicate former President Trump having a substantial lead over President Biden are probably correct.

What Makes A Whistlebower A Whistleblower?

SUPERCUT!

See if you can spot the difference in media coverage between the 2019 & 2023 whistleblowers pic.twitter.com/kx2wOPThTQ

— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) July 27, 2023

WNU Editor: This is epic.

America's Legal System. One Law For Thee, One Law For Me

Congrats to Sam Bankman-Fried -- the Dem Party's second-largest donor (behind George Soros) -- on having his campaign finance fraud charges dropped by the Biden DOJ.

Their hilarious claim is that they just couldn't proceed because the big, powerful Bahamas wouldn't let them. https://t.co/SSiOfaWg1M

— Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) July 27, 2023

WNU Editor: Why am I not surprised.

Can Anyone Beat Biden And Trump For Their Party Nominations?

Joe Biden and Donald Trump: Can they hold their leads? Photos: Gage Skidmore (Trump) and Shealah Craighead (Biden). Published under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en). 

Issue & Insights: Can Anyone Beat Biden And Trump For Nominations? I&I/TIPP Poll 

Yes, it’s still very early in the nominating process, and both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump face daunting legal questions. Even so, both front-runners for the two major parties maintain comfortable, double-digit leads over their potential challengers. But what happens when the number of possible choices inevitably narrows? Then, the race for each party’s nomination changes considerably, the latest I&I/TIPP Poll shows. 

As in past months, we asked Democratic voters who among a list of 18 (which includes a choice of “someone else”) they would support for the nomination of their party. The online nationwide poll of 1,230 voters was conducted from May 31-June 2, with the Democratic primary question having a +/-4 percentage point margin of error, vs. +/-4.6 percentage points for the Republican primary question.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: It looks like former President Trump's federal indictment is helping him .... Poll: Post Indictment, Trump Widens Lead Again – Now Has over 60 Percent Support (Breitbart).

Can Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Defeat President Biden In The Democat Primaries?

Kennedy said he thinks there’s a "feeling" among Americans that "there’s something going wrong with our country and that the people who are currently in power aren’t going to fix it." (Fox News )  

FOX News: RFK Jr. says he can beat Biden in 2024 primary 

 Kennedy has support from 19% of Democratic primary voters, per a Fox News poll 

FIRST ON FOX: Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. insists he has a path to beat President Biden in a 2024 primary, even without a debate. 

Kennedy hopped on the phone with Fox News Digital last week and spoke on securing the border, his uncle John F. Kennedy’s assassination and his chances of unseating Biden in a Democratic primary election. 

"Yes, I can win," Kennedy told Fox News Digital when asked if he can beat Biden. 

"The public polls are showing me at 20% over for the Democrats, and our private polling is showing that I have very strong support among independents and even Republicans."  

Read more ....  

Update: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 2024: His story, experience, and policies (Tag24 News)  

WNU Editor: Even though recent polls indicate Democrat concerns .... Democrats have sinking feeling: Trump could beat Biden (The Hill), the political leaders who rule the Democrat Party are going to make it next to impossible for Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to win the 2024 primary.

Biden And Trump Hold Commanding Leads Heading Into The 2024 Primaries

PJ Media: New Polls Show Biden and Trump's Strong Lead Heading Into the 2024 Primaries 

In some ways, we’re a long way from the 2024 elections, but we also know how time flies. After all, the first primaries are mere months away. 

If the headlines give any indication, the next presidential election looks like a rematch of 2020, with Joe Biden and Donald Trump dominating media coverage. And as of right now, polling bears out the notion of a Trump-Biden grudge match in 2024.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: In a Biden - Trump or Biden - DeSantis face-off, the polls say it is too close to call .... Biden’s poll numbers look grim as he preps for reelection bid (Politico).

New Polls Show Former President Trump Continuing To Increase His Primary Lead Over Governor

2024 Republican primary polling trends by Morning Consult

Jan 2:
• Trump — 45% (+11)
• DeSantis — 34%

Feb 25:
• Trump — 48% (+18)
• DeSantis — 30%

March 14:
• Trump — 52% (+24)
• DeSantis — 28%

MARCH 19:
• Trump — 54% (+28)
• DeSantis — 26% pic.twitter.com/wh35GXRYII

— InteractivePolls (@IAPolls2022) March 21, 2023

PJ Media: Trump Continues to Increase His Primary Lead Over DeSantis After Indictment Threat 

Donald Trump had been slowly increasing his national primary lead over Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis since the fall — a trend that continues now that the former president is under threat of indictment. 

The spread between the former president and the Florida governor is now 11% in the Morning Consult poll. It’s 41-27% in the Monmouth Poll and 46-32% in the Quinnipiac Poll. 

Despite unprecedented negative coverage by the national media and the hype surrounding “the first president ever, ever, evah, to be indicted,” Trump has grown his lead over DeSantis since the beginning of the year.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: Why am I not surprised.

Democrats Preparing For The Possibility The President Biden May Not Run For Re-Election In 2024

US President Joe Biden delivers remarks ahead of the one year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, outside the Royal Castle, in Warsaw, Poland, on Tuesday. (REUTERS) 

Politico: Biden may not run — and top Dems are quietly preparing 

The president no longer seems absolutely certain to go for a second term, leaving the party, his top aides and potential candidates unsure about '24 and very quietly mulling plan B. 

Joe Biden’s closest advisers have spent months preparing for him to formally announce his reelection campaign. But with the president still not ready to make the plunge, a sense of doubt is creeping into conversations around 2024: What if he decides not to? 

Biden’s past decisions around seeking the presidency have been protracted, painstaking affairs. This time, he has slipped past his most ambitious timetable, as previously outlined by advisers, to launch in February. Now they are coalescing around April. 

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: The polls look good for President Biden .... Poll: Biden's standing improves, while Trump slumps with Republican voters (NPR). 

I do not know if President Biden is going to run again. But after his speech in Warsaw, if he does run again a part of me is now wondering if he is going to run as a "war President" in 2024.

Poll: Donald Trump Double Digits Ahead Of The Next Potential GOP Challenger

2024 National Republican Primary:

Trump 49%
DeSantis 31%
Pence 7%
Haley 3%
Cheney 2%
Cruz 2%
Abbott 1%
Noem 1%
Pompeo 1%
T. Scott 1%
Youngkin 0%

.@MorningConsult, 3,549 RV, 2/3-5https://t.co/8E7nq4VZzW

— Political Polls (@Politics_Polls) February 7, 2023

Breitbart: Poll: Donald Trump Double Digits Ahead of Potential GOP Challengers 

Former President Donald Trump is ahead of his potential 2024 Republican challengers by double digits, a Tuesday Morning Consult survey found. 

The survey showed Trump leading his closest potential challenger, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), by 18 percent, garnering 49 percent support compared to the governor’s 31 percent. 

No other potential challenger comes close, as former Vice President Mike Pence falls to third place with just seven percent support. Former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley, who is reportedly slated to announce a presidential bid this month, comes in fourth place with three percent support, followed by former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) with two percent and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) with two percent. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) saw one percent support, and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin garnered zero percent support:  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: In the past few weeks some state polls indicate Governor DeSantis is ahead of Donald Trump. But when I looked at those poll numbers I was underwhelmed. The sampling was small, and were mainly conducted online.

Anonymous White House Official Says Chinese Spy Balloons Over US During Trump Administration. Former President Trump And Officials Are Vehemently Denying This Claim

 

FOX News: Chinese spy balloons over US during Trump admin 'discovered after' he left office: senior Biden official 

Trump and his top defense and national security officials told Fox News Digital it never happened and that they were never briefed on any Chinese spy balloons 

Information suggesting that Chinese spy balloons traveled over the continental United States during the Trump administration was "discovered after" former President Donald Trump left office, a senior administration official told Fox News. 

A defense official on Saturday said Chinese spy balloons briefly traveled over the United States at least three times during the Trump administration.  

Read more ....  

Update #1: Chinese balloons flew over US three times during Trump administration: officials (The Hill)  

Update #2: Multiple ‘Chinese spy balloons’ entered US before recent incident – media (RT)  

WNU Editor: Former President Trump and former Trump officials are denying these reports .... "It's Disinformation": Trump, Former Officials Slam Anonymous Report Of Chinese Spy Balloons Under Their Watch (Zero Hedge). More here .... Trump denies Chinese balloons flew over U.S. during his administration (Axios).

FORMER DIR. OF NAT'L INTELLIGENCE: There were no Chinese spy balloon incursions under President Trump's watch.

Where are the videos? Where are the pictures? Where are pilot reports? They have no evidence because it never happened. pic.twitter.com/Bnv277L297

— Election Wizard 🇺🇸 (@ElectionWiz) February 5, 2023

Biden’s DoD is shamelessly using an anonymous source to say that Chinese balloons flew over the US under Trump - and the Trump team allowed it.

It is a lie. We never heard this - ever.

Congress should demand @SecDef tell the truth. Shame on @JakeSullivan46.

— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) February 5, 2023

John Bolton, no fan of Trump's says @JoeBiden and the @DeptofDefense need to provide evidence of Chinese Spy Balloons flying over U.S. during Trump Admin.

Says emphatically "not during my tenure" pic.twitter.com/Ml99jgVLM7

— Carey (@SeriusBall) February 5, 2023

So if these anonymous reports are legit, the woke military generals' version of events is that they have 100% allowed Red China spy balloons to traverse the US for years, not even bothering to inform political leadership, and only shot down this one because the public noticed? OK

— Mollie (@MZHemingway) February 5, 2023

US Congressional Republicans Accidentally Gave The Democrats A Supermajority On A New 'Weaponization' Subcommittee

The House, in an attempt to expand the “weaponization” subcommittee to 21 members, appears to have inadvertently shrunk it to 12 and given Dems a supermajority. pic.twitter.com/LG9O2rbKJ9

— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) February 1, 2023

Insider: House GOP accidentally gives Democrats supermajority on new 'weaponization' subcommittee 

* House Republicans accidentally gave Democrats a supermajority on a new panel they created. 

* Under the resolution passed by voice vote on Tuesday, Democrats would get 9 seats on a 12 member panel. 

* But the plan is to actually have 21 seats on the committee, and the error was eventually fixed. 

In an apparent error, House Republicans passed a resolution on Tuesday that would give Democrats a supermajority on a new select subcommittee probing the "weaponization" of the government. 

In a resolution that sought to expand the committee to 13 members up to 21, drafters made an apparent typo, which was first noted by Politico's Kyle Cheney. 

The resolution, put forward by House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and passed by voice vote, stated that the subcommittee would have "not more than 12" members, and that "not more than 9 shall be appointed in consultation with the minority leader." 

That would give Democrats a 9-3 supermajority. In reality, the plan is for the committee to have 12 Republican members and 9 Democratic members, and the error will almost certainly be corrected before the committee convenes. 

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: This has been corrected. But for a moment some people were scratching their heads (mine included).

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen On Friday Notified Congress That The U.S. Will Reach Its Statutory Debt Limit Next Thursday

Janet Yellen, US Treasury secretary, speaks during a Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) meeting at the Treasury Department in Washington, DC, US, on Friday, Dec. 16, 2022. Ting Shen, Bloomberg  

CNBC: U.S. will hit its debt limit Thursday, start taking steps to avoid default, Yellen warns Congress 

* Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen notified Congress that the U.S. will reach its statutory debt limit next Thursday, and asked House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to either suspend or increase the debt limit. 

* Yellen wrote that the Treasury Department will begin “taking certain extraordinary measures to prevent the United States from defaulting on its obligations.”: 

* She told McCarthy, “It is unlikely that cash and extraordinary measures will be exhausted before early June.” 

* “Failure to meet the government’s obligations would cause irreparable harm to the U.S. economy, the livelihoods of all Americans, and global financial stability,” Yellen warned. 

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Friday notified Congress that the U.S. will reach its statutory debt limit next Thursday. 

After that, the Treasury Department this month will begin “taking certain extraordinary measures to prevent the United States from defaulting on its obligations,” Yellen wrote in a letter to new House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. 

The Treasury “is not currently able” to estimate how long those emergency actions will allow the U.S. to pay for government obligations, she wrote. But, “It is unlikely that cash and extraordinary measures will be exhausted before early June,” Yellen added.  

Read more .... 

WNU Editor: Here is an easy prediction. After a lot of drama and grand-standing, in the end they will approve raising the debt limit.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen On Friday Notified Congress That The U.S. Will Reach Its Statutory Debt Limit Next Thursday   

Yellen tells Congress US expected to hit debt limit Thursday -- AP  

Yellen warns of U.S. default risk by June, urges debt limit hike -- Reuters  

Treasury secretary warns US could default on its debt as soon as June -- CNN  

Yellen warns of 'irreparable harm' if debt ceiling not raised in letter to Congress -- Yahoo  

Biden administration warns House GOP about debt ceiling deadlines -- Axios

White House Say Republicans Want To Defund The US Military

Bloomberg: White House Rips McCarthy-GOP Deal as Path to ‘Defund’ Military 

(Bloomberg) -- The White House accused GOP lawmakers of seeking to “defund” the military, seizing on an agreement to elect Kevin McCarthy speaker of the House that may lead to defense spending cuts. 

 “This push to defund our military in the name of politics is senseless and out of line with our national security needs,” White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said in a statement.

“There is bipartisan opposition to defense cuts because making us less capable of keeping the American people safe and advancing our national security interests would be a profound mistake that our nation cannot afford.” 

As part of the arrangement with conservative dissidents to win the speaker’s gavel on the 15th ballot early Saturday, McCarthy agreed to insist on capping discretionary spending across the government at $1.47 trillion for fiscal 2024 — about $130 billion less than in 2023.  

Some GOP lawmakers say that no part of the government should be spared, including the Pentagon.  

Read more ....  

 WNU Editor: Republicans de-funding the US military?!?!?!? I sincerely doubt it. 

 White House Say Republicans Want To Defund The US Military

GOP prepares to battle itself over defense spending -- Politico 

GOP battles with itself over possibility of defense cuts -- The Hill 

GOP's defense divide -- Axios

Here Are The Concessions That Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) Had To Make For Speakership

Kevin McCarthy approaches Gaetz and Boebert because he needed 216 votes to win. pic.twitter.com/o6VBsbwVVV

— The Republican Accountability Project (@AccountableGOP) January 7, 2023

Zero Hedge: Here Are The Concessions McCarthy Had To Make For Speakership 

After four grueling days and 15 votes, Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) is finally Speaker of the House - but not without having made a pile of concessions to a group of hard-line Republicans who think he'll be too accommodating to uniparty interests. 

The last vote came after a dramatic scene, where during the 14th vote Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) threw a wrench in the gears - voting 'present,' which left McCarthy just one vote short of victory. 

McCarthy - who clearly thought he had a deal, stormed up to Gaetz and exchanged words, during which a visibly angry Rep. Mike Rodgers bolted towards Gaetz and had to be muzzled and restrained.

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: Here are the concessions that were made: 

1) As has been reported, it will only take a single congressperson, acting in what is known as a Jeffersonian Motion, to move to remove the Speaker if he or she goes back on their word or policy agenda.  

2) A “Church” style committee will be convened to look into the weaponization of the FBI and other government organizations (presumably the CIA, the subject of the original Church Committee) against the American people. 

3) Term limits will be put up for a vote.  

4) Bills presented to Congress will be single subject, not omnibus with all the attendant earmarks, and there will be a 72-hour minimum period to read them.  

5) The Texas Border Plan will be put before Congress. From The Hill: “The four-pronged plan aims to ‘Complete Physical Border Infrastructure,’ ‘Fix Border Enforcement Policies,’ ‘Enforce our Laws in the Interior’ and ‘Target Cartels & Criminal Organizations.'”  

6) COVID mandates will be ended as will all funding for them, including so-called “emergency funding.” 

7) Budget bills would stop the endless increases in the debt ceiling and hold the Senate accountable for the same.