Representative Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) said Friday on CNN’s “New Central” that Republicans were in a “very bad place” after Rep. Jim Jordan’s (R-OH) bid for the speakership failed a third time.
Reporter Manu Raju said, “This went in the wrong direction for Jim Jordan. He clearly does not have the votes. Is it time for him to withdraw?”
McCarthy said, “That’s a question for him. I think we’ll go to conference here shortly and see which direction we go in.”
Raju said, “Is this a problem for your party for him to continue on without a path to the speakership?”
McCarthy said, “It’s a problem for the party that we’re in this place to begin with. And it’s eight members here, crazy eight members led by Gaetz, that put us in a bad situation.”
Raju said, “Do you have an opinion?”
McCarthy said, “We’re in a very bad place right now, yes.”
Anchor Jake Tapper said, “Can I translate? I think I’m going to break out McCarthy to english dictionary if I can. So just two days ago, he was saying Jim Jordan is going to win on the first ballot. And that was the most honest I have seen McCarthy be about Jordan, when he says that’s going to be up to Jim. To me, that means, ‘Yeah man he’s got no path he needs to give it up.’ That’s what I took from that. That’s my translation.”
Raju said, “That is a fair translation.”
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