Know Your Enemy

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Republican congressman Kevin McCarthy always wanted to make history—and he did when, earlier this week, he became the first Speaker of the House to be ousted from the job after eight Republicans joined Democrats to approve a motion to vacate the position. How does a motion to vacate work? What events led to McCarthy's fall from grace? How deranged is the Republican caucus in the House, and how did they get that way? Were Democrats right to not bail out McCarthy? In this episode, Matt and Sam are joined by New York's Eric Levitz to provides answers to all these question—and more. 

Listen:

Todd Snider, "Conservative, Christian, Right Wing Republican, Straight, White, American Males" (2004)

Sources:

Robert Draper, Weapons of Mass Delusion: When the Republican Party Lost Its Mind (Penguin, 2022)

Eric Levitz,  "The GOP Is More Ungovernable Than Ever Before," New York, Jan 5, 2023

Ettingermentum, "The Art of Losing the Speaker's Gavel," Oct 3, 2023

Matthew Loh, "Mitch McConnell Says House Republicans Should Get Rid of the Motion to Vacate Because It 'Makes the Speaker's Job Impossible,'" Insider, Oct 5, 2023