# House Speaker Contest **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 12, 2022, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770 "2022-11-12T00:48:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 53
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1041 "2023-01-05T17:16:14Z")
> [@lum\_s\_husband](#): > > Since this problem is within the Democrats’ power to resolve, the question is whether they are truly the “adults in the room” with a desire to govern. Ummm…what?!? The Democrats are in the minority. They have been voting as a block for the elected leader of their caucus. I don’t see how this is in their power to resolve. At any point if 6 Republicans wish to join them in voting for Jeffries this mess would be quickly resolved. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1042 "2023-01-05T17:18:56Z")
I imagine insulting the Democrats, as the R schmucks-at-the-mike have been doing while purportedly making nominations, doesn’t make any of the Ds want to leap into McCarthy’s arms. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1043 "2023-01-05T17:19:22Z")
calling a vote to adjourn, that barely squeaked through, a victory. seriously! ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1044 "2023-01-05T17:21:15Z")
> [@lum\_s\_husband](#): > > Since this problem is within the Democrats’ power to resolve, the question is whether they are truly the “adults in the room” with a desire to govern. Come on. _Really?_ That’s like telling an abused spouse they are the ones who could stop the abuse by simply giving in totally to their abuser. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1045 "2023-01-05T17:22:28Z")
MSNBC headline: [Kevin McCarthy did this to himself](https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/kevin-mccarthy-doomed-his-own-house-speaker-run-rcna64231) ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1046 "2023-01-05T17:23:52Z")
Well, there’s McCarthy nominated. Now, Jeffries is being nominated. Any idea who the Howler Monkey Caucus will nominate today? Donalds again? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1047 "2023-01-05T17:24:00Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > If once you have paid them the Pain-geld > You’ll never get rid of the pain. Given Kevin’s apparent agreement that any one member of the House can move that the Speaker be kicked out, I was thinking of a different meaning of “geld”. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1048 "2023-01-05T17:26:24Z")
It’ll be Donalds again, for the crazies. He’s being nominated now. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1049 "2023-01-05T17:26:57Z")
This NC dude is loud… I guess that is worth something. Now he’s shaming James for not voting for the black guy by saying “we could have voted for the first Black Speaker”… which of course gets the Democrats applauding. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1050 "2023-01-05T17:29:36Z")
more than 20 republicans are clapping for this, are they just clapping for a republican speech? ---
**Author:** ![lum\_s\_husband](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lum_s_husband/32/3698_2.png) [@lum\_s\_husband](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lum_s_husband)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1051 "2023-01-05T17:30:34Z")
It depends on how much of a problem not having a Speaker or being able to conduct business is. It’s not as if Democrats cannot vote for whichever Republican candidate has the most votes within the R caucus. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1052 "2023-01-05T17:32:54Z")
democrats will only vote present or not be in the room. they will not vote for a republican, esp. this republican. the republicans have 222 people, they need 218 to get a speaker. they do not need a democrat to vote for them. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1053 "2023-01-05T17:33:27Z")
I think they are just clapping for the boilerplate “serve the people” blah blah blah. Here comes the Bible verse. This Bishop fellow is very preachy. And not very coherent. But whatever - let’s get to the 212-202-20 vote! ETA: Clerk sounded very resigned with the “Let’s call the roll…” ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1054 "2023-01-05T17:35:31Z")
Please remind me, how many Donalds votes does it take to snuff Kevin assuming everyone votes? ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1055 "2023-01-05T17:35:47Z")
Five. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1056 "2023-01-05T17:35:48Z")
> [@lum\_s\_husband](#): > > It’s not as if Democrats cannot vote for whichever Republican candidate has the most votes within the R caucus. Likewise, Republicans could vote for Jeffries, who thus far has topped the vote count every time. It’s not the Democrats’ responsibility to mitigate the malicious chaos in the Republican Party, especially when doing so is likely to result in the Republican Party immediately attacking Democrats and continuing to do so for the next two years. They have every incentive to let the GOP flounder for a while. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1057 "2023-01-05T17:36:15Z")
And Donalds is on the scoreboard. One vote now. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1058 "2023-01-05T17:37:10Z")
He’s already up to 4, and they’re not out of the 'B’s. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1059 "2023-01-05T17:40:34Z")
There he goes down again. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1060 "2023-01-05T17:40:39Z")
Five for Donalds now, and CNN is saying that McCarthy just lost. Again. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770.md?page=52) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770.md?page=54)