# The Impending Attempt to Oust Speaker McCarthy {10/1/2023}; Patrick McHenry is now Speaker Pro Tempore {2023-10-03} **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 1, 2023, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-impending-attempt-to-oust-speaker-mccarthy-10-1-2023-patrick-mchenry-is-now-speaker-pro-tempore-2023-10-03/990958 "2023-10-01T15:58:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**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:** [October 3, 2023, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-impending-attempt-to-oust-speaker-mccarthy-10-1-2023-patrick-mchenry-is-now-speaker-pro-tempore-2023-10-03/990958/161 "2023-10-03T18:58:36Z")
on to a gentleman from oklahoma. and now on to gaetz. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2023, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-impending-attempt-to-oust-speaker-mccarthy-10-1-2023-patrick-mchenry-is-now-speaker-pro-tempore-2023-10-03/990958/162 "2023-10-03T19:03:11Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > McCarthy continues to grin. I wonder whether he has some awful trick up his sleeve, like, his secret list of pro temp Speakers is topped by Donald Trump or something. First, buddy, it’s _pro tem_. C’mon. Second, as @That_Don_Guy mentioned, the replacement has to be a member of the house. Pay attention! ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2023, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-impending-attempt-to-oust-speaker-mccarthy-10-1-2023-patrick-mchenry-is-now-speaker-pro-tempore-2023-10-03/990958/163 "2023-10-03T19:08:02Z")
I would consider it quite possible that he put a Democrat on it, and will make a statement along the lines that “By doing this, you’re putting a weapon in the hands of our enemies” or something similar. He probably realizes he’s out temporarily, but is planning on making his points for his comeback to the position later today/this/week/month. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2023, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-impending-attempt-to-oust-speaker-mccarthy-10-1-2023-patrick-mchenry-is-now-speaker-pro-tempore-2023-10-03/990958/164 "2023-10-03T19:17:08Z")
I understand why Democrats would vote to remove. I definitely had no problem with them rejecting the motion to vacate. But I rather wish they would vote to keep McCarthy. Not because I have any love for the man but because all this will do otherwise is just grind everything to a halt yet again to no productive outcome. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2023, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-impending-attempt-to-oust-speaker-mccarthy-10-1-2023-patrick-mchenry-is-now-speaker-pro-tempore-2023-10-03/990958/165 "2023-10-03T19:17:49Z")
Boebert didn’t vote no. Does that mean something? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2023, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-impending-attempt-to-oust-speaker-mccarthy-10-1-2023-patrick-mchenry-is-now-speaker-pro-tempore-2023-10-03/990958/166 "2023-10-03T19:27:47Z")
Probably she was too distracted by ants in her pants or too high to remember which way she’d been told to vote. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2023, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-impending-attempt-to-oust-speaker-mccarthy-10-1-2023-patrick-mchenry-is-now-speaker-pro-tempore-2023-10-03/990958/167 "2023-10-03T19:28:35Z")
Just to make sure I’m reading the right articles. It was the Motion to Table that failed and so now the Motion to Vacate is proceeding. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2023, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-impending-attempt-to-oust-speaker-mccarthy-10-1-2023-patrick-mchenry-is-now-speaker-pro-tempore-2023-10-03/990958/168 "2023-10-03T19:29:22Z")
Since Gaetz indicated he saw no reason to not keep bringing up the motion even if it failed the first time, I think productive work was off the table for the future anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Airbeck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/airbeck/32/6574_2.png) [@Airbeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airbeck)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2023, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-impending-attempt-to-oust-speaker-mccarthy-10-1-2023-patrick-mchenry-is-now-speaker-pro-tempore-2023-10-03/990958/169 "2023-10-03T19:31:50Z")
If the Dems save McCarthy, then they own McCarthy and the MAGAs can blame them for all disfunction between now and the election, and they’d be saving someone they know cannot be trusted. Letting the GOP solve their own civil war keeps the disfunction entirely on the GOP side. I agree that things may get dicey with respect to the next potential shutdown in 45 days, but that was already going to be dicey. McCarthy started the Trump Jan 6th whitewashing when he traveled to pay respects to Trump and totally reversed himself. I can’t ever forgive that, so I’m sure they can’t either. ---
**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:** [October 3, 2023, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-impending-attempt-to-oust-speaker-mccarthy-10-1-2023-patrick-mchenry-is-now-speaker-pro-tempore-2023-10-03/990958/170 "2023-10-03T19:32:42Z")
I just started watching ten minutes ago. Do Dems get to speak (or want to speak)? ---
**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:** [October 3, 2023, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-impending-attempt-to-oust-speaker-mccarthy-10-1-2023-patrick-mchenry-is-now-speaker-pro-tempore-2023-10-03/990958/171 "2023-10-03T19:35:53Z")
They appear to be playing this completely “hands off.” I don’t expect any Dems to speak. It’s a Republican mess. Let them clean it up. If McCarthy is ousted, Republicans will be forced to make concessions to Dems in order to name a new Speaker. There’s no downside for Dems to let Republicans hang themselves separately. IMHO. ---
**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:** [October 3, 2023, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-impending-attempt-to-oust-speaker-mccarthy-10-1-2023-patrick-mchenry-is-now-speaker-pro-tempore-2023-10-03/990958/172 "2023-10-03T19:40:52Z")
That’s pretty much what the panelists on CNN are saying: that the Dems don’t really have to or want to do anything. They can just sit back, and watch the split in the Republicans grow wider. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2023, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-impending-attempt-to-oust-speaker-mccarthy-10-1-2023-patrick-mchenry-is-now-speaker-pro-tempore-2023-10-03/990958/173 "2023-10-03T19:42:38Z")
Even if McCarthy gets ousted, I don’t think Gaetz is going to get the speaker he wants. We might even get a speaker to the left of McCarthy. (Not moderate, just someone further from Gaetz). ---
**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:** [October 3, 2023, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-impending-attempt-to-oust-speaker-mccarthy-10-1-2023-patrick-mchenry-is-now-speaker-pro-tempore-2023-10-03/990958/174 "2023-10-03T19:49:20Z")
I don’t have a clue who Gaetz would want as Speaker. ISTM the only thing he and his fellow bomb throwers want is to bring the Federal government down. Period. They want to crash it and since they couldn’t get there with refusing to vote for the 45 day spending bill they will do it by voting McCarthy out and shutting the House down. Pretty much the same result. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2023, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-impending-attempt-to-oust-speaker-mccarthy-10-1-2023-patrick-mchenry-is-now-speaker-pro-tempore-2023-10-03/990958/175 "2023-10-03T19:50:51Z")
Government will be operating, only the House will be a mess for a bit. I don’t think this is close to as bad as a shutdown and might actually be a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2023, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-impending-attempt-to-oust-speaker-mccarthy-10-1-2023-patrick-mchenry-is-now-speaker-pro-tempore-2023-10-03/990958/176 "2023-10-03T19:52:01Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > I don’t have a clue who Gaetz would want as Speaker. Does he care? Or does he just want to be known to his friends as The Kingslayer ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2023, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-impending-attempt-to-oust-speaker-mccarthy-10-1-2023-patrick-mchenry-is-now-speaker-pro-tempore-2023-10-03/990958/177 "2023-10-03T19:52:19Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Or does he just want to be known to his friends as The Kingslayer I think you have it, that is mostly what this is about. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2023, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-impending-attempt-to-oust-speaker-mccarthy-10-1-2023-patrick-mchenry-is-now-speaker-pro-tempore-2023-10-03/990958/178 "2023-10-03T19:53:58Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Boebert didn’t vote no. Does that mean something? She’s supporting McCarthy on this even though she never voted for him for Speaker. Why? She barely won her district last time and that was before her theater hanky panky. Maybe she thinks she needs to adjust her reputation. ---
**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:** [October 3, 2023, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-impending-attempt-to-oust-speaker-mccarthy-10-1-2023-patrick-mchenry-is-now-speaker-pro-tempore-2023-10-03/990958/179 "2023-10-03T19:56:26Z")
Gaetz wants someone he can better bully. After watching him now for a while, he’s an asshole and I disagree with him strongly but he’s very smart. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2023, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-impending-attempt-to-oust-speaker-mccarthy-10-1-2023-patrick-mchenry-is-now-speaker-pro-tempore-2023-10-03/990958/180 "2023-10-03T19:56:27Z")
Or she’s just holding out for an offer from either party, or whomever starts coming up as a possibility for the new Speaker. Being entirely mercenary without any defined ethics can be a winning tactic for her. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-impending-attempt-to-oust-speaker-mccarthy-10-1-2023-patrick-mchenry-is-now-speaker-pro-tempore-2023-10-03/990958.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-impending-attempt-to-oust-speaker-mccarthy-10-1-2023-patrick-mchenry-is-now-speaker-pro-tempore-2023-10-03/990958.md?page=10)