# Will Kevin McCarthy be the next speaker? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 1, 2015, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121 "2015-10-01T10:36:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Celidin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Celidin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celidin)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2015, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/21 "2015-10-01T20:35:24Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > Where is the outrage? Like so many things in Washington now, the people who support Ms Clinton already knew the Benghazi hearings were a joke and a smear job. And the people who hate Ms Clinton also know it was a smear job, but don’t care and want to beat her at any cost. They’re probably more just mildly annoyed (as opposed to outraged) that McCarthy took away their veneer of plausible deniability. I really, really doubt there are that many people out there who though those hearings were legitimately about finding out “the truth”. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2015, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/22 "2015-10-01T20:42:56Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > If he gets the post, will he run out into traffic yelling “You’re next! You’re next!” ? > [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > Damn it, **Cal** , I came in to say exactly the same thing! Yeah, beat me to it, too. Was gonna post a [youtube link](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuL2QwsNeM8&t=1m52s) and everything. Can I be the first to scold him for trying to put George Newman’s TV station out of business? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2015, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/23 "2015-10-01T20:47:08Z")
Maybe best to just ignore it and let them get their jollies. A reasoning person, of that vanishing breed that we can convince with facts and evidence, they either have already reviewed the facts or will. Either way, they are no problem to Hillary. The people who will not be budged by facts and evidence have already decided. The, ah, “investigation” can go on for a week, month or another year, won’t matter. Some of _them_ might review the facts and evidence and change their mind, decide there isn’t anything there worth bothering about. Maybe they both live in the same district. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2015, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/24 "2015-10-01T21:08:15Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > And it wouldn’t be, because Sanders was **in no way involved** with the Benghazi investigation. McCarthy can’t claim that. You totally missed the point on that one. ---
**Author:** ![Octarine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/22d042/32.png) [@Octarine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octarine)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2015, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/25 "2015-10-01T21:10:10Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I think there’s a significant difference between the real obstruction of justice in the case of Watergate and the recreational outrage over Benghazi. > [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Nixon really was a crook and an ass etc., and the evidence of it was real and inarguable. > > No equivalence exists. Yes, but that’s a different debate. If you’re already in the mindset of “Hillary Clinton = mob boss”, there’s nothing at all remarkable about the statement. Even looking at it from the other side, it’s really not all that outrageous. Politicians have political motives. Meh. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2015, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/26 "2015-10-01T21:21:28Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I think there’s a significant difference between the real obstruction of justice in the case of Watergate and the recreational outrage over Benghazi. Not if your a Republican. Again, those who correctly believe the “scandal” was created out of whole cloth to discredit Clinton, will see his words as admitting that this is the case. Those who think the Bengazi attack was personally orchestrated by Clinton will view him as saying that the investigations were worth while because they brought to light the scheming of Clinton before the American people and prevented our great nation from falling into her clutches. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2015, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/27 "2015-10-01T21:30:45Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Or an alternative would be the Bernie Sanders campaign. If he was saying _“Everyone thought Hillary Clinton was unbeatable. But I presented a different message. And now her numbers are dropping.”_ nobody would think it was a plot. The difference is that Sanders didn’t use government resources to sponsor a full Congressional Investigation just to present his message. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2015, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/28 "2015-10-01T21:54:22Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I think there’s a significant difference between the real obstruction of justice in the case of Watergate and the recreational outrage over Benghazi. Yeah, but if you thought there was something behind the Benghazi “scandal,” you’d see that as a perfect parallel. And the people who think there’s something behind the Benghazi scandal are the people who put McCarthy into office in the first place, so they’re not likely to be put off by this “gaffe.” ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2015, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/29 "2015-10-02T02:54:31Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Yeah, but if you thought there was something behind the Benghazi “scandal,” you’d . . . . . . probably think there was nothing behind Watergate (if you considered the matter at all). ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2015, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/30 "2015-10-02T03:13:35Z")
I think McCarthy probably will be the next speaker, but I disagree that he gave Clinton a gift. This kind of thing definitely hurts Republicans, but it doesn’t help Clinton. The public strongly disapproves of her handling of Benghazi. The fact that Republicans were trying to use that for political gain reflects badly on Republicans, but doesn’t make her look any better. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2015, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/31 "2015-10-02T05:20:22Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > The public strongly disapproves of her handling of Benghazi. Well, I’d say that there’s a segment of the public who feels that way. That segment was 99.99% unlikely to vote for Hillary Clinton, regardless. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2015, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/32 "2015-10-02T05:32:29Z")
You’d better hope not: [http://www.pollingreport.com/hrc.htm](http://www.pollingreport.com/hrc.htm) 58% were dissatisfied with her handling of Benghazi. If 58% won’t vote for her it’s time to find a new candidate. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2015, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/33 "2015-10-02T12:48:37Z")
How much longer are you willing to wait for the polls to show anything of the sort? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2015, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/34 "2015-10-02T17:55:48Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > Yeah, a similar claim to his could have accurately been made by the Democrats with the Watergate investigation. > > “Nixon won a landslide election and appeared unbeatable. But now he’s about to be impeached. Why? because he’s a crook, but no one would have known that if not for the Watergate investigations we initiated.” > > This is one of those statements whose interpretation depends entirely on the political views of whoever is hearing it, and so will have basically no effect in terms of swaying people one way or the other. That’s ridiculous. Being impeached indicates rather more wrongdoing than dropping a few points in the polls. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2015, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/35 "2015-10-02T18:00:26Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > 58% were dissatisfied with her handling of Benghazi. “Strongly disapproves” (which is how you described public opinion in your earlier post) is a subset of “disapproves” (which is what the poll shows). For the record: yes, I’m a liberal. However, HRC makes me uncomfortable, for a variety of reasons, and I think she’s a serious flawed candidate. Despite this, I do believe that the Benghazi investigation has been blown into a partisan witch hunt by the Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2015, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/36 "2015-10-02T18:06:34Z")
Thanks to McCarthy, we now know that the Republicans do too. I vaguely recall a similar slip-up from Darrell Issa when he chaired the committee but I can’t find it now. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2015, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/37 "2015-10-02T18:13:05Z")
[McCarthy backpedals.](http://www.salon.com/2015/10/02/kevin_mccarthys_benghazi_clustermuck_gets_worse_the_likely_next_speaker_is_a_man_out_of_his_depth/) ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2015, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/38 "2015-10-02T18:23:04Z")
Not a good idea to force people to make excuses for you instead of voting for you. Time to wonder who the backup candidate is. From that link: > [@](#): > > As for McCarthy’s claim that he never intended to suggest that there’s a political angle to the Benghazi committee’s work, that argument might hold water if he’d only said it once. But he said the same thing several times, on television, where people saw it. “When we look at Hillary Clinton’s numbers today, America says they distrust her,” McCarthy said on “Fox & Friends.” “Why? Because they found out the truth about her. And the only way they found out that truth about it was the Benghazi select committee.” On CNN he said much the same thing, offering the Benghazi committee as part of his strategy to “win the argument to win the vote.” His message – which he’d clearly crafted well in advance of this spate of interviews – was that select committee investigations are a great way to win political arguments. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2015, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/39 "2015-10-02T18:33:44Z")
He simply misspoke. And misspoke. And then, misspoke. Which has nothing to do with being a Speaker. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2015, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/40 "2015-10-02T18:35:45Z")
“It’s OK to step on your dick. But you can’t jump up and down on it.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121.md?page=3)