# 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:** 6
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2015, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/101 "2015-10-08T18:14:37Z")
Boehner is looking more and more like an elder statesman compared to these other people under consideration for the speakership. I truly wonder how they even manage to get elected. McCarthy, Webster, and Chaffetz. I just don’t get why people would vote for them. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2015, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/102 "2015-10-08T18:31:44Z")
It’s weird seeing my home town, Bakersfield, mentioned in national news. I mean, it’s never for anything good. I hate that place. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2015, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/103 "2015-10-08T18:36:18Z")
Obama should announce his support for Chaffetz. That will ensure that the House Republicans elect Pelosi. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2015, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/104 "2015-10-08T18:37:07Z")
> [@RandMcnally](#): > > It’s weird seeing my home town, Bakersfield, mentioned in national news. > > I mean, it’s never for anything good. I hate that place. I like Merle Haggard. Does that count? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2015, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/105 "2015-10-08T18:40:06Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > Obama should announce his support for Chaffetz. Oh, you ARE evil. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2015, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/106 "2015-10-08T18:41:52Z")
edit: way behind the times, apparently. I am slightly gobsmacked, though. ---
**Author:** ![yellowjacketcoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4bbf92/32.png) [@yellowjacketcoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowjacketcoder)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2015, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/107 "2015-10-08T19:03:52Z")
My first thought was that the Dems and Reps could compromise and choose an independent in the House as Speaker. Then [I checked](http://www.house.gov/representatives/) and found out there wasn’t one :smack: However, the Speaker [doesn’t \*have \* to be a Representative](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speaker_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives#Selection). They could pick one of [the non-voting members](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-voting_members_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives) from a territory or DC. They could even pick someone unrelated to the house entirely. I seriously doubt that would happen, though. EDIT: only [the representative from the Northern Mariana Islands](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Mariana_Islands%27_at-large_congressional_district) is actually independent. There’s your candidate! Double Edit: _WAS_ independent until 2009. [This page](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-voting_members_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives)is out of date ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2015, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/108 "2015-10-08T19:09:41Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > [This was about to come out, too](http://gotnews.com/breaking-exclusive-dc-sources-rep-kevin-mccarthy-rep-renee-ellmers-affair/) - maybe it’s got more to do with the decision than the Benghazi admission? Interesting. Almost the same thing happened only two Speaker’s ago. After Newt resigned as Speaker, the then favorite to take over took himself out of the running at the last minute because it was revealed he had an affair. (which then led to the election of Dennis Hastert, who in retrospect doesn’t appear to have been exactly a pillar of sexual propriety either) ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2015, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/109 "2015-10-08T19:10:49Z")
The guy after _him_ was paying blackmail to a boy he’d raped, but that wasn’t known at the time. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2015, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/110 "2015-10-08T20:02:27Z")
The party of Family Values[tm], ladies and gentlemen… ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2015, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/111 "2015-10-08T20:05:38Z")
But a consensual blowjob? Outrageous! ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2015, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/112 "2015-10-08T20:05:53Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > I’m betting they drag Paul Ryan kicking and screaming to the Speakership. Ryan has again rejected the opportunity, stating that he feels more usefull as chairman of Ways and Means. Which given the way Congress is acting these days, is probably really accurate. ---
**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 8, 2015, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/113 "2015-10-08T20:14:48Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Interesting. Almost the same thing happened only two Speaker’s ago. After Newt resigned as Speaker, the then favorite to take over took himself out of the running at the last minute because it was revealed he had an affair. > > (which then led to the election of Dennis Hastert, who in retrospect doesn’t appear to have been exactly a pillar of sexual propriety either) One wonders exactly what Bill Frist was fucking, given the apparent perversion qualifications for the job. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2015, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/114 "2015-10-08T20:20:38Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > Ryan has again rejected the opportunity, stating that he feels more usefull as chairman of Ways and Means. Which given the way Congress is acting these days, is probably really accurate. Congressional sources say Boehner has called Ryan twice today. He may be in a position where he is getting an offer he cannot refuse. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2015, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/115 "2015-10-08T20:22:17Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > Ryan has again rejected the opportunity, stating that he feels more usefull as chairman of Ways and Means. Which given the way Congress is acting these days, is probably really accurate. But how much good can he do at Ways and Means, if there’s the equivalent (or worse) of a vacuum in the Speaker’s office? Seems that he’s basically admitting that the job itself is a fuckup right now, and he doesn’t want to ruin his own career by stepping into it. How it seems to be shaping up is that anyone who might get widespread support in the party doesn’t want the job, and those that do want it are off their freakin’ rockers. I predict a longish extension of Boehner’s stay in Congress. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2015, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/116 "2015-10-08T20:23:51Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Congressional sources say Boehner has called Ryan twice today. He may be in a position where he is getting an offer he cannot refuse. Would Boehner be able to just walk away when he said and leave the position empty? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2015, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/117 "2015-10-08T20:23:55Z")
IfRyan doesn’t even want the job, how good could he be at it? How could he even get the votes? Helluva thing for a onetime rising star and recent VP nominee to do. He’s capping his career, and maybe ending it, if he doesn’t seize the moment. He’s only reinforcing the image of his party as inherently unable to govern, and maybe even knows that. > [@running\_coach](#): > > Would Boehner be able to just walk away when he said and leave the position empty? Yes. You can’t stop somebody from quitting. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2015, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/118 "2015-10-08T20:27:56Z")
Well, according to the WaPo’s Robert Costa, [Boehner’s personally asking Ryan to step up and take the gavel.](https://twitter.com/costareports/status/652211197840916483) > [@](#): > > BREAKING: BOEHNER IS PERSONALLY ASKING RYAN TO STEP UP AND BE SPEAKER, have spoken twice today by phone… ---
**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:** [October 8, 2015, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/119 "2015-10-08T20:29:39Z")
Ryan is a moron, but even he’s smart enough to see that trying to ride herd on the Republicans is like trying to corral a clowder of dispeptic wildcats. Mentally-challenged wildcats. On meth. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2015, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121/120 "2015-10-08T20:29:40Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Would Boehner be able to just walk away when he said and leave the position empty? I don’t think he would. He wants to have some kind of legacy better than leaving his party and the country in the lurch. I think this makes the so-called Freedom Caucus a much lamer duck than it makes Boehner. He is free to pass whatever he wants with the help of 30 Democrats, and kick the conservatives to the curb. They haven’t got the power to replace him. They just overplayed their hand and revealed themselves to be impotent. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-kevin-mccarthy-be-the-next-speaker/733121.md?page=7)