Kevin McCarthy is learning that you can set yourself on fire when you try to make everyone happy, especially after an insurrection.
Why it’s important: The Republican leader of the House hoped to seize this year to get the majority in 2022, but his efforts to save the intra-party divide over the siege of the Capitol have made him take heat from all directions, eroding his height both with the public as within his party.
The last test: McCarthy’s digital director Caleb Smith sent a good email to a group of GOP communications staff Saturday afternoon asking them to show their support for their boss.
- The subject read, “{GOP-New-Media} Retweet Request,” according to a copy of the email obtained by Axios.
- Smith wrote: “HuffPost and the Blue Checks have been in full force today trying to distort the words of leader McCarthy in an effort to further divide the United States. They deserve to be called. I would greatly appreciate your help in stepping back by making a tweet: https://twitter.com/GOPLeader/status/1353057765015449610. “
What they say: “Right now we’re eating for breakfast, lunch and dinner,” a McCarthy aide told Axios. The attendant requested anonymity to speak frankly about his boss’s situation.
The pressure increases on McCarthy financial, political and public.
- Business donors freeze him for challenging the Electoral College vote on January 6th.
- The media petitions him to say initially that “the president takes responsibility” for the Capitol attack, but that he modifies last week to say, “I don’t think he provoked him, if you listen to what he said concentration “.
- McCarthy was also successful for saying in an interview this weekend that “everyone” is responsible for the country’s political temperature.
- Meanwhile, the pro-Trump wing of his conference is angry with him for not condemning Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) More strongly after voting to accuse Trump.
Driving the news: McCarthy explained his comments Thursday during an interview this weekend with van Susteren. He also set limits on his support for Cheney, the conference chairman and House No. 3 Republican.
- “Look, I support her, but I also have concerns,” she said, adding that there are “many questions” she needs to answer during a conference meeting later this week.