Jake Tapper Does ‘McCarthy-to-English’ Translation To Conclude Former Speaker Just Said Jordan Is Finished

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) offered a less-than-optimistic take on Rep. Jim Jordan’s (R-OH) chances of replacing him after Jordan failed on a third-floor vote to secure the job on Friday.

McCarthy was pressed by reporters on what Jordan should do next, saying, “That’s up to Jim.”

“Why wouldn’t you say what you think?” CNN’s Manu Raju pressed.

“We are in a very bad place right now. Yes,” McCarthy finally conceded as the was bombarded with other questions.

Jake Tapper and Raju then discussed McCarthy’s comments.

“We heard that Manu. Can I translate?” Tapper began, adding:

Think I’m going to break out my McCarthy-to-English, English-to-McCarthy dictionary. So just, if I, if I can…so two days ago, he was saying Jim Jordan’s going to win on the first ballot.

Right. And that was the most honest I’ve seen him, McCarthy About Jordan when he says that’s going to be up to Jim, to me that means, yeah, man, he’s got no path. He needs to give it up. That’s what I that’s what I took from that. That’s my translation.

“I think that’s a fair translation,” Raju replied, adding:

In fact, that’s a much different message that he had going into the chamber. I mean when I asked him in the chamber, he said, it’ll be fine. We’ll see how it goes. He knows where the votes are. He knows it’s going in the wrong direction. He knows that Jim Jordan cannot become speaker given the direction that this is headed here.

But did make some news as we were hearing. There is going to be a Republican meeting this afternoon to try to assess what to do here. And he made very clear they are not in a good place as Republican conference, which of course, is an understatement, given how bad things have gotten within the Republican conference about all of this. He continues to blame the same eight members, the Republicans who led this effort voted to oust him here, led by Congressman Matt Gaetz. He calls them the crazy eights led by Gaetz.

As of Friday afternoon, Jordan was still vowing to fight on to secure the speakership.

Watch the full clip above via CNN.