‘They Want His Head on a Platter’: CNN’s Abby Phillip Declares GOP Rebels Humiliating McCarthy is ‘Personal’

CNN anchor Abby Phillip offered her take on what the House GOP rebels really want in their ongoing effort to block Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) from becoming House speaker – arguing it’s not about policy, it’s “personal.”

“So, you know, I think the Scalise play needs to be made at the right moment if they actually do feel like they want to take out McCarthy,” said CNN’s Kasie Hunt Wednesday as McCarthy failed to win yet another round of voting.

“But I do think they have kind of given away the game here. I mean, at this point, they’re willing to put anybody’s name forward,” replied Phillip, referring to Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) who was nominated for speaker in the latest round of voting.

“None of those people are going to get 218. I think that that kind of reveals this for what it is, which is, as Jamie was saying, it’s a personal, it’s a personality issue,” Phillip continued, adding:

It’s the fact that they don’t like Kevin McCarthy personally. As far as I’m aware, Congressman Donalds hasn’t said anything differently about how he would run the House of Representatives. He voted for McCarthy twice before he voted against him.

And in fact, I think that’s, I mean, for some of these, as we’ve been calling them, rebels, it is, I think, a legitimate question whether they have gotten assurances from anyone about how the House would be run in a way that is different, that is less swampy, that is more appealing to them. So far, that has not been said. And I think that they’re revealing what underlies all of this, which is just personally, McCarthy is unpalatable to them. They want to humiliate him. They want his head on a platter. And how long are they going to continue with this in order to get to that end?

“Byron Donald’s just had a chance to tell them to stop,” interjected John King.

“And Byron Donalds just had a chance to say enough and vote for Kevin McCarthy and say it’s time to get serious. But remember, Mike Gallagher again, Kevin McCarthy has rolled out for every one of these votes, a prominent conservative that all of these rebels like and respect to nominate him, hoping it would make a difference. It has changed nothing,” King concluded.

Watch the full clip above via CNN