5 Craziest Moments of Kevin McCarthy’s Marathon Floor Speech — From Shoutouts to Elon Musk, to Trump Being Robbed of a Nobel Prize

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) spoke for eight hours and thirty-two minutes on the House floor, setting a new record Friday for the longest House floor speech in history.

McCarthy spoke into the early morning in an unwieldy speech, meant to delay a vote on Joe Biden’s Build Back Better agenda, that covered everything from the assassination of Abraham Lincoln to Donald Trump being robbed of a Nobel Peace Prize to a Chinese General allegedly mocking Americans for taking fentanyl.

McCarthy discussed more relevant topics to today’s politics as well, tearing into Democrats for their recent censure of Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) and what he sees as their reckless spending and authoritarian-like “one-party rule” over the House. McCarty was heckled by opposition members often during his marathon remarks.

“This is the longest one minute in the history of this body,” McCarthy said as he wrapped up speaking at 5:10 in the morning, referencing the regular “one-minute” floor speech allotment. McCarthy was able to speak for as long as he wanted due to the “Magic Minute” rule, which allows speeches by each party’s leader to count as only one minute, regardless of actual length.

Here are 5 of the craziest moments from McCarthy’s speech:

1. Complaining Donald Trump Did Not Get a Nobel Peace Prize

McCarthy suggested Trump should have received a Nobel Peace Prize, as he claimed Democratic presidents have received them for less.

“Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama, not Ronald Reagan or Donald Trump after the Abraham Accords,” McCarthy said of the prize’s recipients.

Trump has previously boasted about deserving a Nobel Peace Prize for the Abraham Accords which saw various Middle Eastern countries establish diplomatic relations with Israel.

2. McCarthy’s Parting Blow to Democrats

McCarthy concluded his speech by accusing Democrats of acting hysterically and suggesting some may not be here next term, referencing the GOP’s rising hopes to reclaim the House majority as Biden’s popularity sinks.

“There are times in people’s lives when they act emotionally when they don’t want to hear the truth coming at them,” he said. “I don’t know if that’s the reason they acted the way they did; it could be.”

“I don’t believe ill will on them. I won’t bring a censure,” he continued. “I’m not sure they will be back here next time,” he concluded before yielding back and ending his speech.

3. ‘They Now Want to Dictate… WHERE I CAN LOOK!’

At one point when McCarthy was told to address the chair, he snapped, “I can look anywhere I want, Mr. Speaker! Mr. Speaker, I cannot believe the amount of control one-party rule wants! Do they now want to dictate to a member on the floor where I can look?! Are you afraid of the basis of the information in the bill?!”

4. AOC Shouts Back 

McCarthy read a quote from Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) who recently said no one elected President Biden to be FDR — eliciting responses from the floor.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) can allegedly be heard shouting back, “I did!” The moment that made headlines coupled with Ocasio-Cortez’s blistering critique of the speech from the House cloakroom on social media.

5. Cites Good Friend Elon Musk (Who Took Business Out of His Home State)

McCarthy referenced how he’s “seen a lot of business in California leave and go to the city of Austin,” before bringing up “a good friend of mine, Elon Musk.”

Before mentioning his desire to buy a Tesla, but saying he couldn’t afford one, McCarthy praised Musk for taking his business out of California — despite being a member of the state’s congressional delegation.

He built a car company when others were already developed, said he couldn’t do it. He risked his wealth to do it, he’s pretty dang successful. A state rep in California — I can’t used the language they used on the floor, it started with an F — tweeted at Elon, because he wanted to expand his business. So he left… When Elon got to Austin, he said if you cut the police and make crime like the place he just left, he won’t stay.

Watch above.

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