James Carville On McCarthy’s Speakership: ‘When You Elect a Bowl Of Jell-O, What You Get Is a Bowl Of Jell-O’

Democratic strategist James Carville is largely unimpressed with Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s (R-CA) tenure as the top lawmaker in the House.

McCarthy has so far failed to get his conference to agree on a bill to avert a government shutdown, which will happen this weekend unless Congress and the president act. However, infighting among House Republicans has thwarted that effort. On Friday, legislation that would fund the government through October failed after 21 Republicans voted against it.

Carville appeared on Friday’s edition of The Beat on MSNBC, where host Ari Melber asked what he would do if he were McCarthy.

“Would there be something different you’d do for him?” Melber inquired.

“You know, when you elect a bowl of Jell-O, what you get is a bowl of Jell-O,” Carville replied, prompting the host to chuckle. “And it’s not gonna change! And the reason that they put him in there is because he was a bowl of Jell-O.”

The strategist went on to say that while McCarthy seems like a nice person, he is also “craven.”

“I mean, at some level, I guess he’s a personable guy,” he said. “As a human being, in one sense, you have some sympathy for him. And then you think about how craven he is and you say, ‘Nah, I don’t feel sorry for him. The hell with him.’ But I mean, it’s amazing what these people put him through to retain power. But again, I think just like, cruelty is largely the point. I think they enjoy causing Kevin McCarthy pain. I do. I think these are very cruel people.”

Watch above via MSNBC.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet Newsletter
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!