WATCH: Kevin McCarthy Insists Concessions Won’t Make Him a ‘Weaker Speaker’ as Reporters Surround and Grill Him at Capitol

Rep. Kevin McCarthy spoke with Capitol Hill reporters late Thursday night as he left the building where he lost 11 consecutive bids to become Speaker of a GOP-controlled House.

McCarthy has reportedly been in the process of giving up a number of concessions to the roughly 20 holdouts who are not voting for him. CNN’s Manu Raju was among the gaggle of reporters who asked McCarthy for updates and flatly asked if he was concerned. “I mean, you’re giving you’re giving one member the power to oust you if you’re a speaker, aren’t you?”

“That’s the way it’s always been, except for the last year. I think I’m very fine,” McCarthy replied before Raju reminded him that it was used over John Boehner.

Then an off-camera reporter, whose voice sounded very much like Fox News Chad Pergram, asked “does that inherently mean that you would be a weaker speaker?”

“No, it would only be a weaker speaker if I was afraid, and  I am not,” McCarthy answered in a manner that would appeal to fans of Eminem’s lesser hits. 

The interview continued in the manner such scrums continue. But McCarthy is NOT afraid he will be a “weaker speaker” presuming he ever gets the necessary votes to become Speaker of the House.

Watch above via CNN.