Kevin McCarthy to Fox & Friends: House Republicans Expressing ‘Concern’ over Liz Cheney’s Ability to Do What’s Best for GOP
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy addressed reports that the leadership role Rep. Liz Cheney might be in jeopardy during a Tuesday morning appearance on Fox & Friends.
In the past 24 hours former President Donald Trump and House Conference Chair Cheney have traded barbs over the definition of “the big lie“: should it connote the baseless claim that the 2020 election was rigged as Trump has deemed (it was not), or should it define how Trump and his surrogates have continued to foster the blatant lie that the election was stolen.
The political battle is over far more than the ephemeral meaning of a phrase made popular by Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels; it is really for the soul of the Republican party. Trump and his base present a more nativist and populist definition of the GOP, while Cheney represents more traditional conservative values.
Cheney notably voted to impeach Trump over his alleged role in fomenting his supporters to attack the Capitol on January 6th, which some have reported has made her something of a pariah within her caucus and is jeopardizing her leadership role.
Steve Doocy brought this up to Rep. McCarthy, noting “There are a number of reports out right now, Leader McCarthy, that some of your allies are saying ‘we’re unhappy with her in leadership because she voted to impeach President Trump,’ and now they’re vowing a vote to get rid of her. What can you tell us about that?”
“There’s no concern about how she voted on impeachment,” McCarthy replied. “That decision has been made. I have heard from members concerned about her ability to carry out the job as conference chair, to carry out the message.”
The House Minority Leader then pivoted to the GOP goal of winning back the majority of the House of Representatives and the “message” going forward. He then listed the issues that he sees as most important including “combatting Joe Biden,” the current state of border security, and his policies on small businesses and opening schools.
He then returned to the issue of Cheney’s future role as a leader within the House Republicans, signaling perhaps that he is ready to move on removing her from leadership. “I haven’t heard members concerned about her vote on impeachment, it’s more concerned about the job ability to do and what’s our best step forward that we can all work together instead of attacking one another”
Fox News had entirely ignored this latest front in the GOP “Civil War” over the past 24 hours until Doocy mentioned it to McCarthy Tuesday morning.
Watch above via Fox News.
