‘McCarthy’s Willingness to Be Humiliated Knows No Bounds’: Anderson Cooper Reacts to Failed Speakership Bid

Anderson Cooper offered a blunt assessment of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) after the Republican failed to secure the 218 votes necessary to become the next speaker of the House.

Republicans retook the chamber after November’s midterm elections, but have a narrow 222-212 majority. McCarthy could only afford to have four Republicans vote against him. In the end, 19 did so, casting serious doubt on his speakership bid. For good measure, a second vote also failed to deliver McCarthy a majority of votes.

As members cast their votes via roll call on the first ballot, CNN pundits reacted in real-time as McCarthy came up short despite his reported concessions to several holdouts.

In one concession, McCarthy agreed to allow a mere five members of the House to trigger a motion to vacate, which would mean the House would have to vote on whether to remove the speaker.

“That seems to be a recipe for chaos down the road,” Cooper said as votes were being cast.

“And it’s already significant leverage that they’ve given away to these far-right individuals,” said former Rep. Mondaire Jones (D-NY). “And yet they’re still not coming over to vote for him, which does suggest that the next speaker of the House will be Steve Scalise.”

“Their goal seems to be wanting to humiliate Kevin McCarthy and run him out of town,” Nia-Malika Henderson opined.

“Mission accomplished,” said CNN commentator David Axelrod.

“But it seems like McCarthy’s willingness to be humiliated knows no bounds,” Cooper said.

“You’re right,” replied Henderson. “Going hat in hand to Donald Trump, going hat in hand to some of these folks with some of the deals he’s already cut. They wanted more.”

Watch above via CNN.