The Arm-Twisting, Back-Stabbing Battle for House Speaker
Oct 17, 2023
auto_awesome
Catie Edmondson, a congressional correspondent for The New York Times, discusses the ongoing battle for House Speaker in the House of Representatives. The podcast explores the race between Jim Jordan and Steve Scalise, Jordan's lobbying campaign, pressure tactics used to support Jordan, and the wider implications of the Speaker election on the Republican party and House dynamics. It also covers other topics such as the Gaza conflict and Trump's trial.
The absence of a speaker in the House of Representatives is causing a crippling effect on the government, hindering the passage of crucial legislation and negotiations for spending bills, which further complicates ongoing wars and the looming government shutdown.
Jim Jordan's intense lobbying campaign, using fear-based tactics and grassroots pressure, has led to lawmakers reversing their stance and potentially bringing the far-right faction's ideological approach to the forefront of decision-making if he becomes speaker.
Deep dives
Chaos in the House of Representatives
The House of Representatives has been without a speaker for three weeks, causing a crippling effect on the government. Without a speaker, crucial legislation cannot be passed, and aid to allies and negotiations for spending bills are at a standstill. This chaotic situation comes at a time when there are ongoing wars and a looming deadline for government shutdown. The absence of a speaker poses significant challenges for Congress and the nation.
The Candidates for Speaker: Scalise and Jordan
After the ousting of Speaker Kevin McCarthy, two candidates emerged for the position: Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan. Scalise, a longtime member of Republican leadership, is seen as more pragmatic and policy-oriented. On the other hand, Jordan, a co-founder of the House Freedom Caucus, is known for his conservative and disruptive tactics. Scalise initially had more support, but Jordan launched an intense lobbying campaign, using tactics such as social media exposure and relentless pressure on lawmakers to win their support. The campaign has already led to some lawmakers reversing their stance.
Jordan's Strategy and Potential Implications
Although Jordan initially faced opposition, his strategy seems to be working, with more lawmakers changing their stance in his favor. Jordan's plan is to win support through fear-based tactics, leveraging grassroots pressure and potential primary challenges for lawmakers who don't support him. Even if he doesn't initially win the speaker position, Jordan aims to create a political storm that would pressure lawmakers into eventually supporting him. If Jordan becomes speaker, it would potentially empower the far-right faction of the House Republican conference and bring their ideological approach to the forefront of decision-making in Congress.
The House of Representatives still has no speaker, crippling a vital branch of the government. And the Republican who seems to be in the strongest position to take the role, Jim Jordan of Ohio, was once called a “legislative terrorist” by a former speaker of his own party.
Catie Edmondson, who covers Congress for The Times, talks through the latest turns in the saga of the leaderless House.
Guest: Catie Edmondson, a congressional correspondent for The New York Times.
Analysis: With the world in crisis, House Republicans bicker among themselves, Carl Hulse writes.
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode