Prepare for some community-theatre-level of performance art from Republican House Speaker pro tem Kevin McCarthy as he tries (and likely fails) to elevate himself to the iconic status his predecessor Nancy Pelosi reached when she boldly confronted petulant president Donald Trump, as McCarthy sat nearby impotently watching. The Associated Press reports President Joe Biden will meet with McCarthy Wednesday to discuss various topics including resolving the debt limit crisis without jeopardizing the full faith and credit of the US economy, as a faction of the Republican House caucus wishes.
“I know the president said he didn’t want to have any discussion [on cuts], but I think it’s very important that our whole government is designed to find compromise,” McCarthy Sunday fully aware that the White House meeting had previously been set to discuss the debt ceiling while his caucus held up his temporary appointment as Speaker because they want their demands and won’t compromise. “I want to sit down together, work out an agreement that we can move forward to put us on a path to balance and at the same time not put any of our debt in jeopardy at the same time.”
Side note: Most people forget that the image above–an official White House photo (trimmed slightly in this version)–became public after Trump himself tweeted it with the comment, “Nervous Nancy’s unhinged meltdown!” Never one to miss an opportunity to shoot himself in the foot–perhaps a Trump family tradition to get out of military service–Trump touted the photo as him being tough. The public saw it differently. Like when he thought “truthing” about the FBI warranted search of Mar-a-Lago for classified documents he stole would make him look like a victim to any other than his base–even though the FBI took great steps to keep it confidential.