From our correspondent in the United States,
For the eleventh time in three days, the verdict fell, Thursday evening, like a scratched record: “No nominee having received the majority of votes, no Speaker was elected. But if the factions have stuck to their guns and Kevin McCarthy failed to convince one of 20 slingers to vote for him as Speaker of the House in five new rounds of voting, his camp reported “progress” in negotiations, which might be completed on Friday.
We have to go back to 1859, before the American Civil War, to find such a blockage. The elected African-American John James may well recall that the current divisions are “less gaping” than at the time between abolitionists and slaveholders, nothing has helped. Round following round, the 20 rebels, mostly elected members of the Freedom Caucus, a parliamentary group that wants the head of Kevin McCarthy – or at least force him to turn right and cut spending – have not given in. Neither did McCarthy’s supporters, 90% of Republicans.
One voice for Donald Trump
In this duel, no one wants to blink first. Matt Gaetz, one of 20 “Never Kevins”, played trolls and named Donald Trump – by taking advantage of the fact that the Constitution does not require a Speaker to be elected. But no one followed him, with his only voice for Trump. A sign that the hold of the ex-president on the Republican Party is undoubtedly crumbling.
Lauren Boebert, who posed with her family for Christmas in 2021 brandishing a gun, also refuses to lay down her arms, tweeting: “When the country is being destroyed at an unprecedented level, sometimes you have to do unprecedented things to get him back on track. We are fighting to save America, and we will not back down. »
Reported progress
On the carpet of the Chamber, we have seen for three days elected officials from all sides discussing, negotiating, joking or clashing. But it is behind the scenes, in the parliamentary offices that everything is played out. Thursday morning, McCarthy had accepted one of the main demands of the objectors: that only one elected person can file a motion of censure once morest a Speaker, a measure seen as a safeguard.
In the evening, one of McCarthy’s lieutenants, Patrick Henri, reported “progress” giving way to measured optimism. According to American journalists, the McCarthy camp made a written compromise proposal. It would notably include expanded power for the Freedom caucus in the committees, and also commitments to tackle the debt – which might put Joe Biden in trouble when he has to raise the ceiling to avoid a default in the next few years. month.
Will that be enough to bring the lines together? With 222 Republicans, Kevin McCarthy’s margin is tiny. He needs to convince regarding fifteen slingers to join him, and a few others to vote “present” so that he can win by beating Democrat Hakeem Jeffries (212 votes), without necessarily reaching an absolute majority (218). During the vote to close the session until Friday noon (6 p.m. Paris time), all but three Republicans closed ranks. The outcome may be near.
