Popcorn and memes: US Democrats find humour in ‘speakergeddon’ | Politics News

With Republican infighting over speaker persisting, many Democrats shared lighthearted takes on the voting marathon.

The normally straightforward process of picking a speaker of the US House of Representatives has entered its fourth day on Friday with no clear winner in sight.

After the 11th inconclusive ballot for speaker Thursday evening, Democratic Congresswoman Cori Bush jokingly begged for the “speakergeddon” to stop.

Earlier, Alaska Representative Mary Pelota posted a photo of a teary-eyed cat with the caption “screams internally” in reaction to the prospect of another vote.

And before the voting marathon began on Tuesday, Congressman Ted Lieu – a California Democrat – shared a picture of himself holding a bag of popcorn in a dig at the Republican-led, theatre-like drama that would unfold.

Democrats have decried their Republican rivals’ inability to agree on a speaker, which has left the House practically paralysed.

While warning of serious consequences for the country and nation if the House remains without a speaker, many Democratic lawmakers have also found humour in the Republican infighting and seemingly never-ending rounds of voting on the House floor.

About to go to the House Floor. pic.twitter.com/81QVxmbHBb

— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) January 3, 2023

Several legislators have shared memes and jokes this week while enduring round after round of roll call voting, where all 434 present members publicly shout the name of their preferred candidate for speaker.

Late on Thursday, the House adjourned after its 11th attempt to elect a speaker, with the newly elected Republican majority still falling short of uniting behind a candidate.

As the chamber reconvenes for a 12th ballot on Thursday, it remains unclear whether GOP leader Kevin McCarthy will secure a majority to take the speaker’s gavel amid continuing far-right opposition.

Progressive Congressman Mark Pocan noted that different Republican members have formally nominated McCarthy for speaker in each round of voting, but he remains far from the 218-vote majority he needs.

“So if Kevin McCarthy holds his losing 201 votes, we can expect 200 vote series to ensure everyone has a chance to deliver their own failing speech for him,” Pocan wrote on Twitter. “Going to have to order a couple cartons of snickers’ bars…”

Congressman Chuy Garcia, an Illinois Democrat, invoked the movie, Home Alone – in which a boy named Kevin defends his house from burglars – to criticise McCarthy.

The only Kevin that can defend a house pic.twitter.com/slcV0ZNkxp

— Congressman Chuy García (@RepChuyGarcia) January 4, 2023

 

“15th time is the charm,” Congresswoman-elect Summer Lee wrote on Twitter on Wednesday after the sixth vote, in an apparent hyperbolic prediction.

Lee, like all other members of the House, will not be sworn in until the chamber gets a speaker.

“I’m not a congresswoman, yet,” Vermont Representative-elect ​​Becca Balint said in a cheerful, short song she posted on Twitter late on Tuesday. By Friday morning, she still was not an official House member.

Final update from the day: pic.twitter.com/nwRgsVIlUA

— Becca Balint for Congress (@BeccaBalintVT) January 4, 2023

As far as yet-to-take-the-oath-of-office freshman legislators go, Republican George Santos – who had made up key parts of his life story and work experience on the campaign trail – has received the most media attention on Capitol Hill this week.

With Santos backing McCarthy, who has resisted calls to push the newly elected member to resign, some Democrats have poked fun at both Republicans.

“Republicans have had a cornucopia of members nominate McCarthy but not their Nobel Peace prize and Heisman awardee, spelling bee champ and B’nai Brith Jew of the Decade, George Santos,” Congressman Steve Cohen wrote on Twitter.

Earlier this week, Republican Congresswoman Kat Cammack accused Democrats of bringing “popcorn and blankets and alcohol” to the speaker’s vote.

“If only! If Dems took a shot every time McCarthy lost a Republican, we’d all be unconscious by now,” Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a left-wing Democrat, responded on Twitter.

This baby was born on the first round of votes. He’s now 4 months old 👶🏻 pic.twitter.com/RVJFkhg7Sq

— Rep. Tony Cárdenas (@RepCardenas) January 3, 2023