Why Kevin McCarthy’s 'stumbling through unfortunate media appearances'

A few days after the January 6 attack on the US Capitol in 2021, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) criticized former President Donald Trump, saying he "bears responsibility for Wednesday’s attack on Congress by mob rioters."

However, it didn't take long for the GOP leader — who would eventually go on to endorse a second Trump presidency — to pivot.

The Washington Post reported three months later:

McCarthy pulled something close to a 180 on this, at least in his emphasis. 'Fox News Sunday' host Chris Wallace asked McCarthy about Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler’s (R-Wash.) claim that Trump had told McCarthy during the riot, 'Well, Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the election than you are.' McCarthy declined to confirm or deny it. What he did do, though, was suggest Trump had in fact responded sufficiently to his pleas for action.

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But even the California lawmaker's loyalty to Trump could not save his title, when he became the first to be ousted from the speakership.

In a Monday, April 22 op-ed published by MSNBC, Rachel Maddow Show producer Steve Benen writes, "it’s hardly a stretch to wonder whether the former House speaker is stumbling through unfortunate media appearances as part of an elaborate audition to serve on Team Trump."

He notes, "Earlier this month, McCarthy falsely claimed on Fox News that President Joe Biden tried to prevent Trump from running for a second term. In the same interview, the former speaker insisted that Democrats are being driven “crazy” by how much Americans love Trump."

Benen then points to McCarthy's Sunday, April 21 Fox News interview, in which the ex-Speaker argued, “Why wouldn’t Joe Biden, caring about the voters, say, ‘You know what? This is wrong. If I had nothing to do with this, they should not have this trial right now so the American people could actually spend time on what the issues are.’ I think that’s even, that would be the real position for this Biden to take.”

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The host contended that it seemed like McCarthy was encouraging Biden to “meddle with the justice system.

Benen raises the question, "What, exactly, does McCarthy hope to achieve by constantly appearing in the media and clumsily peddling partisan talking points?"

The MaddowBlog editor emphasizes, "I think we know the answer. In December, when the Californian formally endorsed Trump’s candidacy, he publicly conceded that he was willing to serve in Trump’s cabinet if the former president returns to the White House."

Benen's full op-ed is available here.