Washington: United States President Joe Biden, on Wednesday, called the inability of the House Republicans ’embarrassing’ for not being able to select a Speaker as party infighting continued for a second day.
While talking with the reporters, Biden reportedly said, “That’s not my problem. I just think it’s a little embarrassing it’s taking so long and the way they’re dealing with one another,”
On the third day also, the White House failed to select the Speaker. And Representative Kevin McCarthy failed to secure the Speakership on the House’s sixth vote — and third of the day.
“The rest of the world is looking, and they’re looking at, you know, can we get our act together?” the President added as he prepared to host an infrastructure event with top Senate Republican Mitch McConnell in the minority leader’s home state, according to The New York Post.
“What I’m focused on is getting things done. And I’m going down to Ohio and Kentucky today to demonstrate we can get things done. We passed an enormous bill bipartisanly,” Biden continued.
“How do you think this looks to the rest of the world? We’re finally coming out of, you know, the first time we’re really getting through the whole issue relating to January 6th, things are settling out and now for the first time in 100 years, we can’t move? according to The New York Post
For the first time in 100 years, the US House of Representatives failed to elect a speaker on the first ballot after Top House Republican Kevin McCarthy fell short of a majority on the first ballot after failing to gain support from hardliners and other Republican representatives, CNN reported.
The tally for the first ballot in the speaker vote was 203 for McCarthy, with 19 Republicans voting for other candidates, in the second round it was 203 votes whereas, in the third round, there were 202 votes for McCarthy.
Notably, a candidate for speaker must receive a majority of votes cast on the House floor in order to be elected. If no member abstains or votes “present,” that totals 218 votes, CNN reported.
House Republicans hold 222 seats in the new Congress, so McCarthy could only afford to lose four GOP votes to reach 218.
Following the November elections, Republicans gained a majority in the chamber, and the new session adjourned on Tuesday. The next vote will take place on Wednesday or later.
After Kevin McCarthy got defeated in the first ballot, Nancy Pelosi took a sharp dig at Republicans and tweeted, “Democrats are unified behind our great new leadership – Republicans are in conflict. Democrats passed historic bills to deliver For The People – Republicans can’t even elect a Speaker. We’ve seen a Republican House – pure chaos. We CAN’T let them burn down what we’ve built. -NP”
According to The New York Post, US House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy did not receive the necessary number of votes to succeed Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) as Speaker on the first ballot, forcing the House to go to a second ballot for the first time in a century.
Kevin McCarthy became the first majority party leader in a century to be defeated on the first ballot.
(With agency inputs)