Crash Course: GOP in massive turmoil — and it's delicious: Can Mitch and Kevin survive?

Maybe Republicans are finally over Trump! Ha ha, just kidding — but one way or another, they're eating themselves. [View in browser](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlVgRPP0Q2aHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL2xldHRlci82MzI5VwNzcGNCCmNjT39zY-0TG-tSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Your daily update from [Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlVgRPP0QWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL1cDc3BjQgpjY09_c2PtExvrUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). [Trump,-McConnell,-McCarthy] Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images GOP in massive turmoil — and it's delicious: Can Mitch and Kevin survive? Usually it's the Democrats ripping each other apart over an election loss, running around in circles casting blame, rushing to avoid responsibility and otherwise making everything worse. But they look like rank amateurs compared to the GOP, which is in the throes of the angriest political tantrum. The unexpected run of Democratic victories — they've already held the Senate, will come within a whisker of holding the House and have won a bunch of state-level races too — has shaken the foundations of both MAGA World and what used to be known as the Republican "establishment," although the difference between the two is not readily discernible these days. It's only in times of Trump scandal or electoral catastrophe that we can still glimpse some daylight between them. There's generally a round of hand-wringing and public disavowal from some of their important thought leaders and elected officials until they get word from the base that Donald Trump is still their daddy and they fall back into line. [Read more from Heather Digby Parton.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlVgRPP0RjaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMTQvaW4tbWFzc2l2ZS10dXJtb2lsLS1hbmQtaXRzLWRlbGljaW91cy1jYW4tbWl0Y2gtYW5kLWtldmluLXN1cnZpdmUvVwNzcGNCCmNjT39zY-0TG-tSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) [Marjorie-Taylor-Greene,-Kevin-McCarthy,-Jim-Jordan] Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images MAGA Republicans scheme to shiv Kevin McCarthy’s speaker bid unless he agrees to their demands House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., is preparing a bid for House speaker but conservatives on the House Freedom Caucus are plotting to block him from the position if he doesn't give into their legislative demands. McCarthy's nomination is relatively straightforward, as he only needs a majority of House Republicans to support him, but many members of the pro-Trump Freedom Caucus are preparing a two-step plan to keep him from the speakership, according to reporting from [Politico](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlVgRPP0RfaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cucG9saXRpY28uY29tL25ld3MvMjAyMi8xMS8xNC9ob3VzZS1nb3AtbGVhZGVyc2hpcC1lbGVjdGlvbnMtMjAyMi1lbGVjdGlvbnMtMDAwNjY2NjRXA3NwY0IKY2NPf3Nj7RMb61IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo). If they are able to postpone the Tuesday election, conservatives would discuss an alternative candidate to put forward in consensus, said the anonymous Republican, who also added that Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, is the most likely choice for the Freedom Caucus. According to Politico, the group's demands act as a strategy to allow members to oppose McCarthy even if all their conditions are met — they would also drastically reduce McCarthy's control over the legislative process if elected. [Read more from Samaa Khullar.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlVgRPP0RzaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMTQvbWFnYS1zY2hlbWUtdG8tc2hpdi1rZXZpbi1tY2NhcnRoeXMtc3BlYWtlci1iaWQtdW5sZXNzLWhlLWFncmVlcy10by10aGVpci1kZW1hbmRzL1cDc3BjQgpjY09_c2PtExvrUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "Incompetent": One by one, longtime Trump allies are [trashing him in public](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlVgRPP0R5aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMTQvaW5jb21wZXRlbnQtb25lLWJ5LW9uZS1sb25ndGltZS1hbGxpZXMtYXJlLXRyYXNoaW5nLWhpbS1pbi1wdWJsaWMtYWZ0ZXItbWlkdGVybS1mYWlsdXJlL1cDc3BjQgpjY09_c2PtExvrUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) after midterm failure - Ex-Mueller prosecutor: DOJ case against Trump [“gets stronger and stronger”](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlVgRPP0R3aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMTQvZXgtbXVlbGxlci1wcm9zZWN1dG9yLWRvai1jYXNlLWFnYWluc3QtZ2V0cy1zdHJvbmdlci1hbmQtc3Ryb25nZXItYWZ0ZXItbGF0ZXN0LWZpbGluZy9XA3NwY0IKY2NPf3Nj7RMb61IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) after latest filing - Experts predict "recombinant" COVID strains that blend the [worst aspects of multiple variants](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlVgRPP0Q_aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMTQvcmVjb21iaW5hbnQtc3RyYWlucy1leHBsYWluZXIvVwNzcGNCCmNjT39zY-0TG-tSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - [Changing "Interview with the Vampire"](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlVgRPP0RRaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMTMvaW50ZXJ2aWV3LXdpdGgtdGhlLXZhbXBpcmUtYWRhcHRhdGlvbi1yYWNlLWJlbmQvVwNzcGNCCmNjT39zY-0TG-tSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) made it more alluring while staying true to its spirit - Maintaining the ["Magpie Murders" main title mystery:](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlVgRPP0RNaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMTMvbWFncGllLW1haW4tdGl0bGVzLWJlbi1oYW5idXJ5LWh1Z2UtZGVzaWducy9XA3NwY0IKY2NPf3Nj7RMb61IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) The clues, the murders and a bird masquerade - [Don't fear the hot flash](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlVgRPP0SBaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMTMvZG9udC1mZWFyLXRoZS1ob3QtZmxhc2gtbWVub3BhdXNlLWlzbnQtYS1kaXNlYXNlLWJ1dC1pdC1pcy1hLWhlYWx0aC1pc3N1ZS13ZS1uZWVkLXRvLXRhbGstYWJvdXQvVwNzcGNCCmNjT39zY-0TG-tSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~): Menopause isn't a disease — but it is a health issue we need to talk about - A [Smitten Kitchen hack](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlVgRPP0R7aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMTMvYS1zbWl0dGVuLWtpdGNoZW4taGFjay13aWxsLXNtYXNoLXlvdXItc3F1YXNoLWFueGlldHktYW5kLXJlc3VsdC1pbi1jaGVlc3ktc3BpY3ktZ29vZG5lc3MvVwNzcGNCCmNjT39zY-0TG-tSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) will smash your squash anxiety (and result in cheesy, spicy goodness) - Tofu: To [press or not to press?](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlVgRPP0Q_aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMTMvdG9mdS10by1wcmVzcy1vci1ub3QtdG8tcHJlc3MvVwNzcGNCCmNjT39zY-0TG-tSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Not a subscriber yet? [Sign up](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlVgRPP0RVaHR0cHM6Ly9zYWxvbi51czgubGlzdC1tYW5hZ2UuY29tL3N1YnNjcmliZT91PTcxY2IzZThhNmU5NjM5YzgxMDIzY2Q0MjcmaWQ9NWRlZGEyYWFhN1cDc3BjQgpjY09_c2PtExvrUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) to receive Crash Course. [Newt-Gingrich,-Kevin-McCarthy] Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images It would be amazingly dumb for GOP to impeach Biden — so sure, go for it Here's a safe prediction for what that barely-there House GOP majority, under the so-called leadership of wannabe Speaker Kevin McCarthy, will be doing in 2023: All MAGA nonsense, all the time. The cornerstone of their agenda, if that's even the word, will be to impeach President Joe Biden on made-up charges based on conspiracy theories cooked up in the MAGA swamplands — maybe with a side dose of [debt-ceiling antics](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlVgRPP0RpaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTAvMTIvbmV3dC10aHJvd2JhY2stZ29wcy13aXNoLWlzLWJhY2stLXRoZXktd2FudC1hbm90aGVyLWdvdmVybm1lbnQtc2h1dGRvd24vVwNzcGNCCmNjT39zY-0TG-tSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) aimed at demanding steep cuts to the two most popular government programs, Social Security and Medicare. Because if their plan for power, after an election in which they nearly screwed the pooch, is to use that power to remind ordinary Americans of all the reasons they hate Republicans, why not go all the way? One would think that, after a midterm election in which GOP candidates lost dozens of offices they otherwise would have won, the momentum for impeachment Biden would slow down. Most voters hate Republican extremism and they especially hate [Trump's childish tantrums, the largest single factor](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlVgRPP0RsaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cucm9sbGluZ3N0b25lLmNvbS9wb2xpdGljcy9wb2xpdGljcy1uZXdzL2JpZGVuLWltcGVhY2htZW50LXRydW1wLXJlcHVibGljYW5zLW1pZHRlcm1zLTEyMzQ2MjU3NTUvVwNzcGNCCmNjT39zY-0TG-tSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) fueling the pressure to impeach Biden. In reality, however, the small margin Republicans will likely have in the House dramatically weakens McCarthy's already fragile control over his caucus. [As Areeba Shah reports for Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlVgRPP0R2aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMDkva25pdmVzLWFyZS1vdXQtZm9yLWtldmluLW1jY2FydGh5cy1kcmVhbS1vZi1iZWNvbWluZy1zcGVha2VyLWp1c3QtYmVjYW1lLWEtbmlnaHRtYXJlL1cDc3BjQgpjY09_c2PtExvrUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~), "a slim majority hands significant power to extreme right-wing members." To get anything done, McCarthy will have to beg those folks for votes. They'll be able to extract big concessions from him — such as impeaching Biden over literally nothing. [Read more from Amanda Marcotte.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlVgRPP0RkaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMTQvaXQtd291bGQtYmUtYW1hemluZ2x5LWR1bWItZm9yLXRvLWltcGVhY2gtYmlkZW4tLXNvLXN1cmUtZ28tZm9yLWl0L1cDc3BjQgpjY09_c2PtExvrUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "You Can Forget About Crypto Now," [The Atlantic](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlVgRPP0RmaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlYXRsYW50aWMuY29tL3RlY2hub2xvZ3kvYXJjaGl2ZS8yMDIyLzExL3NhbS1iYW5rbWFuLWZyaWVkLWJhbmtydXB0Y3ktY3J5cHRvLWZ0eC82NzIxMDQvVwNzcGNCCmNjT39zY-0TG-tSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "Ron DeSantis’ Wife Begins Her Stealth Campaign to Take Over the Country," [Slate](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlVgRPP0ReaHR0cHM6Ly9zbGF0ZS5jb20vbmV3cy1hbmQtcG9saXRpY3MvMjAyMi8xMS9yb24tZGVzYW50aXMtY2FzZXktZmxvcmlkYS1wcmVzaWRlbnQtZWxlY3Rpb24uaHRtbFcDc3BjQgpjY09_c2PtExvrUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "Basically everything on Amazon has become an ad," [Recode](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlVgRPP0R4aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudm94LmNvbS9yZWNvZGUvMjAyMi8xMS8xMC8yMzQ1MDM0OS9hbWF6b24tYWR2ZXJ0aXNpbmctZXZlcnl3aGVyZS1wcmltZS1zcG9uc29yZWQtcHJvZHVjdHM_Y3VyYXRvcj1NZWRpYVJFREVGVwNzcGNCCmNjT39zY-0TG-tSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "What you need to know about Elon’s inner circle at Twitter," [Vox](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlVgRPP0SMaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudm94LmNvbS9yZWNvZGUvMjAyMi8xMS8xMi8yMzQ1MjM5Ni9lbG9uLW11c2stdHdpdHRlci1qYXNvbi1jYWxhY2FuaXMtZGF2aWQtc2Fja3MtYWxleC1zcGlyby1qYXJlZC1iaXJjaGFsbC1pbm5lci1jaXJjbGUtd2FyLXJvb21XA3NwY0IKY2NPf3Nj7RMb61IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "The Quiet Invasion of 'Big Information'" [Wired](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlVgRPP0RLaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cud2lyZWQuY29tL3N0b3J5L2JpZy1pbmZvcm1hdGlvbi1yZWx4LXByaXZhY3ktc3VydmVpbGxhbmNlLWRhdGEvVwNzcGNCCmNjT39zY-0TG-tSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "10,000 brains in a basement: The dark and mysterious origins of Denmark's psychiatric brain collection," [CNN](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlVgRPP0RVaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuY25uLmNvbS8yMDIyLzExLzExL3dvcmxkL2Rlbm1hcmstYnJhaW4tY29sbGVjdGlvbi1zY24tc3BjLWludGwvaW5kZXguaHRtbFcDc3BjQgpjY09_c2PtExvrUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) [Donald-Trump,-Mike-Pence] Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images “Endangered me and my family”: Legal experts say Pence’s new interview may be evidence against Trump Former Vice President Mike Pence over the weekend called former President Donald Trump's rhetoric "reckless" and said Trump's speech ahead of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot "endangered" him and his family. "The president's words were reckless. It's clear he decided to be part of the problem," Pence told ABC News anchor David Muir. "The president's words that day at the rally endangered me and my family and everyone at the Capitol building." The interview was part of Pence's media tour to promote his new book "So Help Me God." While Pence has increasingly spoken publicly about Jan. 6 to promote his book, the former veep has been reluctant to sit for an interview with the House Jan. 6 committee and has privately complained about the panel. Pence's book and other public statements could be of interest to both the Justice Department and the Jan. 6 committee, [wrote](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlVgRPP0Q4aHR0cHM6Ly90d2l0dGVyLmNvbS9sYXdvZnJ1Ynkvc3RhdHVzLzE1OTA0OTk3MjQxNzEyMzUzMjhXA3NwY0IKY2NPf3Nj7RMb61IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) MSNBC legal analyst Lisa Rubin, "which could intersperse Pence's written statement with witnesses' testimony about the same events in its final report." NYU Law Professor Ryan Goodman [agreed](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlVgRPP0Q3aHR0cHM6Ly90d2l0dGVyLmNvbS9yZ29vZGxhdy9zdGF0dXMvMTU5MTkzNzE2MDg1MjQyNjc1MlcDc3BjQgpjY09_c2PtExvrUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) that the committee report could reference Pence's statements but the "DOJ has little choice but to interview Pence." [Read more from Igor Derysh.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlVgRPP0R8aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMTEvMTQvZW5kYW5nZXJlZC1tZS1hbmQtbXktZmFtaWx5LWxlZ2FsLWV4cGVydHMtc2F5LXBlbmNlcy1uZXctaW50ZXJ2aWV3LW1heS1iZS1ldmlkZW5jZS1hZ2FpbnN0L1cDc3BjQgpjY09_c2PtExvrUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) Have a tip for Salon? Feedback on this newsletter? [Let us know](mailto:brett.bachman@salon.com). Our mailing address: 1000 N. West Street, Suite 1200 Wilmington, DE 19801 [Unsubscribe from this list](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlVgRPP0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL3Vuc3Vic2NyaWJlP2lkPUAzNTQzOTUyVwNzcGNCCmNjT39zY-0TG-tSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Copyright © 2022 Crash Course, All rights reserved. [Made with Letterhead [Letterhead logo]](~/AASU4wA~/RgRlVgRPP0QiaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbmVwbm83czh5c1cDc3BjQgpjY09_c2PtExvrUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)