There is weeping and mourning and gnashing of teeth on the right. They never saw this coming. The plot was set and they were sure they were on course to destroying Hillary Clinton once and for all after she has eluded them for decades.
But much to their chagrin, history has repeated itself. Republicans have once again fallen into the grave they dug for Hillary. To say the Republicans are having a meltdown over Kevin McCarthy's Benghazi truth telling gaffe, would be an understatement.
Just take a look at some of their reactions...
From Kathleen Parker at the rabidly right wing Newsmax:
Kevin McCarthy Hands Over Election to Hillary
The lede to this column is a deep, guttural groan that originates in the throat and expands into the lungs before collapsing in the pit of the stomach. How do you spell hmmmgrrrungh?
What else is there to say about House Republicans' inability to get something right? And I say this with compassion, I really do. Because seriously? It's over. Done. Kaput.
With Kevin McCarthy's recent response to the simplest question about GOP accomplishments in Congress, from the friendliest interviewer, Sean Hannity, a GOPer could hope for, the future may as well be called Democrat.
Jump over the fold for more Republican tears :)
Then this from National Review:
Charles Krauthammer criticized Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) for making the “gaffe of the year,” and warned that selecting him as the next speaker of the House is a “risky proposition” for Republicans.
“If you don’t have the White House, the speakership is your voice,” Krauthammer said on Monday’s Special Report. “And in a television age, it is a very important one.”
“The gaffe that McCarthy made, I like the guy … but that’s the gaffe of the year,” Krauthammer continued. “And it has given Hillary a lifeline.”
“Do you want a guy who makes a mistake of that magnitude?” Krauthammer asked. “In terms of presentation, this is a risky proposition”
And if that wasn't funny enough, the reaction to the article was hilarious. Here's what some of their readers had to say:
Iatowk • 5 hours ago
So, it's either the guy who was Ill prepared and made a fool by Cecile Richards at the Planned Parenthood hearings, or the guy foolish enough to tell the truth about the Benghazi committee?
Bill • 9 hours ago
Dr. K is correct. The GOP needs to quit promoting people to leadership positions who are poor communicators. McCarthy's gaffe ranks right up there with Romneys 47% comment, but at least Romney's was supposed to be behind closed doors to a friendly group.
The GOP is going to have a hard enough time beating Hillary/Dems if they run a good campaign, so they make it really tough to win when they commit self inflicted wounds. McCarthy should pull his name out of the running for Speaker.
Hmmm so it's all about messaging and soundbites for them... truth be damned. No wonder why they love faux news.
Established Clinton critic, Chris Cilliza of the Washington Post, capped things off with a humbling reflection on what had transpired:
When House speaker-in-waiting Kevin McCarthy claimed credit for the decline in Hillary Clinton's poll numbers because House Republicans had formed a congressional committee investigating the attacks in Benghazi, Libya, I knew it was a bad political mistake. I may have underestimated just how bad...
Oh sure you did Chris. There is no putting that McCarthy cat back in the bag. Be prepared to say Madam President in 2017.
Hillary 2016
UPDATE: Democrats have come out swinging and are cleverly capitalizing on this epic Republican faux pas. This from the Washington Post:
Democrats will double down Tuesday night on their push to end the House Select Committee on Benghazi when Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.) offers an amendment to kill the panel during a meeting of the Rules Committee.
...Democrats are considering a host of actions following McCarthy’s comments. One option would be to file an ethics complaint alleging the panel’s taxpayer-funded work is a misappropriation because it is essentially political in nature.
Democrats are also considering filing a privileged resolution that could call for a rebuke of McCarthy’s comments. Such a move would force GOP lawmakers to vote multiple times this month on the California Republican’s standing, given his likely succession to Rep. John A. Boehner’s (R-Ohio) job as House speaker.