On Sunday’s edition of CBS’s Face the Nation, moderator Margaret Brennan made the mistake of bringing up how according to her network 70 percent of House GOP members allegedly denied the results of the 20202 elections. When Brennan mentioned this to Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, it did not go well for her. McCarthy turned it around on Brennan and noted how prominent members of the Democrat Party denied the results of the 2000, 2004, and 2016 presidential elections, which conveniently were the last three elections where a Republican won the White House.
“According to CBS records, 70 percent of the House GOP members denied the results of the 2020 election. You put many of them on very key committees, Intelligence, Homeland Security, Oversight. Why are you elevating people who are denying reality like that?” Brennan sneered.
McCarthy then pointed out how “if you look to the Democrats, their ranking member [Jamie] Raskin had the same thing, denied Trump or Bush was in there.”
“Bennie Thompson, whose a ranking member, was a chair, these individuals were chair of the Democratic Party,” McCarthy additionally pointed out.
“I’m asking you as leader of Kevin McCarthy’s House why you made these choices? These were your choices,” Brennan lectured.
McCarthy then schooled Brennan:
Yeah, they’re my choices but they’re the conference choices. But I’m also asking you when you look to see just Republicans, Democrats have done the same thing. So maybe it’s not denying. Maybe it’s the only opportunity they have to have a question about what went on during the election. So if you want to hold Republicans to that equation, why don’t you also hold Democrats? Why don’t you hold Jamie Raskin? Why don’t you hold Bennie Thompson? When Democrats had appointed them to be chair, I never once heard you ask Nancy Pelosi or any Democrat that question, when they were in power in the majority.
Brennan complained that she wasn’t the moderator of Face the Nation in 2000 when this issue came up and it’s not fair to bring it up and ask her to question Democrats about it, but McCarthy noted how Raskin and Thompson were in power during the last Congress and should’ve been confronted over their double standards.
“This is your Congress,” Brennan shot back.
“These are members who just got elected by their constituents and we put them into committees. And I’m proud to do it,” McCarthy replied.
This segment on CBS’s Face the Nation was made possible by Charles Schwab. Their information is linked.
To read the relevant transcript click “expand”:
CBS Face the Nation
1/29/2023
10:42:41 a.m. EasternMARGARET BRENNAN: I want to ask you about some of the makeup of your caucus.
SPEAKER KEVIN MCCARTHY: Yes.
BRENNAN: According to CBS records, 70 percent of the House GOP members denied the results of the 2020 election. You put many of them on very key committees, Intelligence, Homeland Security, Oversight. Why are you elevating people who are denying reality like that?
MCCARTHY: Well, if you look to the Democrats, their ranking member Raskin had the same thing, denied Trump or Bush was in there. Bennie Thompson—
BRENNAN: Did you see those numbers we just put up there, 70 percent?
MCCARTHY: Did you also be fair and equal where you looked at Raskin did the same thing, Bennie Thompson, whose a ranking member, was a chair, these individuals were chair of the Democratic Party.
BRENNAN: I’m asking you as leader of Kevin McCarthy’s House why you made these choices? These were your choices.
MCCARTHY: Yeah, they’re my choices but they’re the conference choices. But I’m also asking you when you look to see just Republicans, Democrats have done the same thing. So maybe it’s not denying. Maybe it’s the only opportunity they have to have a question about what went on during the election. So if you want to hold Republicans to that equation, why don’t you also hold Democrats? Why don’t you hold Jamie Raskin?
Why don’t you hold Bennie Thompson? When Democrats had appointed them to be chair, I never once heard you ask Nancy Pelosi or any Democrat that question, when they were in power in the majority. When they questioned—
BRENNAN: You’re talking about things going back to 2000 which was a time—
[crosstalk]
BRENNAN: I didn’t have this show back then, which is why I’m asking you now.
MCCARTHY: No no! They were in power last Congress. So why –
BRENNAN: You’re talking about questions from 2000 election.
MCCARTHY: You’re asking me about questions that happened to another Congress.
[crosstalk]
BRENNAN: This is your Congress.
MCCARTHY: These are members who just got elected by their constituents and we put them into committees. And I’m proud to do it.