What A Day - Kevin's 11

Episode Date: January 6, 2023

Once again, Rep. Kevin McCarthy failed to secure the votes he needed in the eleventh round of voting for Speaker of the House – even after offering new concessions to the far-right Republicans who continue to oppose him.President Biden announced a major change to border policy, aimed at discouraging migrants from entering the U.S. from Mexico. It expands on a pandemic-era program used by the Trump administration to expel migrants from Cuba, Nicaragua, Haiti, and Venezuela who illegally cross the southern border.And in headlines: South Carolina’s Supreme Court overturned the state’s six-week abortion ban, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin's condition is improving, and the Federal Trade Commission proposed a ban on non-compete clauses in job contracts.Show Notes:What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcastCrooked Coffee is officially here. Our first blend, What A Morning, is available in medium and dark roasts. Wake up with your own bag at crooked.com/coffeeFollow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/whataday/For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

It is Friday, January 6th. I'm Josie Duffy Rice. And I'm Priyanka Arabindi. And this is What A Day, where we are so glad that on the second anniversary of the insurrection, things are finally chill at the Capitol. Yeah, you know, I guess even though it's been 11 rounds of voting for the Speaker of the House, it could be worse. It could be. We've seen. It has been.

Yeah. On today's show, doctors said Buffalo Bill's safety to Mar Hamlin is improving after collapsing during a game Monday night. Plus, the U.S. has approved the first vaccine for honeybees. I'm intrigued. Yeah. We'd love to know more. But first, after Kevin McCarthy failed to secure the votes he needed in the 11th round of voting yesterday, there is still no Speaker of the House. Despite offering new concessions to right-wing Republicans who continue

to oppose him, he has failed to secure their support. And for the record, it has not taken this many rounds of voting to elect a speaker since 1859. That is pre-Civil War for anybody keeping track at home. Yep. So what are some of the sticking points behind all of this infighting? Like, what's going on? Right. What's the fuss about? So, I mean, it really just seems like a lot of these people just don't want McCarthy to be the speaker. There are currently 20 holdouts, many of the same people who have been not voting for him since the beginning. Most of them are members of the House Freedom Caucus, which is the far right wing of the

GOP, and more than half of them have explicitly denied the results of the 2020 election, just so you get a sense of what we're working with here. Nearly every one of the incumbents in this group voted against certifying the 2020 election, just so you get a sense of what we're working with here. Nearly every one of the incumbents in this group voted against certifying the 2020 election. So like, you know, not only the worst people, but the ones who are the least rooted in reality. As of now, most of them have been voting for Representative Byron Donalds of Florida. A few others have backed Representative Kevin Hearn of Oklahoma. A second Kevin has entered the race. Wrong Kevin. Yeah, the wrong Kevin. Hearn himself has actually voted for Kevin McCarthy, so he knows he's the wrong Kevin. And one of them continues to vote present, which like,

not the time or the place. Don't know what you're doing with that. What's the point you're trying to make? Unclear. I do love the idea of just voting present on like the 10th round. Yeah, voting present here is just like, I'm sitting there, I'm eating popcorn, and I'm watching this unfold. Like, you know, you could do something, but clearly not enough. Anyways, Democrats have consistently cast every single one of their 212 votes every single time they've done this for Representative Hakeem Jeffries. And according to former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, there is no shot that any Democrats will make a deal to help McCarthy out here. He's got to do this on his own,

with his own party. He's really kind of getting a taste of his own medicine. His caucus has empowered these people. His voters have voted for these people. And this is now their mess to clean up. Yeah. A monster of their own making. They did it themselves. It's true. I do have to say, I almost am impressed with how Republicans just keep insisting on making every January as chaotic as humanly possible. It really is wild. They're committed to the bid. Yeah, they really are. So, I mean, as for the holdouts here, they have asked for some big concessions, but they've actually gotten a lot of those from McCarthy at this point. He's reportedly offered to lower the number of members

needed to force a vote to oust the speaker. So what would be him if he wins this vote at any time from five members down to one member, which is completely crazy because there are 20 people currently who do not want him to be speaker, probably more who just are voting for him to, like, get this show on the road. But at any given time, any one of them can raise their hand

and force a vote just to fire him. So that's cool. He also expressed willingness to put more of these wackadoodle conservatives onto important committees, like the Rules Committee, which debates legislation before it moves onto the floor. But as evidenced by this latest vote, these concessions are still not moving the needle. Voting will continue today at noon. Today is also the second anniversary of the January 6th insurrection. And it's wild to see, especially on this day, just how much power these extremist

Republicans are still wielding. I mean, we've mentioned before, no real work in the House can get done until a speaker is elected. So this will start having very real consequences very soon. And the fact that these people aren't accepting the many concessions that they've been receiving from McCarthy to put an end to this goes to show that maybe this was never about negotiating or getting these concessions or doing anything that these people were voted in and showed up to get sworn in to do. Right. I don't think that's the point to these people.

Yeah. I mean, this man has literally said, if you vote for me. Literally, what do you want? Name it. I will make it happen for you. And they are like, fuck you. No, we will never vote for you. Right.

And this is kind of what happens, right? Like you caved, you really kind of what happens right like you caved you really kind of like tried to work with these people who have told you over and over they're extremists they're unreasonable and i think they do not compromise and they want what they want and this is what happens yeah you've empowered the absolute worst people so congratulations to you it's honestly super lucy moving the football to be on your 11th vote it's like they are telling you just do one more thing and they'll vote for you. And then they're not voting for you. And we were on time 11.

So it's not looking good. I don't know. The last time around, they got to 44, I think, in 1859. So. Oh, no. I mean, the next record's pretty far away, Kevin, if you want to shoot for it. Dear God. Save us from this entire party.

In other news, yesterday, the president continued the bipartisan tradition of cruelty at the border. Biden announced that the U.S. would turn away Cubans, Nicaraguans and Haitians who attempt to cross the southern border. The announcement was an expansion on a restriction of Venezuelans who attempt to cross the Mexican-U.S. border. That restriction was announced in October. Biden also announced yesterday that the U.S. would instead accept 30,000 people per month from those four nations and would, according to the Associated Press, offer them, quote, the ability to work legally as long as they come legally, have eligible sponsors, and pass vetting and background checks. Okay, so I need some more background on all of this.

Can you tell us, you know, why he's singling out these four countries in particular? Yeah, I can. I can try. I mean, well, I mean, like the simple answer is that the number of people trying to cross the border from those four countries in particular has increased dramatically lately, right?

So that is the kind of like surface reason why Biden is singling them out. But all four of those countries, Cuba, Nicaragua, Haiti, and Venezuela are in the midst of dire, dire political and economic crises, right? Like things are really bad in all four of those countries.

One BBC article about Nicaraguan migrants stated, quote, they'd rather die than return. Okay, yeah, not good at all. So given that those four countries are in such a grim state, what does this new rule mean for people seeking asylum? That was a legitimate process that we had. What's going on there? Can people still do that? Right. And as you said, it was a legitimate process, was being the operative word there, because as you may remember, for a couple of years now, there's been a pandemic-era restriction in place called Title 42. That is a public health policy

that basically allows the U.S. to deport migrants without even a hearing, including people seeking asylum. And it was implemented under Trump, but for years now, Biden has continued it, even though it violates tradition and policy around asylum seekers. And with the Supreme Court upholding Title 42 late last month, his administration has now even expanded it. So to answer your question, it means that people from these countries seeking asylum at the border don't even get a shot at asylum. In fact, Biden said, quote, do not do not just show up at the border, stay where you are and apply legally from there. In theory, what a lovely idea. If it worked like that, that sounds great. But presumably, the people who have showed up to the border don't have the luxury of doing that. That's not why they have packed all their things and arrived at the border in the manner that they have, right?

Exactly. I mean, like, the reason people come to the border seeking asylum is because they can't stay home and seek asylum. Right. Nobody is like, I just want to travel on foot across many countries, you know, risking my life and the health of my family for fun. The entire point of seeking asylum is because they can't just sit at home and apply from there. And people are desperate. And while Biden acknowledged this in his speech, his policy, which is basically apply from home and sit tight, it doesn't reflect reality. And even if people do exactly what they're supposed to do, there is no guarantee that they'll be one of the 30,000 people that will supposedly have the right to enter the U.S. legally. Because after all, way more than 30,000 people a month are trying to get into the U.S.

from those four countries. So since November, immigration authorities have stopped around 80,000 people from those specific countries. And in November alone, they apprehended close to a quarter million people of all nationalities. So like, we're talking about way more than 30,000 people. Yeah, I mean, that number might sound big on paper. But when you see what these numbers are, it's a legitimate crisis. and that's not going to fix what's happening here. So why is Biden doing this now? Like, how did this even come about? Yeah, it's a good question. I mean, part of it is, like I said, the number of migrants trying to cross the border has increased drastically. In the last fiscal year, it reached 2.38 million. And that has really given Biden this political incentive to curb immigration since

Republicans continue to criticize him on it. They've gone so far as to do these inhumane political stunts like flying migrants to Martha's Vineyard and the vice president's residence on Christmas Eve, right? Like they're really hammering on the immigration thing. Also, the timing is related to a recent agreement with Mexico, which has agreed to take in 30,000 migrants expelled from America from those four countries. So which has agreed to take in 30,000 migrants expelled from America from those four countries. So if you try to cross the border and you get expelled and you're from one of those four countries, 30,000 of those people can stay in Mexico instead of having to return to their home country. Right. But still, this is not an ideal situation. No, definitely

not. I mean, Biden is framing this like a crackdown in some ways, but also a benefit to migrants and others because he says that 30,000 people a month will be admitted if they adhere to certain criteria. But what do immigrant rights activists have to say about all of this? Like, do they agree? Yeah, it's a good question because he did kind of frame this as like, here's this nice thing I'm doing, right? Right. Which was like obscuring the reality in a lot of ways. And immigrant rights advocates are not happy. The director of the Refugee Protection Program at Human Rights First called it a, quote, humanitarian disgrace and said Biden should be trying to restore asylum, not trying to degrade it further by, quote, doubling

down on cruel and counterproductive policies from the Trump playbook. So it's not looking good. This is an area where Biden hasn't been much better than Trump. And it's really disappointing. Right. Especially in this time where so many people are living in a state of precarity and do need a lot of help. So as always, we'll have more on this very soon. But that is the latest for now.

Let's get to some headlines. South Carolina Supreme Court ruled yesterday against the state's six-week abortion ban. The three-to-two decision found that the policy, which was one of the strictest in the country, violates the right to privacy. It is a win for reproductive rights activists and could be the benchmark for new strategies to make the procedure more accessible in the Deep South. Lawmakers in South Carolina's GOP-led legislature could still try to ban abortions later in pregnancy,

but Thursday's final decision, at least, restricts their options. The gestational limit for abortions in South Carolina currently stands at 22 weeks. This is an exciting win, and I do think it's really cool that this could kind of be the playbook for other places in the South as well. I do too. As someone living in the Deep South would love to see that. That would be great. Bring it down there. Yeah, come on. Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine yesterday that would last 36 hours during Orthodox Christmas this weekend.

But Ukrainian officials, including President Vladimir Zelensky, rejected the call and argued that Russian authorities were using the holiday as a cover-up to resupply weapons and strategize ways to advance the invasion. That sounds very up their alley. I would not believe them for two seconds. Right. This also comes as Russian forces have suffered numerous losses in recent months, while the West has continued to back Ukraine with more aid packages and weapons systems.

The doctors treating Damar Hamlin, the Buffalo Bill safety who suffered cardiac arrest during play on Monday night, shared some positive news about his recovery yesterday. Hamlin remains in critical condition, but is now awake and showing signs of improvement. Hamlin isn't able to speak because he is still intubated, though he is able to communicate through writing and can move his hands, feet, and head. Meanwhile, the next big milestone for him will be to get off a ventilator and breathe on his own. That is really good news. I know he has a long way to go, but I'm so glad he's able to communicate and move on his own. That is really good news. I know he has a long way to go, but I'm so glad he's able to communicate and move a little bit and that road to recovery is smooth

for him. Yeah, it's looking a lot better than we thought it was a few days ago. So that's a relief. Definitely. The Federal Trade Commission proposed a new rule yesterday that would ban companies from using non-compete clauses in job contracts. The agreements, which the agency itself called exploitative and widespread, typically prevent workers from leaving a job to work for a competing company, sometimes for years at a time. I have heard from friends who signed some for like up to decades, like crazy, crazy amounts of time. Right. Labor advocates have long opposed the practice because they often stop workers from pursuing jobs with better wages, benefits, and working conditions. The FTC estimates that one in five workers are currently bound by a non-compete clause and that the new

rule would increase overall wages by $300 billion a year. I'm here for it. Yeah. Get those raises. Yeah, I love that. Get those benefits. We love that. You're making employees, like when I signed a non-compete clause, like I was making no money. Like you're going to bankrupt me for like the next year of my life if I don't work for you. Right.

Crazy. Crazy. It's super coercive and it like only hurts workers, right? And it keeps people in jobs where they're not getting the benefits that they deserve. So this could be some good news in 2023. That would be great. Totally. It might be 2023,

but honeybees nationwide are having an iconic 2021 experience because they just got access to a new groundbreaking vaccine. Remember those days? Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved the first ever honeybee vaccine against American fowoulbrood Disease. This widespread bacterial disease can weaken and kill beehives, which is a major problem

considering the role of managed honeybee colonies in pollinating crops. Unfortunately, the vaccine isn't given using an adorable bug-sized needle. Instead, queen bees will consume it in their food, and their bee babies will have immunity as they hatch. It's kind of cute. The vaccine will initially be able to only commercial beekeepers. So far, there's been no backlash from bee anti-vaxxers. And no insect has stepped forward to become the bee Dr. Anthony Fauci, a.k.a. Dr. Honey Bee Ouchie. This is a sign that we at WOD haven't changed at all in the new year.

Not one bit. Not one single bit. And those are the headlines. We'll be back after some ads to discuss an upcoming work in our favorite literary genre, the spicy royal memoir. It is Friday, WOD Squad, and today we're doing a segment called WOD Recommends, where we share an under-the-radar news story, movie, book, or even a rude bumper sticker that caught our attention. Megan and Harry, famously under the radar. Famously. Yes. And today our recommendation is a little different. It is specifically the leaks from the Spanish language version of Prince Harry's tell-all memoir, Spare, which briefly

appeared on a chain store's bookshelves in Spain yesterday. The book was supposed to be kept under wraps until January 10th. Now, we may not be native Spanish speakers, but royal gossip has no language, and the new information that Harry reveals in his book is, as the British say, spicier than a bottle of Nando's peri-peri sauce. Here are some of the highlights that were widely reported online. First, craziest. Harry says Prince William and his wife, Kate Middleton, encouraged him to dress up as a Nazi for that one infamous Halloween party in 2005. He describes how William attacked him in 2019, knocking him over onto a dog food bowl following an argument about Harry's wife, Megan.

And he claims that prior to meeting Megan, William and Kate were, quote, religious fans of her TV show, Suits. There is way more in there that we don't have time to cover, but Josie, what were your thoughts on these leaks, and will you be purchasing your very own hardcover okay I have so many thoughts and I do think it's worth mentioning that he also casually mentions that he killed 25 people in Afghanistan which there's so much in this in the leaks there's so much including 25 deaths by his hand it's a lot it's intense I just want to say that like this thing where it's like the only reason I, an adult, dressed up as a Nazi is because my brother told me it was fine is an insane excuse. Crazy. Stop bringing it up.

Don't talk about it. Like this is your book. I would just leave the Nazi costume out of it entirely. I don't think he understands that like if you're writing the tell-all, you don't actually have to tell-all. Like people will still buy the book whether or not you say shit. Like, he just was like, let me bare my soul here. Literally, like, who's your audience? Like, who's the person that's like, ugh, I'm so mad at hearing about the Nazi costume?

Oh, his brother told him to do it? Okay. Fuck them. No big deal then. Like, you still did it. Like, that is classic. Right, you still did it. Well, they said, and it's like, excuse me, what?

It's so crazy. You're a grown man. Also, I have so many questions about William and Kate being into suits. That feels like a lie. That feels like a lie. That's gotta be a lie. Listen, I liked Suits. It's a fun show.

It go past the time. It is what it is. I'm not buying that they were fangirls of Meghan. Like, I'm just not. I'm not buying it. And if they were, I do sort of feel like we really got to talk to the UK about their television offerings because they're clearly not offering enough. I mean, I'm sorry. With Love Island, like, they're going to spend time watching Suits?

There's so many seasons of Love Island they could really go through before they get to Suits. I know. It's very confusing. Anyway, yes, I'll be purchasing this book. Never read. I don't think it'll be my first celebrity memoir, and I am ready. I'm going to rip through that. We'll have a whole podcast dedicated to it. It's so chaotic that I just have to know for myself. So all of this ridiculous press worked. Thank you, Spain.

Thank you, Harry. Thank you to the USA Network. That was WOD Recommends. Meet back here on January 11th for an in-depth review of the entire book. That is all for today. If you like the show, make sure you subscribe, leave a review, vaccinate a bee, and tell your friends to listen. And if you're into reading and not just leaked Spanish language memoirs like me, What A Day is also a nightly newsletter. Check it out and subscribe at crooked.com slash subscribe. I'm Priyanka Arabindi. I'm Josie Duffy Rice. And let's all go out there and have a great January 6th. I guess. I don't know. Cursed day. I know. Two years ago, I like locked myself in my house. I

was like, not playing with these people. Bad times. What a Day is a production of Crooked Media. It's recorded and mixed by Bill Lance. Jazzy Marine and Raven Yamamoto are our associate producers. Our head writer is John Milstein, and our executive producer is Lita Martinez. Our theme music is by Colin Gilliard and Kashaka.