Should House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) manage to hold onto the gavel during what promises to be a contentious vote on Friday, he may find that life as the leading Republican in the House of Representatives isn't all it's cracked up to be.
Writing at MSNBC, James Downie makes the case that Johnson's reward for retaining the speakership will be to serve as the "first scapegoat" for President-elect Donald Trump for whatever failures beset the GOP in the coming month.
After reciting Trump's less-than-ringing endorsements of Johnson, Downie parses out what's really going on in Trump's mind and determines that what Trump really wants is a punching bag.
"The president-elect isn’t looking for a capable speaker," he argues. "The truth is Johnson has what Trump needs: a working pulse, total loyalty and utter disposability. That’s all that’s required to be the next fall guy for the new Trump era."
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Downie goes on to argue that Johnson will likely suffer the same fate as former Vice President Mike Pence, another devout Christian man who once gave Trump complete fealty.
"Like so many of the once and future president’s most fervent supporters, Johnson is an evangelical Christian who has nevertheless backed a steadfastly sinful man," he contends. "And, crucially for Trump, Johnson’s backing takes the sycophantic approach."
Should Johnson fall, then Trump will begin a search for the next "warm body" lined up to blame for the GOP's failures, writes Downie.
"And things will go wrong," he adds. "The government funding fight last month, when more than 30 Republicans defied Trump’s demand that they vote for a debt ceiling increase, dashed any dreams that his second administration would have an easier time getting his preferred legislative deals passed. But Trump didn’t get where he is today by admitting blame, so Johnson — or whoever is speaker — will have to take the fall."
