'Cheap macho theatrics': Critics roast GOP congressmen over separate altercations in House and Senate

14 November 2023

Tuesday, November 14 was littered with altercations in the U.S. Congress. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) broke up an almost-fight between Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma) and International Brotherhood of Teamsters President Sean O'Brien during a Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) meeting. Meanwhile, in the U.S. House of Representatives, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-California) had an altercation with Rep. Timothy Burchett (R-Tennessee), one of the GOP senators who joined Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) in voting to oust him from that position.

Burchett told CNN that McCarthy gave him a "clear shot to the kidneys" when they passed by one another.

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The two incidents are receiving plenty of reactions on X, formerly Twitter.

Journalist Aaron Rupar, formerly of Vox, commented on both incidents, tweeting, "So to recap, here's what Republicans are up to today. One House Republican accused another of sucker punching him in the Capitol. For the second time in recent months, a Republican senator challenged a hearing witness to a fistfight. These are children."

NPR's Claudia Grisales tweeted, "Have NEVER seen this on Capitol Hill: While talking to @RepTimBurchett after the GOP conference meeting, former @SpeakerMcCarthy walked by with his detail and McCarthy shoved Burchett. Burchett lunged towards me. I thought it was a joke, it was not. And a chase ensued."

Business Insider's Bryan Metzger had a humorous reaction posting, a gif with the lyrics, "This is my fight song, take back my life song, prove I'm alright song."

Pundit Shannon Vann said of the Mullin/O'Brien altercation, "Markwayne may want to take lessons from Sean on how to be successful at your job." And Clare Considine mocked the "men in Congress"

Bloomberg News' Ian Kullgren posted, "The Senate HELP Committee is on the verge of a literal brawl. @SenMullin stood up at the dais to FIGHT @TeamsterSOB before Bernie Sanders intervened…. It was a close one, but looks like Sanders cooled things down."

Julie Kashen, director of Women's Economic Justice, tweeted, "Not on my BINGO card for the 117th Congress: @SenSanders having to stop a fist fight in the middle of a hearing. Wow."

Condé Nast Legal Affairs Editor Luke Zaleski commented, "You're paying Mullin for these cheap macho theatrics, America. He's wasting your time and tax dollars with this stunt because rightwingers love slinging this (crap). Because — thanks to [T]rump — there's an economy in farming rage and fundraising off it. And he will be rewarded generously."

Jim Saranteas, co-chair of the Wake County, North Carolina Democratic Party, lamented, "Seriously, one has come to expect this from Republicans. They just can't be taken seriously to lead our country and come up with policy solutions which help Americans."

Tennessee-based Democratic activist Christopher Hale said of the McCarthy/Burchett conflict, "How dare Kevin McCarthy assault a fellow Tennessean! @JamesComer and the @GOPoversight must open an immediate and thorough investigation."

Liberal pundit Michelle Sichak tweeted, "Are we in the Twilight Zone right now??"

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