“The Makings of a Statesman: Congressman Kevin McCarthy delivers a record-breaking speech to Congress and a eulogy for the Democrats.”

November 18-19, 2021

It’s 5:10 a.m. in Washington D.C. and Congressman Kevin McCarthy has just sealed his place in history by giving a floor speech that lasted over 8 hours and 7 minutes, smashing Nancy Pelosi’s 2018 speech by over 35 minutes. The new record is officially 8 hours and 42 minutes.

The House is about to pass legislation called “build back better”, and McCarthy had plenty of time and ammunition to obliterate the Democrats and their massive $1.75 trillion spending bill. He reached out across the aisle and pleaded for five democrats to come forward in order to stop a bill that will “burn the House down”. The monster bill passed by a vote of 220-213 later in the morning.

During the fourth hour, while criticizing Democrats for plans to hire over 87,000 IRS agents, McCarthy told the story of Ridgecrest Mayor Eric Bruen, “the manager of a small credit union in Ridgecrest California concerned about customers withdrawing cash to hide in the mattress”, and he warned that “all of us will get a knock on the door” with that many agents inspecting bank accounts.

Six hours into the speech, a staff member handed the congressman a two-inch thick binder and he happily waved it and quipped “I got another binder”. Late in the seventh hour, he started rubbing his eyes and explained he didn’t think he’d be able to speak that long, but after confirming that he’d set a new record, he closed his remarks to the cheers of a handful of fellow Republican members that remained in the chamber. Many Democrats had planned to leave for a fund raising trip in Puerto Rico and will be delayed until after the vote takes place.

The session was adjourned at 5:10 a.m. and the House will be back in session at 8 a.m.