January 4, 2023 News and Notes

House Speaker Republican Meltdown popcorn:

• Kevin McCarthy lost another vote (one Republican voting "Present", taking herself out of the total entirely), but no one budged, even though a different Republican was nominated this time.  212 for Jeffries, 201 for McCarthy, 20 for Byron Donalds (Token Republican Black Man -- FL).  The one Present vote means, with 433 voting (there is one vacancy), 217 are required to win.
• And we found out during the fifth failed vote that Donalds doesn't want the office either!
• There was some talk no votes at all would be taken today, but the Republicans decided on at least one attempt.
• The second attempt of the day and fifth overall started about 2 PM Eastern.
• And it took about 100 votes of the 434 cast to ensure we will see a sixth.
• 2:40ish PM Eastern:  Fifth vote result:  212 for Jeffries, 201 for McCarthy, 20 Never Kevin voters, and the 1 present.  No progress.
• And it appears the same three men will have a sixth vote.  McCarthy, under pressure to step aside or even step down, was nominated again instantaneously the moment the interim presiding officer of the House announced the failure of the fifth vote.
• And at 3:35 Eastern, the third attempt of the day, sixth overall, begins.
• And it took about 90 votes to fell Attempt #6.
• And the sixth vote ended the exact same as the fourth and fifth.  I expect a quick adjournment from here.
• And we get it at 4:33 Eastern, but only for dinner until 8:00 Eastern.
• They said the Pledge of Allegiance, then they adjourned again.

Other stuff:

• It appears the Gio Reyna-Craig Berhalter incident at the World Cup was the reason his mother Danielle joined her husband Claudio in blowing the whistle on the 1991 incident regarding the USMNT manager and his wife.  Congratulations, Danielle and Claudio -- Gio will never wear another cap for the United States after that.   
• Assistant Anthony Hudson is in charge for the moment, as a post-World Cup review is also taking place.
• Damar Hamlin had a "promising" overnight in his second night in ICU in Cincinnati, though he is still in critical condition, more than 36 hours after dying on the field and being brought back.
• Another UFC fighter, another murdered girlfriend:  Phil Baroni is under arrest in Mexico.
• Fans of Georgia and TCU are pissed.  SoFi Stadium has banned tailgating, and that ban stands for Monday's CFP title game.  Do you REALLY, idiots, want to spend any more time in that part of Inglewood than you HAVE TO?  Seriously??!?!?!??    
• Ryan Leaf has called for at least the postponement of all Week 18 games.