McCarthy Voted Out as House Speaker
Ask students: Who is Kevin McCarthy? What does the Speaker of the House do? Why did some members of his own party seek to remove McCarthy?
For the first time in this nation’s history, the House of Representatives formally ousted its speaker. A handful of hard-right Republicans and every Democrat voted together to remove the gavel from Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s hand. The move came nine months to the day after McCarthy lost his first vote to become speaker. For a transcript of this story, click here.
Optional: You may wish to watch this latest NewsHour piece from Oct. 4, Republicans face unclear choice for new House speaker after ouster of McCarthy.
Discussion Questions
- Who is Kevin McCarthy?
- What does the Speaker of the House do?
- Why did some members of his own party seek to remove McCarthy?
- When did McCarthy first become Speaker, and how was his initial election to the position unusual?
- How might McCarthy's removal impact important legislation in Congress?
Focus Questions
Why are many House Republicans upset with Rep. Matt Gaetz and the other small handful of Republicans who voted for McCarthy's ouster? What position does this put House Repubilcans in? What about Democrats?
Media literacy: What sources did reporter Lisa Desjardins use for this story? How can you tell?
Extension Activity
Watch the following news conference with former Speaker McCarthy held shortly before he was voted out. Then discuss — what could he have done differently to retain his position? If you were a reporter, what question would you have asked him?
Republished with permission from PBS NewsHour Classroom.
PBS News Hour Classroom helps teachers and students identify the who, what, where and why-it-matters of the major national and international news stories. The site combines the best of News Hour's reliable, trustworthy news program with lesson plans developed specifically for... See More
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