Mike Johnson: The wartime Speaker battling on multiple fronts

"I respect myself arsenic a wartime Speaker," declared House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.

Only, we’re not judge if Johnson was referring to nan internecine warfare among Republicans complete whether he should support his job.

Many members deterioration pouch squares pinch their suits. But not Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky. He walks astir pinch a self-made, diode "debt clock" tucked into nan bosom pouch of his jacket, search nan skyrocketing debt. Massie’s ascending fiscal chronometer whitethorn person publication much $34 trillion dollars this week. But nan only number which mattered connected Capitol Hill Tuesday greeting was "two." As successful 2 House members who were fresh to oust Johnson from his job: Massie and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga. 

"The mobility (to region Johnson) will get called. And past he’s going to suffer much votes than (former House Speaker) Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., And I told him this successful private, for illustration 2 weeks ago," said Massie. 

GOP REBELS DERAIL SPEAKER JOHNSON’S BORDER BILL AMID FURY OVER FOREIGN AID

A newsman asked Massie astir what that meant, not having a leader – again – for nan 2nd clip successful little than a year. 

"Some would opportunity we’d beryllium rudderless. But we person a rudder. We’re steering everything toward (Senate Majority Leader) Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.," replied Massie. "There has not been a change. I mean, if nan state likes Chuck Schumer, past they should for illustration what Speaker Johnson’s accomplished successful nan House." 

There’s spot successful numbers – moreover if nan numbers are low. After all, it’s astir nan math. It matters moreover much successful a House which is presently divided astatine 218 Republicans to 213 Democrats. That meager Republican mostly shrivels to 217-213 aft Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wisc., quits. Gallagher was expected to time off Friday. But Fox is told that nan Wisconsin Republican will astatine slightest bent astir until Saturday arsenic nan House tries to o.k. nan world assistance supplemental package for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan. 

Greene beamed astatine nan support from Massie for her effort to region Johnson.

House Republicans are disappointment by nan push to oust Speaker Johnson by Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Thomas Massie (Getty Images)

"It was significant," said Greene of Massie’s backing. "It besides lets group cognize this is simply a batch much superior than group realized."

Greene echoed Massie, suggesting "there’ll beryllium more" Republicans who mightiness ballot to region Johnson "than were against Kevin McCarthy." 

Here’s nan problem for Greene. She doesn’t person personification who could triumph a Speaker’s ballot connected nan floor. That’s why nan House burned 22 days connected nan almanac past October and thrashed done 3 nominees for Speaker earlier yet settling connected Johnson. If nan House approved a "motion to vacate nan chair" (a "MTV," which removes nan Speaker), there’s nary telling really agelong it would return nan get a successor this time.

"I don’t deliberation that nan threat is really existent astatine this point, conscionable because you don’t person an alternative," said Rep. Garret Graves, R-La., who was a apical lieutenant to McCarthy. "We saw what happened past autumn erstwhile this each went down. There’s not an alternative."

HOUSE TEES UP 17 BILLS RELATED TO IRAN/ISRAEL FOR THIS WEEK

Graves said a number of conservatives who were huffy astatine Johnson "don’t deliberation past measurement one. Which is why we person truthful galore problems present correct now." 

Graves asserted that nan "painful scars" of nan McCarthy debacle would beryllium "a awesome disincentive for folks who really propulsion nan trigger connected a mobility to vacate."

There was important blowback from conservatives aft Johnson announced a four-pronged attack to grapple pinch nan Middle East. Especially aft nan House plotted a people for nan week of 17 bills dealing either pinch Israel aliases Iran. Johnson tailored his transportation connected nan overseas assistance measure. He planned 1 measure for Israel. One for Ukraine. One for Taiwan. The last measure would see a scheme to repossess Russian assets and assistance immoderate of nan assistance to Ukraine arsenic a "lease." That’s an action endorsed by erstwhile President Trump. But nan sweetener to nan 4th measure would beryllium a measurement to curb nan usage of TikTok successful nan U.S.

The House would past package nan 4 bills together and nonstop them to nan Senate.

Speaker Mike Johnson is going to talk a way guardant connected Ukraine and Israel assistance astatine a closed-door House GOP meeting. (Getty Images)

"It's sewage a chance of passing," said Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, Tuesday morning. But if you "MIRV" them together and dress that they were really abstracted votes, but astatine nan extremity of nan day, it has nan effect of being 1 vote. I mean, that's each fume and mirrors."

Davidson characterized nan TikTok provisions arsenic "camouflage for defending America."

"‘MIRV’ them together?"

"MIRV" is simply a Capitol vocabulary term you’re going to perceive astir arsenic nan House tries to beforehand nan 4 abstracted overseas assistance bills - and past blend them into 1 for ratio purposes earlier sending nan package to nan Senate.

SENATE VOTE ON MAYORKAS IMPEACHMENT REACHES 'UNPRECEDENTED TERRITORY': CHAD PERGRAM

It’s pronounced "merve." A "MIRV" is simply a vestige of nan Cold War and rocket counts betwixt nan United States and Soviet Union. It stands for "Multiple Independently-Targetable Re-Entry Vehicle." Each MIRV had aggregate atomic warheads aliases "MIRVs" attached. This was an rumor of contention betwixt nan U.S. and U.S.S.R. Was a MIRV counted arsenic 1 rocket aliases 4 aliases five? 

The thought is that nan House would ballot connected each individual measure - past blend them together arsenic 1 for nan Senate. 

A parliamentary MIRV!  

Hence why conservatives are upset astir nan scheme by Johnson. It’s 4 bills. Or is it one? 

Johnson defended nan MIRV maneuver.

(Alex Wroblewski/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"I’m concerned that Israel mightiness not walk done nan Senate correct now if it’s not included successful nan package," said Johnson. "If you abstracted them, past nary of our priorities will beryllium reflected, I’m afraid."

Conservatives person besides implored Johnson to connect separator information to nan plan. But that mightiness not beryllium feasible.

"We don’t person nan votes. If you put Ukraine successful immoderate package, you can’t besides do nan separator because I suffer Republican votes connected that rule. My friends don’t get it," replied Johnson. 

"Are they still your friends?" asked yours truly.

"They’re all my friends," said Johnson. "I emotion everybody successful this building." 

Johnson made his determination connected Monday against taking nan streamlined Senate assistance measure approved successful February and alternatively traveled his ain route. Initial accusation astir nan scheme was scant. 

"What are they doing complete there?" asked Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., of your newsman connected Monday nighttime arsenic we some exited nan Capitol. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The "what" was nan House’s attack connected an world assistance package. But "over there" referred to nan U.S. House of Representatives, that hostile, untamed, governmental wilderness which lies beyond nan boundaries of nan Capitol Rotunda.  

The Senate isn’t precisely a serene place. But considering nan contretemps successful nan House, nan Senate is practically Xanadu. Especially arsenic Republicans skirmish pinch 1 different complete overseas aid, activity and a wartime Speaker.