Thread by @madrid_mike

Some quick notes on Kevin McCarthy’s speech:

1. The location matters. Manufacturing facility in Scranton PA is a direct message to blue collar base voters. This is a base election for GOP now. He’s not in the suburbs with soccer moms - he’s with blue collar men.

2. Biden will be making appearances in PA also. That’s a sign of confidence. Not often a first term Prez is out on the road in the mid-terms.

Both parties have laid their marker on FEAR. How scared is your base? Anger, yes…but anger is a function of fear.

3. Kevin McCarthy embraced Trump and is claiming the ‘raid’ on his home is a threat to democracy. Important to remember the base of both parties believe the other is a threat to democracy.

This speech was designed to convey a deep personal threat Biden presents to the listener

4. This was about cultural loss - almost no policy here. Even on the heels of a huge victory (Dobbs) there’s a clear sense among GOP voters that their world view is in decline.

McCarthy promises that’s not the case if you put him back in power as Speaker.

5. Crime is where they’ll make their stand. Border, democracy and street crime will be the oldies they drag out again.

Interesting because Biden will make a full frontal assault on this issue in a few minutes.

6. Bottom line is this has become a base turnout election for the GOP. Not fighting for college educated voters like in VA & NJ, they’re pleading to blue collar men to stay with them & hold the line.

Not the speech McCarthy wanted to give 65 days out but it’s all he’s got.