Dem Rep Calls for Bipartisan ‘Coalition’ to Elect Speaker

Monday on MSNBC’s “NewsNation,” Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) called for a bipartisan coalition to elect and new Speaker of the House.

Meeks said, “There’s real opportunity that should be, as exhibited on ‘Meet the Press,’ if the Republicans are serious about governing, and that is that you do have to talk to Democrats. You do have to try to figure out how you work coalitions together. It has always been in our country’s history where you’ve had both Democrats and Republicans compromise. When you have this group — this Freedom Caucus who says compromise is a bad word, that then shuts down government. So if the Republican leadership can’t decide, if the Republicans can’t decide a leader who they will allow to at least talk to Democrats to get the full scope of what the American people feel, then I believe that a good number of the moderate Republicans should get together and come together with some of the Democrats and see if we can form a coalition together.”

He continued, “It would change the course of politics for the United States and we could get things done. So I know we’re going to reach out to Charlie Dent and others and I hope that that dialogue and conversation begins. Some people talk behind the scenes because we would then have a new type of politics.”

He added, “Some folks are talking about it. But it takes someone seriously to put it together. It is going to really mean that there be, quite honestly, because they have the majority vote right now, is going to mean that the moderate Republicans need to come together and say we don’t have to put up with these 40 or 50 folks who want to shut down government because this is our country, too. We’re going to come together in a coalition with some folks and move forward. A huge opportunity is now at stake. I hope someone steps forward and shows some real leadership and let’s do it.”

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