It’s a new year but the incoming Congress has not been able to start work yet. With a slim House majority, California Republican Kevin McCarthy has faced failed vote after failed vote to try and become speaker of the House without success. This is the first time a bid for speaker has failed multiple times in more than a century. How high are the stakes to elect a speaker? 

McCarthy is facing a rebellion from around 20 Republicans, many of whom are backed by former President Trump including Florida Representative Matt Gaetz and Colorado Representative Lauren Boebert. 

Is McCarthy conceding too much power to try and win over those 20 members? And how long will this dysfunction roadblock the Republican-controlled House? 

Meanwhile, President Biden and Senator Mitch McConnell came together to celebrate the building of a bridge between Kentucky and Ohio as part of last year’s bipartisan infrastructure bill.

Is this more political theater or are these longtime politicians trying to show younger colleagues how to work across the aisle?

Host David Greene discusses with Mo Elleithee, executive director of Georgetown University’s Institute of Politics and Public Service, on the left; and Sarah Isgur, staff writer at The Dispatch, on the right. 

Plus, this week marked the two-year anniversary of the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol. What has changed (or not) since then?

And sports fans and non sports fans alike were moved by Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamiln’s near death experience during an NFL football game. Why was his injury so significant?