12/27/23 On the Mark with Joe McGranaghan

·53 min·5 clips

A CBS correspondent details how 2023 saw the first-ever ouster of a U.S. House speaker and multiple government near-shutdowns.

The episode begins with host Joe McGranaghan introducing guest Scott McFarlane, a CBS News congressional correspondent with two decades of experience covering Capitol Hill. McFarlane immediately outlines the 'calamity' of 2023, listing lowlights including the first-ever ouster of a U.S. House speaker, a three-week standoff over his successor, two near-government shutdowns, and the George Santos matter. He describes 2023 as 'epic in its failures' for the House, with the Senate unable to lead. McFarlane then shifts to 2024, noting it's an election year with 'everything up for grabs'—the White House, Senate, and House could all flip. He highlights hard deadlines Congress faces, such as government funding deadlines in mid-January and mid-February, and a Ukraine aid deadline tied to immigration reform. McFarlane characterizes Congress's approach as 'governing by emergency,' which he calls unsustainable and damaging to public trust. The conversation turns to impeachment inquiries into Hunter Biden, with McFarlane questioning how much bandwidth exists for them amid other priorities. On the economy, he notes Democrats avoid the term 'Bidenomics,' using 'people over politics' instead, and argues messaging alone won't address economic concerns if people don't feel improvement. McFarlane discusses the strained relationship between President Biden and Speaker Mike Johnson, linking it to lingering tensions from the 2020 election and January 6th. He shares an anecdote about a retiring Democrat from Michigan who still can't look Republican colleagues in the eye due to the trauma of that day. McFarlane also addresses White House negotiations, citing Senate Republicans' complaints about late engagement on immigration reform. He concludes by emphasizing the Ukraine aid dispute and the March 4th trial date for Trump's election conspiracy case as critical issues to watch. After the interview, the episode features callers like Stanley and Chris debating border security, with Stanley advocating for deportation and Chris arguing both parties share blame. Host McGranaghan reads listener comments and news clips, including from New York Mayor Eric Adams, who says 'no help is on the way' for the migrant crisis.

As heard by us

A congressional outlook shifts into the rawer give-and-take of local call-in politics.

On the Mark begins with Joe McGranahan looking at Congress as 2023 gives way to 2024, asking what lawmakers might do beyond the familiar work of getting re-elected.

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Why you'd press play

Want a congressional outlook that drifts into open phones about the border, Trump, electric cars, and oil?

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