Jen Psaki: The cannibalization of the GOP

Ronna McDaniel's final weeks

VIEW IN BROWSER MSNBC DAILY Understand today's news with Jen Psaki VIEW IN BROWSER MSNBC DAILY Understand today's news with Jen Psaki Saturday, February 10, 2024 The cannibalization of the GOP By Jen Psaki It has been a news week for the record books. Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., said he felt "like the guy standing in the middle of the field in a thunderstorm, holding up the metal stick." An evocative image, yes, and one that tells us pretty much everything we need to know about the modern GOP.   Lankford dared to negotiate one of the more conservative border bills in history to address an issue his party has been screaming about for years. As a thank-you for his efforts, he was censured by the Republican Party in Oklahoma and threatened with destruction by a prominent MAGA radio host.   And Lankford is not the only Republican leader the right wing threatened to devour this week. Republican National Committee chair Ronna Romney McDaniel has spent years catering to Donald Trump's needs. She's endured years of attacks, spent hundreds of thousands of donor dollars on Trump's legal troubles, faced multiple subpoenas and even stopped publicly using her maiden name in deference to the de facto party leader. In return, she is being publicly ousted as the leader of the RNC.   Typically, politicians succeed by expanding their support base. In contrast, Trump sends his MAGA wolves after anyone who dares compromise, work with the other party, or deviate from the guidance of the dear leader.   In Trump's view, everyone is replaceable. Loyalty trumps intelligence, experience or efficiency. And he could care less if he burns the Republican Party to the ground as a result.   Read more exclusive insights from Jen Psaki here. And tune into "Inside with Jen Psaki" Mondays at 8 p.m. ET, and Sundays at 12 p.m. ET on MSNBC. TOP STORIES FRANK FIGLIUZZI I worked in FBI counterintelligence. I know why Putin gave Tucker Carlson an interview. Tucker Carlson just gave Vladimir Putin exactly what he wanted. Read more. HELAINE OLEN America has a GoFundMe problem GoFundMe is a poor substitute for America's tattered social safety net. Read more. STEVE BENEN Amidst VP chatter, Elise Stefanik joins the race to the bottom Elise Stefanik is in a race to the bottom against other Republicans hoping to be Donald Trump's running mate. The race is poised to get a whole lot worse. Read more. HAYES BROWN The 15 words that will decide whether Trump is eligible to be president again How the justices choose to parse the 14th Amendment's Section 3 will determine whether Donald Trump will be allowed on the ballot. Read more.         TOP VIDEOS MORNING JOE Joe slams Hur report as a political document written by a 'neurologist from Trump University' ALL IN Santos sequel? Republican candidate in NY-3 special election raises eyebrows ANA CABRERA REPORTS Mayors of Kansas City and San Francisco make a friendly bet before the Super Bowl matchup 11TH HOUR Why U.S. Supreme Court justices avoided insurrection question in Trump ballot case MORE FROM MSNBC Tonight, Jonathan Capehart sits down with New York Governor Kathy Hochul to discuss the Senate GOP's blocking of the bipartisan border bill and the House special election to fill former Representative George Santos' seat. Watch The Saturday Show with Jonathan Capehart tonight at 6pm Eastern on MSNBC. Chris Hayes has spent a lot of time recently thinking about the arc of progress in America. In thinking about all of this, a paradox has been heavy on his mind: while the U.S. has gotten incredibly more progressive over the past few decades, we're also in the midst of a marked authoritarian movement that's showing no signs of slowing down. What does this moment mean for the progressive movement and its future? Our guest this week points out, "what an incredible gift [it is] to be alive at a time when we have such a chance to make a difference." Deepak Bhargava is a senior fellow at the Roosevelt Institute, a distinguished Lecturer at the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies and is co-author of "Practical Radicals: Seven Strategies to Change the World." He joins WITHpod to discuss the trajectory of coalition movements, the state of the progressive movement in 2024, immigration reform and more. Listen here. MSNBC INSIGHTS Have you ever wanted to provide MSNBC with your opinion about their TV programs, documentaries, and digital products, such as MSNBC.com, newsletters, and podcasts? Now is your chance! Join the MSNBC Insights Community. This weekend on MSNBC SATURDAY MSNBC's "The Weekend" at 8am ET: Michigan Secy. of State Jocelyn Benson… Fmr. Montana Gov. Marc Racicot MSNBC's "The Saturday Show" at 6pm ET: Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-N.Y.)… Kelvin Harrison Jr… Aaron Pierre   SUNDAY MSNBC's "Inside with Jen Psaki" at 12pm ET: Fmr. United States Attorney General Alberto Gonzales… Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) MSNBC's "PoliticsNation" at 5pm ET: Joy Reid… Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.) *Subject to change 30 Rockefeller Plaza New York, NY 10112 PRIVACY | CONTACT | UNSUBSCRIBE PRIVACY | CONTACT | UNSUBSCRIBE