Republican huddled on capital hill taking the first step to electing a new speaker. They are under pressure to act quickly in order to provide aid to israel. The speaker battle on capitol hill and your thoughts on what is happening in the middle east. For democrats 202 7488000, for republicans 202 7488001 and for independents 202 7488002 you can also text at 202 7488003 or on facebook facebook. Com cspan. Good morning everyone and welcome to our new home at the washington journal. We are in a brandnew studio, in the same building on a different floor. It has been a year in the making. We have new monitors, new backgrounds, new desks, new lighting. One thing that will not change as the conversation we have with each of you every morning. If you want a more indepth tour of this new studio you can go online and take a tour along with us to check it all out. For the first hour, we have a double headline with the speaker battle on capitol hill and how the u. S. Is responding to the israel hamas issue. Lets begin with the meeting last night with republicans. What came out of that . Guest last nights meeting, it was more of a group conversation. It was the start of the week but not quite the beginning of the speaker selection which will be tonight where republicans will meet for a cabinet forum. Last night was a lot of reflection on what happened last week with the ousting of speaker mccarthy. There was a lot of anger towards the eight republicans who joined with democrats who caused it to happen. There are two candidates Steve Scalise and jim jordan who will lay out their case. We will see how that goes. Host how are each of those candidates doing of what is the vote count look like . Guest its hard to tell. There are some that show started with a slight lead. But the conference is pretty vague. A lot could happen. They do have the Freedom Caucus in the ohio delegation which is giving jim jordan a slight lead over Steve Scalise. Host how many votes do they need to become speaker and do either one of these gentlemen have them . Guest to become speaker they will need 215 votes which is a high bar with the mccarthy situation. To become the nominee of the Republican Congress which is half of the congress. Presumably, one of them should be able to get there. Some in the conference are trying to change the conference rules to require 217 to move to the floor. That would draw this out in my opinion. That would take a longer time in the second, as i mentioned earlier, that is a high bar. Host why do some want to get to 217 behind closed doors before they bring the vote to the public on the house floor . Guest the argument there, they do not want a redo of january. When they had vote after vote and mccarthy could not become speaker and lead to negotiating with the holdouts. And he made the deal which included the one vote to vacate and we saw what happened last week. Republicans want to avoid a repeat of january. Host will this vote take place on wednesday . Guest the internal conference vote would take place on wednesday. Whether or not we see a vote on the floor is a lot more questionable. The cabinet seems to have close to 217. It will take a little for them to get to that number. Host some of the party feel like they need to move more quickly because the house cannot act and there is this conflict in the middle east. Why cant the house act . Guest without a speaker in place there are constitutional pressures about those speaker pro tem. There are some people that believe that he can act and some say constitutionally the only thing he can do is move towards a speaker election. Republicans coming out of yesterdays meeting were straightforward and the fact that they are pushing for an israel aid package but they want to get back on track and get back to these appropriation bills. And they want to elect new speaker quickly and that is likely are easier said than done because there will be a lot of conflict. Host thank you for setting up a conversation this morning. We appreciate it. Guest thank you for having me. Host we have margaret from kansas, a democratic caller. Caller i would like to say, the coverage of the gaza, israeli thing. It has been liking lacking insight as to why it is happening. If anyone has been watching netanyahu in his extreme treatment of the palestinians. That is bound to happen if you have an apartheid and you hurt people. Its been disappointing with israel that they dont seem to be able to get rid of this guy. Of course its the fault of people who go and kill like that but on the other hand, it did not come out of the clear blue. They have been treating people with the part tied conditions as long as netanyahu has been there. Host as we have said, there are double headline this morning. Domestically, on capitol hill the republicans start the initial steps of electing a new speaker. They are the majority of the house and they have the majority to elect a new speaker and that started last night with airing grievances behind closed doors. They will be behind closed doors again tonight. This is all related to what can the u. S. Do to respond to aid israel if there is no speaker of the u. S. House of representatives. In the israeli leftleaning newspaper, the Editorial Board had this piece yesterday. Netanyahu bears responsibility for this israel gaza war. The Prime Minister who prided himself on political experience failed to identify the danger he was leading israel into after establishing a government of annexation while embracing Foreign Policy that ignored the rights of palestinians. That is an editorial in the leftleaning israeli newspaper. We have jason, a republican from kentucky. Go ahead. Caller good morning. Host we are listening. Go ahead. Caller this has to do with the israeli conflict in the hamas conflict. I would like to comment about some of the members of congress and their antisomatic comments. Antisemitic. It seems to me there should be some sort of reprimand for those members of congress. We have iran, and michigan. Eileen in michigan caller i believe when mr. Mccarthy put himself in that position. The new people that were elected, he swore the men when he took the gavel. He made them officially members of congress but they were not members of congress. Until he swore the men, they did not go through the normal methodology of being sworn in and officially made members of congress when the whole vote took place. It is confusing to me how this went through. They were not members. They did not have a badge, they did not take pictures, they were not sworn in devoted. Host we got it. We go to new haven, connecticut, a democratic caller. Caller good morning. We are speaking about the war in israel. Host what are your thoughts on that . Caller when the lady said just a few the lady who called and i agree with her. There are American Jewish people who disagree with netanyahu. They told jewish people who live in israel to come home. They did not have space for all of those people. They took the Palestinian Land and that is wrong. Netanyahu is in some legal trouble two. Too. I think they should get along and they wont do it with netanyahu as the leader. And i am so sorry israel was attacked and people died. That is pretty much my comment. Host sophia in manhattan, and independent. Caller good morning greta. I hate so use the word blaming but netanyahu has been a good leader for many years. The last seven years, completely changed when trumps soninlaw went to israel without security clearance. He went to israel, made this deal. First trump would pardon his father. Second, what happened to gaza, israel. If jared kushner, trump is not a politician. When he went there, made that deal. Host are you referring to the abrams accord . I am not following sophia. As we heard from the top there are discussions when the House Speaker is elected the house and senate would move on aid to israel and that aid to ukraine could be tied to that proposal as well. Here the headline in the washington post. It is the speakers job to move legislation. Mccarthys succession must be chosen but it is not clear when they can declared victory. There have been several requests to washington including the replenishment of the iron dome and various rounds of ammunition and cooperation with intelligence sharing. That reporting is from the washington post. This came up yesterday when republicans met behind closed doors to talk about the electing of this new speaker. Steve scalise, speaking to reporters as stressing support for israel. [video clip] if i can get a little separation. Obviously, this has been going on for days. Members want to come together. We have to get back on track. This is a dangerous world right now. We stand strong with israel in the house needs to get back to work. We need total resolved to make sure we can come together quickly and get our speaker elected on tuesday. And then lets get back to the peoples business. From all of our members to come together and get back on track. Host Steve Scalise who is vying for speakership in the house talking to reporters yesterday. There is also Mitch Mcconnell writing in todays wall street journal for steps for the u. S. To help israel. First distinguish between the aggressor and victims there can be no calls for both sides to deescalate. Second, quickly provide the specific capabilities and intelligence for israel to target and destroy these savages. Make americas defense of priority. While war is expensive failure costs more. And finally he writes, focus on iran. There is already information that this war was done with assistance from tehran. Just as they helped with hezbollah in syria. We recognize the deepening partnership tehran and hamas. And used by russia to inflict terror in ukraine. That was Mitch Mcconnell writing in todays wall street journal. In jamestown, North Carolina we have dell. Caller good morning. I would like to say with the chaos regarding the speakership, the gentleman Patrick Mchenry if he could say give me liberty and give me the speakership. This chaos, why not just let the house take the interim speaker and make him the speaker for this time . I am looking forward to next november when i hope and pray that he keep jeffreys h Akeem Jeffries becomes the leader of the house. Host we have susan from North Carolina. Caller i just want to say, i am ashamed of america today. After hearing on tv, they are protesting and glorifying hamas for butchering the people in israel like they did. I am so ashamed and i am ashamed that members and the Democratic Congress are traitors too. I am ashamed of america. I am ashamed of this president. He is the worst president in history has ever had. There were people in the protest that had swastikas on their arms and the democrats are always calling the republicans white supremacist and nazis. It looked like the nazis were right there. Host david in georgia, and independent. Caller thank you for cspan in washington journal. The speaker pro tem, he takes over the responsibilities of the speaker. So we have a speaker right now. This is all sensationalism you can move forward with whatever you need to. This is just a bunch of sensationalism. Host why do you think it is unclear . Caller its not unclear, that is what pro tem means. Host we have lawrence from south carolina, hi david oh lawrence. Are you there . Caller yes. Host we are listening, go ahead. We are listening to you, it is your turn. I will put you on hold to see if we can get back to you. Chorizo in new york. Teresa in new york. Caller i stand with israel. I am totally ashamed of our politicians in washington, how they are supporting the nonisraelis. It is breaking my heart. Are we waiting for hamas to come to the United States and terrorize our country . We need to stand firm. We need to support israel. They have been our friends for many, many years. I am embarrassed of our president and those who are supporting him. Please understand that we need to keep our nation safe and at the same time supportive friends and family in israel. Host the front page of the National Newspaper this morning, israel for ground assaults in gaza. The New York Times israel orders a siege, hamas receives threats. If the stripes from israel continue without warning they will kill the hostages that they have. You have usa today their headline, israels retaliatory strikes are just the start. And on the front page of the washington times, netanyahu valves historical change. Vows historical change. [video clip] israel is that war, we did not want this war. Although we did not start this war we will finish it. Once, the jewish people were stateless, defenseless, no longer. Hamas will understand that by attacking us they made a mistake of historic proportions. We will exact a price that will be remembered by them and israels enemies for decades to come. The savage attacks that hamas perpetrated against israelis is mindboggling. Massacring hundreds of young people at an outdoor festival. Hamas bombed elderly, women and children. And just as we united to defeat isis, we hope they will support israel to defeat hamas. I want to thank President Biden for his support and those standing with israel. I want to the people in congress of the United States of america. In fighting hamas it is not just fighting for our own peace but every country standing against barbarism. Israel will win this world and when we win the entire civilized world wins. Host netanyahu yesterday. This first hour we are getting your thoughts on what is happening domestically on capitol hill. The battle for speaker and you also have this conflict in israel between israel and gaza. We are talking about both of those. For republicans 202 7488001, for democrats 202 7488000, for independents 202 7488002 and you can all text us just include your first name, city, and state. 202 7488003, or on facebook facebook. Com cspan or on x http twitter. Com cspanwj. The militant group received help from iran and they say the leader of hamas that his group received 70 million and assistance from iran. They provide 100,000,002 Palestinian Terrorist groups. Current and former officials said iran provided technical help and manufacturer of the rockets, drones launched on israel since saturday. Hamas militants have also undergone training at lebanese camps staffed by technical advisors from has below. Tom and crockett, texas. Caller i am here. They need to stop all the racket up there. Matt gaetz started all that mess and all you get is fighting. The republicans fighting the democrats and the democrats fighting the republicans. And the people out in the world hate each other because they are republican or democrats. Host who do you think the speaker should be . Caller i think someone with good sense. Dont choose one of those people who wants to keep the racket going. Know somebody who knows whats going on and put him in there. Host congressman Kevin Mccarthy held a News Conference where he talked about the situation in the middle east and the need to elect a speaker it would not rule out the possibility that he could become speaker. We have roberta, a republican. Caller i wanted tell you something greta. I am upset with people who think hamas is doing a great thing. I think it takes a lot of crazy people that hamas is our best friend. The last thing i want to say is this. I have a survey from the Democratic Party and there is not a thing in here about being 23 trillion in debt. There is only a thing about spending more money. I have never seen hate mail like this in my life. The republicans are going after the people if they dont win the election. I used to think this country was a great country. If my own children turn democrat i would not let them in my house . Do i make myself clear to those democrats out there . All you do is spend, spend, spend. I have lost a child and i have a child he was dying because of cancer. I still care about my country and i wish you democrats would put your own selves in someone elses place and think about the nation instead of your own selves. Host jerry in detroit. Caller i think the speaker of the house, i think the israelis should choose the speaker since they already influence our so much better. Its ridiculous. Host we have bob in sarasota, florida. Caller good morning. For those callers who blame b iden for hamas. But with this clown show of the republicans, look what happened . That is the problem with the republicans. They need to support israel and ukraine. That is the bottom line. Host so you want to see any aid package include aid for ukraine . Caller 1,000,000,000,000 . We cant make deals with terrorists. Its like isis. They will cut heads off in public. Really . Host we have lawrence in south carolina, a republican. Caller i am disappointed in the republicans fighting each other and biden needs to decide if hes going to be an american or communist or supporting iran or these Foreign Countries that are against the United States. We need to support america. We need to quit bickering. We need to quit arguing with each other and republicans need to get together and fight for america or the United States of america and given all this money to iran and hamas. These countries that are against us. I am sick of it. We need to support israel, not sure about iran, ukraine. I dont know where they stand. They are giving money to the bidens. Host catherine and burlington, new jersey. In burlington, new jersey. Caller i am calling in about the speaker pro tem. The speaker pro tem should have full authority to carry on the business of the house. Its like the Vice President who takes over of the president is not there. I suggest that the rules be changed that the speaker pro tem has full authority to carry on with duties so we dont have this problem. Host chris, a republican in chicago. Caller the biggest question i have, the intelligence. How come our intelligence is finding out things ahead of time. This attack, january 6, cyber attacks. How come they arent catching that . Thats the biggest problem im having right now. As much money we are spending for this intelligence and nothing is b