The current Republican party continues to rely less on policy and more on personality—specifically the personality of former President Donald Trump—to inform its core principles.
The party itself acknowledged this with its official party platform—or lack thereof—ahead of the 2020 presidential convention, when the Republican National Committee voted not to adopt a new platform, but instead reiterate its "strong support for President Donald Trump and his Administration."
As shoddy as that guiding principle might be, Republican leadership has stuck to it. Republicans like Senator Mitt Romney of Utah and Congressman Adam Kinzinger of Illinois have become personae non gratae for criticizing Trump's character, even though they voted in line with Trump's agenda the vast majority of the time.
The latest Republican being canceled by their own party is none other than House Republican Conference Leader Liz Cheney (R-WY).
After Trump's lies regarding the 2020 election prompted a violent insurrection against the United States Capitol, Cheney put the blame—in no uncertain terms—on Trump, announcing she would vote to impeach him:
"The President of the United States summoned this mob, assembled the mob, and lit the flame of this attack. Everything that followed was his doing."
Cheney faced instant backlash from her Republican colleagues, and her party leadership position was jeopardized. In a secret vote, Republican representatives decided Cheney should remain the House Republican Conference leader.
Now, Cheney is facing new slings and arrows, this time for saying the 2020 election wasn't "stolen" by Democrats engaging in widespread voter fraud, as Trump so often claimed it was.
Trump issued a statement berating Cheney, claiming she has "no business" in Republican leadership and urging the representatives to replace her with pro-Trump Congresswoman Elise Stefanik of New York. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was caught on a hot mic saying that he'd "lost confidence" in Cheney's ability to continue in her position.
The View cohost and anti-Trump conservative, Meghan McCain, was incensed by the backlash against Cheney, and railed against the Republican party's treatment of her in a recent segment.
McCain said:
"They're shivving her for her going on television multiple times and saying that the election wasn't stolen, and for refusing to debase herself to Cheeto Jesus. I don't understand what's going on. "
She said Republican representatives were sending the message that any woman who speaks out against Trump isn't welcome within the party:
"I have spent the past five years of my life trying to accept, understand, and include the MAGA base of this party, and the message that's being sent by the highest member of Republicans in Congress is that women like me and Liz Cheney who refuse to bend the knee to President Trump but still remain loyal Republicans, we don't have a place in this party, we are worthless, we are not worth fighting for to keep."
She concluded with:
"If you do this, which it looks like they're gonna do, I promise you there will be consequences. ... Go ahead, in this sausage fest of MAGA up on Capitol Hill, pull her out and put another woman in who will do and say anything you want for President Trump. 'The election wasn't stolen, he's Jesus, it's only Trumpism going forward.' See where this lands us in midterms. I'm absolutely furious."
People shared in that fury.
As a staunch conservative, McCain is usually regarded as one of the more controversial View hosts. Some people were amazed to find themselves agreeing with her.
Cheney's leadership position remains uncertain.
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