‘Rankly Unfit’: The View From a Republican Who Voted to Impeach

The Daily

The New York Times

Daily News, News

4.4 • 102.8K Ratings

🗓️ 15 January 2021

⏱️ 50 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

This episode contains strong language. Three days after being sworn into Congress, Representative Peter Meijer, Republican of Michigan, was sitting in the gallery of the House of Representatives as pro-Trump rioters stormed the Capitol. After the siege, Mr. Meijer made his feelings clear: President Trump’s actions proved that he was “rankly unfit.” A week later, he became one of just a handful of Republicans to vote for impeachment. We talk with Mr. Meijer about his decision, his party and his ambitions. Guest: Representative Peter Meijer, a first-term Republican congressman from Michigan. For an exclusive look at how the biggest stories on our show come together, subscribe to our newsletter. You can read the latest edition here. Background reading: Meet the first-term Republican representatives who are emerging as some of their party’s sharpest critics. Many Republican leaders and strategists want to prepare the party for a post-Trump future. But the pro-Trump voter base has other ideas. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily

Transcript

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0:00.0	From The New York Times, I'm Michael Obaro. This is Adali.
0:09.0	There are 211 Republicans in the House of Representatives.
0:14.0	This week, just 10 of them voted to impeach President Trump
0:19.0	for his role in the attack on the Capitol.
0:22.0	Today, a conversation with one of them,
0:27.0	newly elected Representative Peter Meyer of Michigan.
0:32.0	It's Friday, January 15.
0:38.0	So Congressman, this has been quite a first week for you.
0:44.0	Have you gotten used to being called Congressman yet?
0:47.0	I know it's just been a few days.
0:49.0	I think the statement that a lot of, especially as freshmen,
0:54.0	members ask each other, is kind of, you know, when does it hit you?
0:58.0	You know, when does it feel real that you're part of a governing body
1:02.0	at the federal level that you're one of 435 representatives in Congress?
1:06.0	And I have to say when we had to flee an armed mob
1:10.0	from the House chambers, everything became real very quickly there.
1:14.0	Mm-hmm. Well, I'd love for you to take me back
1:18.0	to the days before that.
1:20.0	Congressman.
1:21.0	I'm going to January 3rd.
1:24.0	And I can imagine that it's a bit difficult to get back into that headspace
1:28.0	with everything that has transpired since.
	...

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