The Point: Voting? That's for suckers.

View this email in your browser   May 18, 2021  | by Chris Cillizza and Lauren Dezenski Voting? That's for suckers. North Carolina Republican Rep. Madison Cawthorn has missed more votes -- 16.2% -- than any other freshman member of Congress, according to Quorum data first reported by Axios.    In fact, the five biggest vote-missers among House freshman members are all Republicans, with Cawthorn followed by Georgia Rep. Andrew Clyde (missed 13.4% of votes), Wisconsin Rep. Tom Tiffany (8.5%), Florida Rep. Scott Franklin (7.8%) and New York's Chris Jacobs (5.6%).   (Worth noting: New York Rep. Jamaal Bowman is the freshman Democrat who has missed the most votes in this Congress, at 2.82%).   Cawthorn's spokesman explains it away by noting the congressman was off getting married for a few days last month. But a four-day absence doesn't fully explain the sheer number of missed votes by Cawthorn.   None of this is by accident. Cawthorn, the youngest person ever to be elected to Congress in modern history, has been crystal clear on how much he values the nuts and bolts of legislating and voting (very little) and how much he prioritizes building his personal brand (a whole lot).   "I have built my staff around comms rather than legislation," wrote Cawthorn in an email to his colleagues the same month that he was sworn in to Congress.   Which pretty much says it all. Cawthorn views his seat in Congress not as a perch to pass legislation (or even vote regularly!) but rather a springboard to raise money, get on TV and be a player in Trumpworld.   Just look at how he's acted.   * He made national headlines on Election Day 2020 when he tweeted, "Cry more, lib." (He later said he regretted the tweet.)   * Cawthorn voted to object to the Electoral College results in Arizona and Pennsylvania on January 6 -- despite the fact there was (and is) zero evidence of any wrongdoing. (Asked by CNN's Pam Brown why he voted to object to the Electoral College results, Cawthorn said that "the election was not fraudulent." Which, well, weird.)   * After Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from her leadership post last week, Cawthorn took to Twitter to offer this trenchant analysis: "Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey, goodbye Liz Cheney."   Cawthorn is far from alone -- as the list of missed votes by freshmen House Republicans makes clear. And there are plenty of names not on that list above who have made their bets on this new performance politics as opposed to the old way of legislating and, you know, voting. Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is perhaps the best example of this trend. She has been stripped of her committee seats due to her past statements and actions and yet has become one of the most recognizable Republican members of Congress due to her antics.  The trend, unfortunately, within the Republican Party is toward more Cawthorns, more Greenes and more Matt Gaetzs and fewer people who view their jobs as working on legislation -- and voting on it.   The Point: Donald Trump's impact on what success means within the Republican Party is vast.  Performance is the way to get ahead now -- and lots and lots of ambitious GOPers are flocking to that idea.   -- Chris QUOTE OF THE DAY "We both dispensed with our politics to do what the greater good is. I mean, we're not the second coming of Christ." -- Rep. John Katko, a Republican, on the proposal for a January 6 commission that he developed with Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson. It's now facing headwinds from GOP House leader Kevin McCarthy -- Chris explains why. CAR GUY IN CHIEF While touring a Ford factory in Michigan on Tuesday, President Joe Biden introduced himself aptly: "My name is Joe Biden and I am a car guy."   Oh, how right he is. Biden's love for cars runs deep -- even though the Secret Service limits time behind the wheel.   While in office as vice president, Biden got the chance to show off his prized '67 Corvette Stingray, given to him by his father as a wedding present, to TV host and fellow car lover Jay Leno.   Biden later rolled out that same Corvette Stingray to race former Secretary of State Colin Powell, who owns the 2015 version of the classic car.   While speaking Tuesday at the factory assembling the new F-150 Ford Lightning, an electric version of America's most popular pickup, Biden was effusive.   "I'd sure like to drive it," Biden said of the electric truck set to be released on Wednesday. "I wonder whether or not I can lose the Secret Service and go out to the track. You all think I'm kidding don't you. The press knows I'm not."   Spoiler alert -- Biden wasn't kidding. He was soon spotted at a driving course "driving fast in a grey-ish f-150 lightning truck" by the pool reporter. TUESDAY'S MUST-SEE TWEETS 1. Kevin McCarthy goes silent 2. Katie Porter got out her whiteboard again 3. Bill de Blasio is done caring what you think 4. Vaccines work, people! 5. Shohei Ohtani is incredible 6. A really good thread on where innovation happens in sports CHRIS' GOOD READS This New York Times interactive about why people aren't getting vaccinated -- by state! -- is amazing.   Democrats got a big-name candidate against Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio on Tuesday. And Republicans got a big name-ish candidate against New York Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo too. This one from CNN's Joan Biskupic on what RBG's death means for Stephen Breyer's potential retirement is really intriguing. And Slate says Elena Kagan is sick of Brett Kavanaugh already.   The Hill's Reid Wilson is right: Redistricting is a major GOP advantage that people aren't talking enough about.   How does an oat make milk?  Do we need more stagecoaches?  "Shrek" is a "historic meme"? These are the eternal questions I ponder. MUSICAL INTERLUDE Willie Nelson and Karen O (of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs) covering Queen's "Under Pressure"? We are HERE for it. WHAT CHENEY GOT RIGHT House Republicans voted to remove Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney from her leadership position last week, and in the process reaffirmed the "Big Lie" peddled by former President Donald Trump.   In this latest episode of The Point, Chris explains Cheney's last-ditch warning to the GOP and why it matters.   Stick with The Point on YouTube and subscribe! ONE BIG LIST 💉 Has your member of Congress been vaccinated against Covid-19? Check out CNN's handy list of every representative who has told us they've gotten the shot. You are receiving this message because you subscribed to CNN's The Point with Chris Cillizza newsletter. Unsubscribe from this list Check out other CNN Newsletters Create your CNN Account Share the Point Newsletter Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get The Point in your inbox.   Send your tips and thoughts via email to Chris Cillizza and Lauren Dezenski. You can follow Chris and Lauren on Twitter and connect with The Point on: Our mailing address is: One CNN Center Atlanta, GA 30303   Copyright © 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., All rights reserved.

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