‘It Really Is All Showmanship Now’: Chuck Todd Laments You Need the ‘Stomach to Be Matt Gaetz’ to Succeed in Congress Today

NBC News chief political analyst Chuck Todd warned that it takes the “stomach” of “performative” lawmakers like Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) to succeed in Congress today.

Speaking with MSNBC’s Katy Tur at the Republican National Convention , Todd reacted to a clip from the previous day of Gaetz confronting and taunting Kevin McCarthy on the convention floor, telling him he’d be “booed” offstage if he were to speak. Gaetz was behind the effort that ultimately ousted McCarthy as House Speaker.

“It’s the performative versus not,” Todd said.

The commentator noted that he recently did an interview with Rep. Jake LaTurner (R-KS), a 36-year-old Republican who is leaving Congress specifically to avoid being “performative” to get attention. Todd said LaTurner argued less local news coverage and cable news focused on national politics leaves lawmakers with nowhere to go to talk about the actual work they do to help their districts.

“To me, you know what was really revealing about that clip? What was important to Matt Gaetz? That he gets to speak and he gets to be popular. What’s not important — whether somebody has high character, whether somebody treats people well. The accusations against Matt Gaetz are quite serious,” Todd said.

Gaetz was the subject of a sex-trafficking probe, but the Department of Justice ultimately decided not to pursue charges against him.

“Unfortunately, if you don’t have the stomach to be Marjorie Taylor Greene or Matt Gaetz, you’re not going to succeed in the way Congress is set up and our media infrastructure,” Todd said.

Greene has had her own fiery moments at the convention, losing it on a Times Radio reporter on Wednesday.

Todd said he wished it were “different,” but there is no place for workhorses in today’s Congress.

“It really is all showmanship now. There is no reward for being a workhorse,” he said.

Watch above via MSNBC.