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Page 8A NATION/WORLD East Oregonian Friday, October 9, 2015 McCarthy abruptly withdraws candidacy for House speaker BY ERICA WERNER Associated Press WASHINGTON — Confronting insurmountable obstacles, Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy suddenly withdrew from the contest for speaker of the U.S. House on Thursday, shocking colleagues just before they were to vote and producing ever-deeper chaos for a divided Congress. “We need a new face,” McCarthy declared after a closed-door meeting where House Republicans were prepared to nominate him as speaker but instead listened in disbelief as he took himself out of the running. “If we are going to be strong, we’ve got to be 100 percent united.” Allies said that even though he would certainly have emerged the winner from Thursday’s secret-ballot election of Republicans, McCarthy had concluded he did not have a path to getting the needed 218-vote majority in the full House later this month. A small but determined bloc of conservatives had announced they were opposing him, and they commanded enough votes to EORFNKLPRQWKHÀRRU These same lawmakers, members of the hardline House Freedom Caucus, pushed outgoing Speaker John Boehner to announce his resignation just two weeks ago E\WKUHDWHQLQJDÀRRUYRWHRQ his speakership. Some of them cheered the announcement by Boehner’s No. 2. “The establishment has lost two speakers in two weeks. K Street must be shaking in their boots. Mitch McConnell must be shaking in his boots, too,” said Rep. Tim Huelskamp of Kansas, naming the Repub- lican majority leader of the Senate. One immediate impact, however, might be to prolong Boehner’s tenure. The Ohio Republican, who had intended to leave Oct. 30, said he would stay on “until the House votes to elect a new speaker.” AP Photo/Evan Vucci House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Calif. speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington Thursday after dropping out of the race to replace House Speaker John Boehner, who is stepping down and retiring from Congress at the end of the month. “The establishment has lost two speakers in two weeks. K Street must be shaking in their boots. Mitch McConnell must be shaking in his boots, too.” Webster has the backing of the Freedom Caucus, whose members dismissed McCa- rthy as a clone of Boehner. Numerous other names began to surface of possible — Rep. Tim Huelskamp, Republican, Kansas candidates, and lawmakers were openly discussing the The man most widely It all comes with Congress possibility of elevating a seen as a potential speaker in in desperate need of steady “caretaker” speaker to serve McCarthy’s place immedi- OHDGHUVKLSDVPDMRU¿VFDODQG for a short time. “You understand it could ately ruled it out. budgetary deadlines loom, be a quick end to your political “While I am grateful for the starting with the need to raise encouragement I’ve received, the government’s debt limit career,” remarked Rep. Lynn I will not be a candidate,” said to avoid a market-shattering Westmoreland, R-Ga., one of those discussed. He held up Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, default in a month’s time. the former vice presidential “This is unprecedented his cellphone to show calls nominee who now chairs the to have a small group, a tiny coming in from McCarthy. The Republicans’ noon- Ways and Means Committee. minority, hijack the party and But Ryan was under intense blackmail the House,” said time meeting was adjourned pressure to reconsider, Rep. Peter King of New York. moments after it began including from Boehner and McCarthy might have been with McCarthy making his McCarthy himself. able to eke out a win, but he jaw-dropping announcement “I would hope he would” said that’s not how he wanted as his wife and kids looked on. “Disbelief, from the run, McCarthy said of Ryan. to become speaker. It’s now Establishment-minded unknown when the House surprise announcement by Republicans expressed bitter GOP election will occur, and Boehner to the quick nature frustration at the sway of the in doubt as to whether a sched- of this election to it now being Freedom Caucus at a time XOHG2FWÀRRUYRWHE\ERWK postponed — it’s uncertainty when Republicans command Democrats and Republicans on top of uncertainty,” said freshman Rep. Ryan Costello their largest House majority in will go forward. 80 years. McCarthy’s two announced of Pennsylvania. “I’ve been And stark uncertainty lies GOP rivals for speaker — here nine months, I’ve never ahead as lawmakers question Reps. Jason Chaffetz of Utah seen anything like this. I’d bet how any candidate backed by and Daniel Webster of Florida you most other members who mainstream Republicans will — lack widespread support have been here 20 or 30 years be able to prevail in the House. in the House GOP, although would say the same thing.” EU agrees to speed migrant deportation, buttress borders LUXEMBOURG (AP) — The European Union on Thursday took measures to buttress its porous external borders and toughen up its migrant return program in an attempt to build a credible refugee policy that would continue to embrace WKRVHÀHHLQJIRUWKHLUOLYHV yet punish those seeking economic gain. Facing their toughest refugee emergency since World War II, the 28 EU nations committed to speed up and intensify the deportation of people who do not qualify for asylum, including more special ÀLJKWVRXWDQGGHWHQWLRQIRU those who might slip into illegal residence. It all was to underscore one key message: Europe feels overwhelmed and needs to be far more rigorous in sending economic migrants back LI LW ZDQWV WR ¿QG HQRXJK goodwill among its popu- lation to continue harboring true refugees. “Increased return rates should act as a deterrent to irregular migration,” the conclusions of the meeting said. More than 500,000 people have arrived this year seeking sanctuary or jobs. But of the people who fail to obtain asylum or resi- dency in the 28-nation EU, less than 40 percent actually go back, and all agree that should change quickly. “We need to see Europe upping its game,” Britain’s interior minister, Theresa May, said. “If there is no return policy there is no basis for the refugee policy,” said French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve, adding agreements should be quickly made with many of the developing nations from where tens of thousands of economic migrants leave in desperation for a better life in Europe. At the same time, he put to the EU nations a far-reaching plan to beef up the external borders by committing member states to contribute more personnel to the EU’s border agency and eventually set up a largely autonomous international “corps” that could intervene wherever a crisis appears. )UHQFKRI¿FLDOVVDLGWKDW in the short term, member states would be obliged to contribute more personnel to the Frontex border agency based on their population, wealth and other criteria. Last week, Frontex appealed for 775 additional staff to deal with the migrant crisis in Greece and Italy. It would roughly double the staff the agency has there now, mainly on some 30 vessels in the Mediterra- nean. In the long term, France proposes a multinational European border guard corps which would have much more autonomy to act and contain crises. To further deal with the mass movement of migrants through the Balkans, EU ministers discussed better cooperation with their coun- terparts from the region and the nations bordering Syria, from where many refugees KDYHÀHGWKHZDU Several ministers lauded a better understanding at the meeting between Balkan nations, which have often fought over who should take charge of the refugees transiting through their countries. “That is much more HI¿FLHQW WKDQ WKURZLQJ WKH problems at one another,” said Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders. “It is a complex humanitarian crisis demanding concrete cooperation.” U.S. airman who thwarted French train attack stabbed in brawl SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Airman 1st Class Spencer Stone, celebrated as a hero for helping to stop a terror attack on a French train over the summer, was stabbed and seriously wounded outside a bar in his hometown early Thursday in what police said was an alcohol-related brawl. Stone, 23, was knifed three times in the upper body but was expected to survive after about two hours of surgery, said Dr. J. Douglas .LUNFKLHIPHGLFDORI¿FHUDW UC Davis Medical Center. “This incident is not related to terrorism in any way,” Deputy Police Chief Ken Bernard said. “We know it’s not related to what occurred in France.” A grainy surveillance video from a camera outside a liquor store showed a man who appeared to be Stone ¿JKWLQJ ZLWK VHYHUDO SHRSOH at an intersection. The group spilled into the street as people took swings at each other, and one person got knocked down. Police said two assailants ÀHG LQ D FDU 1R LPPHGLDWH arrests were made. Bernard said Stone was out with four friends when WKH\ JRW LQWR D ¿JKW ZLWK another group of people. The deputy chief would not say what sparked the argu- ment. He said there was no evidence the assailants knew who Stone was. Bernard said he did not know whether Stone was drinking, but others were. Kirk said Stone remained heavily sedated in the hospital’s intensive care unit. He declined to discuss any details about the surgery or whether any vital organs were damaged in the stab- bing, beyond saying Stone KDG³VLJQL¿FDQWLQMXULHV´ The airman arrived at the nearby hospital conscious despite his wounds, the doctor said. A&P Liquors via AP This frame from video provided by A&P Liquors, shows a group of people, including U.S. airman Spencer Stone, fighting outside a bar in Sacramento, Calif. “I suspect given his history of recent events he is TXLWHD¿JKWHU´.LUNVDLG He said Stone’s family asked him to convey “their deepest gratitude for all the expressions of concern for KLVZHOIDUHDWWKLVYHU\GLI¿- cult time for them.” In August, Stone and two of his childhood friends from Sacramento, National Guardsman Alek Skarlatos and college student Anthony Sadler, were vacationing in Europe when they sprang into action aboard a Paris- bound passenger train and tackled Ayoub El-Khazzani, a man with ties to radical Islam. He had boarded the train with a Kalashnikov ULÀHDSLVWRODQGDER[FXWWHU Stone, who is assigned to Travis Air Force Base in Cali- fornia, suffered a severely cut thumb and a knife wound to his neck during the struggle with the gunman. President Barack Obama met with the three Americans last month, praising them for their quick thinking and courage and calling them “the very best of America.” They were also awarded France’s highest honor by President Francois Hollande. The three appeared on late-night talk shows and received a parade in their hometown. The stabbing happened in a busy area of central Sacra- mento ringed with bars. They’ve served our country with courage and honor. They’ve left behind loved ones to risk their lives in protecting their country. They’ve defended our freedoms and ideals. They make us proud to be Americans. Join us for Veterans Day, Wednesday, November 11, 2015 in the East Oregonian and Hermiston Herald, as we honor the men and women of the U.S. Military. Their courage, hard work and sacrifice are the backbone of our nation, protecting freedom, liberty, justice and all we hold dear. PRICES 1x4 - $ 40.00 2x3 - $ 55.00 Full Color Included Private Party Only Bring in or call 1-800-522-0255 with a photo and message to your hero to give them a special thanks. DEADLINE Wednesday, November 5 th 1x4 EXAMPLE For more information call Paula at 541-278-2678 or 1-800-522-0255 or Hermiston Herald at 541-564-4530. 2x3 EXAMPLE We are so proud of you for serving your country. Love Evelyn, Joe and Cheryl J OSEPH B. D AVIS J OSEPH S MITH Thank you for your service! Love always Marcy, Julie & Emily