How did you go bankrupt? asks a character in one of Ernest Hemingway’s classic novels. Gradually, was the familiar answer. Then suddenly.

And so it is with the politically and morally bankrupt Kevin McCarthy.

On Tuesday, he was voted out as Speaker of the House of Representatives, a first in the country’s history, after a summary execution instigated by a small group of far-right Republicans, eagerly aided and abetted by vengeful Democrats.

The moment, for all its drama, seemed set from the moment McCarthy narrowly won the position.

Power and responsibility have not reshaped the man, nor awakened deep reserves of character and wisdom. There is a void at McCarthy’s core, which has long been evident, and it left him empty and bereft as he fought to stay in power.

He never cared much about passing laws or establishing policies. He has never demonstrated deep-seated convictions beyond what was necessary to win elections. Rather, McCarthy’s driving force was his personal ambition. His principles were just another chip thrown on the table during negotiations.

As a result, the Bakersfield Republican has become the proverbial man without country or, in his case, without support.

The Democrats hate him. That includes those nihilist Republicans led by McCarthy’s nemesis, Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, who gleefully introduced the resolution to vacate the presidency, as the process is known.

A comparison with McCarthy’s immediate predecessor as speaker is instructive.

Nancy Pelosi and McCarthy are each from California. Both are voracious fundraisers and encyclopedic in their political knowledge.

But that’s where the similarities end.

Pelosi, who will be remembered as one of the most powerful and influential speakers in history, also worked on slim margins and faced her own challenge of rallying fractious members. But the San Francisco Democrat is legislatively savvy, has deeply held convictions and has a command of the matter before her.

While McCarthy was never “confused about what a bill says, or had a specific policy interest,” Pelosi knew the gist of the individual lawmakers: the content of legislation and “how to make legislative compromises,” says Matthew Green, a professor of political science at Catholic University and an expert on speakers.

(Of course, it helped immensely that Pelosi’s Democratic colleagues actually wanted to get things done.)

“So it’s not just, ‘Hey, let’s make a deal,’” Green said. “It’s like, ‘Okay, I understand where you’re coming from. Let’s see how we can bridge the differences between different groups in our party.'”

For fans of deja vu, Tuesday’s scene of anger, accusations and members looking wide-eyed at a crowded House floor is a reminder of the chaotic night last January when McCarthy achieved his long-held dream of becoming speaker. He won the job only after fifteen painful and embarrassing votes, which exposed House Republicans’ penchant for anarchy and McCarthy’s preternatural tolerance for humiliation.

It’s been a bumpy and strife-filled ride since then, and if McCarthy’s unprecedented overthrow seems sudden and occurs within hours, it was a long time coming.

The last seeds were sown in the days of tension and barter that led to his ascension.

To claim the speaker’s gavel, McCarthy surrendered a host of powers, giving his enemies an effective veto over crucial legislation, such as keeping the government running and preventing catastrophic government failure, and greater say in committee assignments.

More importantly, McCarthy agreed that a single dissenter could provoke a vote on his removal, and then have that sword hanging precariously over his head for the entirety of his speakership.

A nimbler politician or more skilled legislator might have struggled, but at least he would have survived.

But McCarthy is not so astute.

On Sunday, as it became clear he might need Democratic votes to stay in office, the embattled speaker went on television and accused Democrats of narrowly avoiding a government shutdown. The claim was laughable and demonstrably false: a group of Republicans in the House of Representatives were entirely responsible for the threatened shutdown.

But the timing and motive were particularly puzzling; McCarthy’s claim was guaranteed not to win him support from the other side of the aisle.

However, that was only part of the Democratic bill. Other grievances included President Biden’s foolish, evidence-laden impeachment inquiry and California Rep. Adam Schiff’s censure for helping lead the justified, evidence-laden impeachment of President Trump.

There were other, deeper contradictions.

This spring, McCarthy negotiated a spending deal with the Biden administration to avoid government failure and then, after passing Congress with bipartisan support, blithely walked away under pressure from Gaetz and others.

In a business where trust is the coin of the realm, McCarthy has no currency and it’s costing him among Republicans.

A small group of Republican lawmakers, who are nowhere near the majority of the House conference but enough to eliminate him, have long viewed McCarthy with suspicion. Too transactional, they say, and not a true conservative.

He worked with Democrats to suspend the debt ceiling and prevent a devastating government failure. On Saturday, he again turned to Democrats to get the votes needed to keep the government’s lights on, only confirming his enemies’ doubts.

This is a whole new concept from individuals who just want to burn the place down, McCarthy said as he reached for enough Republican votes to keep the government running. It does not work.

True, but rich thanks to someone who spent years handing out matches and throwing kerosene around the Capitol.

Most infamously, McCarthy made a diabolical bargain with former President Trump, warning him about the deadly attack on lawmakers on January 6, and then recklessly showed up at Mar-a-Lago to pledge his fortune to the party’s MAGA wing and its destructive policies. . (And guess who barely lifted a finger in public to save McCarthy’s sinking speaker?)

After spending most of his life in politics, McCarthy showed that he would do whatever it took to become speaker.

Kneel before Trump. Suffer through multiple, humiliating rounds of voting. Surrender to dissidents and allow a small group of extremists to weaken his office.

In the end there was nothing left to save him.