Republicans Use 'The Town' Clip in Debt Ceiling Talks, Ben Affleck Gags a Bit

With the debate over raising the debt ceiling still raging in Washington, House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy decided that his Republican troops needed a morale boost. So, McCarthy did what motivators and middle school teachers everywhere do when they need to rally their followers: he showed them a movie clip.

Which clip did McCarthy choose? Maybe the William Wallace speech from "Braveheart?" Or how about Viggo Mortensen's rallying spiel from the end of "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King?" Nope, neither of those: McCarthy instead chose to show them a clip from "The Town."

Uhhh...what?

Yes, Representative McCarthy decided to use footage of Ben Affleck asking Jeremy Renner to help him rob a bank. "I need your help. I can’t tell you what it is. You can never ask me about it later, I'm gonna hurt some people," says Affleck's character. “Whose car are we gonna take," Renner replies.

Apparently the clip was inspiring enough for Rep Allen West to stand up and declare, "I'm ready to drive that car!"

Did these guys realize that the movie is about a bunch of criminals who steal and kill? Did they miss that line that says "I'm gonna hurt some people?" Or do they just not give a shit that their refusal to budge an inch on the debt ceiling debate could cause economic ruin for the reason that they might feel as cool as Jeremy Renner?

Affleck, for his part, was a bit disturbed by the news. "I don't know if this is a compliment or the ultimate repudiation," Affleck said. "But if they're going to be watching movies, I think 'The Company Men' is more appropriate.'"

"The Company Men," by the way, is about a group of men who lose their jobs due to the recession.