I Don't Believe McCarthy Had Any Intention of Calling on Trump to Resign

Much of the focus on the recorded conversation between House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and then House Republican Conference Chair Liz Cheney on January 10, 2021 (four days after the attack on the Capitol by Trump supporters) in which McCarthy told Cheney he was going to call Trump and demand his resignation was McCarthy's denial that the conversation had ever taken place thus being caught in a lie. 

Yet I think there is a lie McCarthy told that isn't getting the attention it deserves. The lie in question is to Cheney. Having heard the conversation and read the transcript, I don't think McCarthy had any intention of doing any such thing:

Cheney: Is there any chance? Are you hearing that he might resign? Is there any reason to think that might happen?

McCarthy: I've had a few discussions. My gut tells me no. I'm seriously thinking of having that conversation with him tonight. I haven't talked to him in a couple of days.

Um, from what I know of him, I mean you guys all know him too, do you think he'd ever back away? But what I think I'm going to do, is I'm going to call him.

To say "I'm seriously thinking of having that conversation with him tonight" and "But what I think I'm going to do, is I'm going to call him" isn't exactly what I could a profile in courage. It wouldn't exactly lead me to believe that McCarthy was going to follow through even if he genuinely believed Trump's actions on January 6th were in the wrong. I doubt McCarthy actually called Trump and if he had I doubt he would have made such a demand. Had McCarthy done so, Trump would have gone on the warpath against him long ago like he has with Mitch McConnell though McConnell is on surer footing in the Senate than McCarthy is in the House.  

At this point, Trump hasn't lashed out at McCarthy. Of course, with Trump one never knows where one stands from one day to the next. But if Trump is directing his ire at Republicans other than McCarthy he might very well achieve his lifelong dream of becoming House Speaker next year and thus be rewarded for his lies.