His leadership has been criticized within Republican circles, but Boehner may also be exhausted of the frequent demand, by some members of his party, to use the threat of government shut-downs as political leverage, and also frustrated by a president more inclined to do end-runs around the congress than actually negotiate with them.
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Asked Sunday by host John Dickerson on a live broadcast of CBS’s “Face the Nation” whether those hard-liners are “unrealistic about what can be done in government”, Boehner exploded.
“We’ve got groups here in town, members of the House and Senate… who whip people into a frenzy believing they can accomplish things they know – they know – are never going to happen”, he added with emphasis.
Boehner, who has served in Congress since 1991, said he hadn’t thought about his retirement plans, but wanted to spend the last weeks of his tenure as Speaker making things easier for his successor, who is yet to be determined.
‘The Bible says beware of false prophets.
Asked whether he was referring to Cruz specifically as a “false prophet”, Boehner pointed to a report suggesting he referred to the senator as a “jackass” at a private fundraiser.
The experience may have been “cathartic” for Boehner, said Hanna. Ted Cruz – that was never going to succeed.
Cruz reveled in Boehner’s surprise decision on Friday, telling a groups of conservatives gathered in Washington, “You want to know how much you terrify Washington?” Rubio, retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson and former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina were among the GOP candidates who said Boehner’s departure showed it was time for the party to move on. “But why make my Republican members walk the plank?” the speaker told the CBS program “Face the Nation” on Sunday. “Listen, you can pick a lot of names out”, Boehner said.
DesJarlais’ opponent in the Republican congressional primary, Grant Starrett, blasted the incumbent for supporting Boehner in previous years. “I expect my Democrat colleagues want to keep the government open as much as I do”.
He will resign not simply the speakership at the end of October – a post he has held since 2011 – but the House seat he has occupied for 25 years.
Boehner said the continuing resolution will need support from Democrats in order to pass but was not concerned about meeting that goal. “It’s become clear to me that the prolonged leadership turmoil would do irreparable harm to the institution”.
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“I’m not here to bash anyone, but the time has come to turn the page and allow a new generation of leadership in this country”, he said.
