On April 29, 2012, House of Representative Speaker John Boehner appeared on CNN’s Candy Crowley’s program State of the Union.
Republicans
have been against President Barack Obama “before day one” and sometimes
Mr. Boehner seems to be riding a bucking bronco because he cannot get
all his Republican ducks in line.
First, Mr. Boehner pointed out he
is interested in creating “a new way forward” and as Speaker, he is
trying to “rebuild” and “strengthen the institution of the House of
Representative.” He indicated he is “making progress” and making
“positive steps in the right direction.” He proudly proclaimed that
there were “no earmarks” in his basket and that he has maintained “an
open process” as a Representative of the entire nation. He believes
Republicans will retain the House in the 2012 elections and defeat Mr.
Obama.
Next Ms. Crowley asked Speaker Boehner to compare the
Republican contender with President Obama. He thought Mr. Romney a “very
likeable” person who has had a “successful career.” He admitted both he
and Mr. Romney were “Striving for the same thing.” That is, “to make
sure our kids and grandchildren have a secure future.” This is what any
sane person wants, particularly Mr. Obama. Finally, in his view as to
why Mr. Romney will defeat President Obama, Mr. Boehner expressed,
“Americans don’t like to vote for a loser. They will vote for a
successful person.” Naturally the Speaker, notwithstanding, is entitled
to his own opinion.
Boehner’s comments about President Obama is both
questionable and disturbing despite the fact he stated “The President
and I have a good relationship.” As such, “I avoid making personal
attacks on the President.” Still, he believes, “The President is getting
bad advice.” While this statement is questionable, the disturbing
utterance that Mr. Obama “has lost his courage” and even more hurtful
that “he is diminishing the Presidency” dictates that conscientious
Americans should say: “Hold it there Mr. Speaker, you have not only
contradicted yourself but you have falsely characterized Mr. Obama.
Still, at least you are smart enough to admit he is the President of the
United States.”
Now, if we concede his efforts to reform the
Institution of the House and focus on his ad hominem arguments then we
have to conclude Mr. Boehner, as Speaker, is very partisan. After all,
he is a major player in the Republican Party, seemingly unalterably
opposed to President Obama, which is based on the party’s actions over
the last there years.
The President has lost his courage? This line
is very consistent with earlier Republican bait that “The President is
an appeaser in Chief.” To this falsehood, Mr. Obama personally responded
in the Press Room, “You should ask the 22 top Al Qaeda leaders taken
off the battlefield if I am an appeaser.”
Certainly, despite what
is said, giving the order to assault bin Laden’s compound was
courageous, for, in a failure he would have blamed. Equally, we may add
his decision to the Navy seals to “take the shot” at the Somali Pirates
who were holding captive the Captain of the Maersk Alabama. Now that Mr.
Obama’s people have come out with a new TV Ad extolling the raid on
Osama bin Laden’s compound, Senator John McCain has responded it was
“shameful self-congratulation.”
None of these people complained
when Mr. George W. Bush’s people posted the “Mission Accomplished”
banner aboard a navy ship, when the mission had barely started. Now that
Obama’s bold and courageous actions have removed foreign policy and
“soft on terror” from the Republican arsenal, they are trying a back
door.
Mr. Obama is diminishing the Presidency? Memory serves very
well; even before he was elected President Mr. Obama was a victim of the
most vicious characterization, inundated with racist under and
overtones.
Even as events unfolded around the Debt Ceiling Debate,
Mr. Obama tried to phone the Speaker. Anyone in this country who
receives a phone call from the President responds instantly. Mr. Boehner
ignored the President’s attempts to reach him. He went to the Press
before getting in touch with Mr. Obama., Playing hardball as he did, as
events unfolded, Mr. Boehner gleefully ,announced “We got 98 percent of
what we wanted!”
Without a doubt, in a plurality, any group that
gets 98 percent of anything did not play by fair rules, particularly if
they do not constitute that percentage of the population.
Recall
that in that same House Rep. Joe Wilson told the President “You lie!”
This certainly diminishes the Presidency but who knows what Mr. Boehner
told old Joe.
His Republican colleague Mitch McConnell gave that
famous “Thumbs up” with the big smile. Senator DeMint on CNN boasted “I
like the President, but he got his facts wrong,” and in the Health Care
Reform drama, that “If we stop Obama, it will be his Waterloo.”
Speaker Boehner remained silent. Certainly these things diminish the Presidency.
“Joe
the Plumber” and the “Tea party Movement” attacked Mr. Obama in the
most unconscionable manner but we did not hear from Mr. Boehner. While
Mr. Boehner acknowledges Mr. Obama is the President, when Michelle Obama
and Donald Trump trumpeted the “Birther Line” the Speaker’s silence
seemed to say, “You guys run with it!”
When the Arizona preacher started praying for the death of the President, the Speaker was silent.
Let
us not forget, Edmund Burke reminded the world, “The only thing
necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to say nothing.”
Speaker Boehner is right that “Americans don’t like to vote for a loser.” He may have been referring to himself.
