Tag: John Boehner

While all of us on the left rejoice at the NRCC's lackluster fundraising, and while most Republicans are resigned to the fact that this will not be a blowout year for them, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) is clearly not content to sit this one out, as he exhorted his colleagues to get off their "dead asses" and pony up for the party.  Boehner has a lot to be angry about, what with the slew of retirements, and now the corruption scandal surrounding Rick Renzi (R-AZ).  Apparently, Boehner has been urging Renzi to step down– the one time he actually wants a colleague to retire, it doesn't happen!

Either way, seeing a Republican become this unhinged gives me a thrill.  It shows that they are losing control, and, if more of them start showing their tempers publicly, we can trot out the footage, and frame their entire party as foaming-at-the-mouth lunatic beasts.  And that, I dare say, would be a satisfying payback after their decades of characterizing us as effeminate sissies.  So, go on, Boehner.  Keep ranting . . . PLEASE!

With a barrage of scandals, retirements, and recruitment woes, it’s no shock that the National Republican Congressional Committee is not a fun place to work this cycle, but could it really be this bad?  The Politico’s John Bresnahan and Patrick O’Connor report that things are getting nasty both within the NRCC and between the committee and House Republicans.  Apparently, House Minority Leader John “Small Price” Boehner is upset with NRCC Chair Tom Cole’s stewardship of the organization, and is heavily pressuring Cole to make some significant personnel changes.  Cole has said privately that he would rather resign than bow to such demands.  From the article:

Neither Boehner nor Cole’s offices would comment on the meeting or struggle, but Boehner spokesman Brian Kennedy did say the two leaders have “very frank and candid conversations” about regaining a Republican majority.

The Boehner-Cole fight came to a head during a Sept. 10 meeting, which included “a lot of yelling back-and-forth” between the two over the campaign committee’s operations and effectiveness. House Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) also attended but “they didn’t say much,” said a GOP strategist familiar with the session.

Following the meeting, an angry Cole called together the NRCC staff and told them that if they were not happy working at the committee, they might want to consider leaving immediately, said several GOP insiders. That Cole outburst occurred last Monday, said the sources.

But wait, there’s more!

Inside-the-Beltway Republicans have grown frustrated with the NRCC for its unrealistically rosy assessments of an ever-eroding landscape for congressional Republicans.

Lawmakers are frustrated with Cole and his top aides for casting their net too wide by targeting Democratic-controlled seats that Republicans have little chance of picking up next year.

Some also gripe that Cole fails to manage expectations on the Hill when he refuses to acknowledge that the GOP’s chances for regaining the majority fade with every retirement or negative news story about President Bush or other scandal-plagued Republican lawmaker.

The most interesting revelation here is that some House Republicans believe that the Cole and the NRCC are “casting their net too wide”.  I’d be curious to know which recruitment efforts House Republicans consider to be lost causes.  State Sen. Nick Jordan, who is running against Kansas Democrat Dennis Moore, perhaps?  Or state Sen. David Cappiello, who is challenging Rep. Chris Murphy (D-CT) after his stunning victory over incumbent Nancy Johnson last year?  One can only guess.

(H/T: TPM EC)

The House Minority Leader John Boehner said in an interview with CNN on Wednesday that the blood shed in Iraq and the billions spent were a “small price.” A lot of bloggers pounded Boehner for this and rightfully so, though many missed an important angle: Boehner is the leader of his fellow 200 Republican members of the House of Representatives.

So on Thursday, I called on the Republican members of Nevada’s delegation (Jon Porter and Dean Heller) to answer one question: Do they think the death of Nevada’s fallen soldiers is a “small price to pay?”

I also asked members of the 50-State blog network to do the same. Thus far five other blogs have done so.

Left in Alabama has two posts up (here and here), Calitics, Minnesota Campaign Report and Blue Jersey are asking their Republican Congressmen as well, and Blue Mass Group wants an answer from the Republican candidate in Massachusetts 5th CD (which has a special election coming up) and also has a follow up.

We already have John McCain on record saying “he ought to retract it.” But McCain’s a Senator.

Where are the 200 men and women who elected John Boehner as their leader? Do they agree that the 3,780 American lives lost in Iraq are a small price?

If you haven’t already pressured your local representative on your blog, please join us and do so now. Also, bring this to the attention of your local media. Write an old fashioned letter to the editor. CNN has picked up the blogospehere’s reaction, so should your local media. Every Republican member of the House should have to answer if they agree with their leader.

Cross posted from My Silver State.