John Boehner’s latest attempt to muster public outrage at Obama over the government shutdown was destroyed by the White House with a single tweet.
Boehner claimed at his press conference today that he just wants a simple discussion about Obamacare, “The American people don’t want their government shut down and neither do I. All we’re asking for is to sit down and have a discussion and to bring fairness – reopen the government and bring fairness to the American people under ObamaCare. It’s as simple as that. But it all has to begin with a simple discussion.”
However, House Republicans are saying that Boehner refuses to roll over and is still demanding major changes to Obamacare. According to Roll Call, “I think the important takeaway is this stuff that’s floating around in the media about, you know, he’s not willing to challenge, is not true,” said Rep. John Fleming. The Louisiana Republican quoted Boehner as saying he wouldn’t ‘roll over.’…Boehner indicated that House Republicans will still insist that the president agree to change 2010 health care law in exchange for an agreement to reopen the government.”
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Speaker Boehner is trying to win the PR battle when he and his party have already lost the war. Even the latest Fox News poll shows disapproval of the Republican Party skyrocketing since they shutdown the government. The easiest way for Boehner and the House Republicans to prove that they don’t want a government shutdown is to allow a vote on the Senate passed CR.
Boehner says that this isn’t a game, while he continues to keep the government closed unless his party gets major changes to the healthcare law.
The White House response to Boehner came via a Tweet from Press Sec. Jay Carney:
.@SpeakerBoehner It's no game, Mr. Speaker. So why deny the House a vote on clean CR? Many R's will vote yes & govt will open. #JustVote.
— Jay Carney (EOP) (@PressSec) October 4, 2013
The White House also disavowed an anonymous quote in the Wall Street Journal that claimed that Obama doesn’t care when the shutdown ends:
.@morningmoneyben So am I, Ben. We utterly disavow idea WH doesn't care when it ends. House should act now, no strings attached. #JustVote
— Jay Carney (EOP) (@PressSec) October 4, 2013
Boehner and the Republicans see their only way out as getting public opinion on their side, but their years of saying no and obstructing Obama are coming back to haunt them. Boehner’s promise not to roll over was designed to appease the base. Even as the Republican Party is in the midst of a fiery downward spiral, Speaker Boehner remains incapable of doing what is right for the country.
Obama isn’t going to give them anything on the ACA, so House Republicans have been reduced to tough talk in public as they frantically search for a way out in private.
Speaker Boehner has no power, but his comments were revealing in one respect. Like any professional political prostitute, John Boehner won’t roll over unless he gets paid. Boehner’s attacks are so weak that they aren’t even worthy of a White House statement.
The Obama administration is destroying Boehner via Twitter, because that is truly the level of attention that his delusional PR campaign deserves.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
