Boehner sees which way the winds are blowing

October 3, 2006

It’s hard to execute the rare flip-flop-flip, but House Majority Leader [tag]John Boehner[/tag] (R-Ohio), when discussing House Speaker [tag]Dennis Hastert[/tag] and the [tag]Mark Foley[/tag] scandal, seem anxious to pull it off.

You may recall that Boehner, whom Rep. Rodney Alexander (R-La.) spoke to directly about Foley’s emails to a 16-year-old page, initially said he spoke to Hastert about the problem and that Hastert assured him “we’re taking care of it.” Boehner later changed his mind, called the reporter back, and said he hadn’t told Hastert.

This morning, the Majority Leader returned to his original position.

ABC’s Teddy Davis reports: In a radio interview with 700 WLW radio in Cincinnati, House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) placed responsibility for the Foley matter not being handled properly on House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL).

“I believe I talked to the Speaker and he told me it had been taken care of,” said Boehner. “And, and, and my position is it’s in his corner, it’s his responsibility. The Clerk of the House who runs the page program, the Page Board — all report to the Speaker. And I believe it had been dealt with.”

Now, it’s possible that Boehner can see that the winds are blowing in a certain direction. If Hastert resigned tomorrow, chances are Boehner would get a promotion (that is, just so long as Dems don’t win back the majority). In other words, Boehner may see Hastert struggling on the high wire and decide it’s time to give him a little push. From a personal perspective, that’s a strong motivation.

If that is the plan, it’ll probably be pretty effective. Hastert is already in serious trouble — having the Majority Leader place the scandal at his feet will only make matters worse.

TNR’s Michael Crowley argued, “If the GOP leadership can’t close ranks, this story isn’t close to being over.” Quite right. These guys are all House Republicans with similar ideologies, but they’re also competitors trying to avoid blame in what has become a major congressional scandal just five weeks before an election. Expect quite a bit more finger-pointing in the coming days.

For his part, Hastert says he’s not going to resign.

Speaker Dennis Hastert brushed aside any suggestion of resignation on Tuesday as House Republican leaders struggled to contain the fallout from an election-year scandal involving sexually explicit messages from a disgraced lawmaker to underage male pages. […]

In response, Hastert’s spokesman, Ron Bonjean, issued a statement that said the speaker “has and will lead the Republican conference to another majority in the 110th Congress.”

That’s pretty much what the Speaker’s office is supposed to say at this point, but once resignation talk gets going, and a leader has to start denying it publicly, it can take quite a toll.

I wish we had subpoena power – which we don’t, being in the minority – but this is rather fun, watching GOPers rip each other to bits.

  • I haven’t seen such impressive flipping since the 10 m diving event at the last Olympics. For Boehner, however, the start was a little awkward, and there was a bit too much splash for full marks.

  • In response, Hastert’s spokesman, Ron Bonjean, issued a statement that said the speaker “has and will lead the Republican conference to another majority in the 110th Congress.”

    Spooky! Do they really think they are still going to be in the majority. Talk about denial.

    No surprise that Boner is trying to blame Coach Hastert for this one. Frankly all these Republican’t congresscritters are to blame.

  • I don’t know about you folks but I’d give my first born cat* to be a fly on the wall in Rayburn Building:

    Hairshirt and Boner flipping the bird at one another, Nancy Pelosi following them both, demanding to know who knew what when. Alexander hiding in the loo because his fellow G[r]OPers are angry at him. Pages running away when any member of the GOP looks at them. Reporters laying in wait outside. Angry right-wanks ringing the phone off the hook…

    All we need is something that ties any of the Republicgoons to the death or disappearance of a young blonde woman and Ka-Boom!

    tAiO

    *Because I don’t have children.

  • Spooky! Do they really think they are still going to be in the majority. Talk about denial.

    That, or they know that voting machines across the country are going to be rigged in their favor. We know they’re crooks, and we know it’s relatively easy to cheat. They’re delusionally confident. The obvious conclusion is that massive cheating is planned.

  • “…it’s in his corner, it’s his responsibility.”

    I love it. He is throwing Hastert to the dogs.

    It just so happens that I am watching I Claudius right now and have just seen the episode where Caligula gives advice on how Tiberius should handle the rebellion of Sejanus, the head of the Praetorian guard I think. Caligula says “If you can’t find an honest man, I say find one who is ambitious. Get a dog to eat a dog.”

    Macro takes care of Sejanus.

    Boehner hopes to take care of Hastert.

    By the way, the takeover was accompanied by the mass slaughter of Sejanus’ allies.

    Frankly I think that Boehner is doomed as well. If not immediately, then soon.

  • “Fredo, you’re nothing to me now. You’re not a brother, you’re not a friend. I don’t want to know you or what you do. I don’t want to see you at the hotels, I don’t want you near my house. When you see our mother, I want to know a day in advance, so I won’t be there. You understand? ”
    Michael Corleone GF Part 2

    The worst wars are when it is brother against brother. Just like when a large chunk of the mafia was broken by the Feds who got them to squal on each other, the Repubs are discovering that a shared blood- in this case a (stupid) ideology-is not enough to keep the resentments, rivalries and anger from exploding.

    The metaphorical knives are just coming out and will get worse when the lawyers and investigators start doing their things…

  • Boehner wrote to the Washington Times in ‘support’ of hte Speaker. He wrote:

    “..Had Speaker Hastert or anyone else in our leadership known about Mr. Foley’s despicable conduct, I’m confident the Speaker would have moved to expel Mr. Foley immediately and turn him over to the appropriate authorities.’

    On the whole the letter sounds like strong support for Hastert, but he gives himself some distance with the phrase ‘I’m confident’.

    Its really quite Machiavellian. At the high-profile WT he supports Hastert; at small radio stations he absolves himself of all blame.

    :

    ‘

  • I think Boehner is swinging the axe for Rove. Boehner’s telling Hastert that he’s willing to back up his statement in court.

    http://thepremise.com/archives/10/03/2006/262

    As for Rove, what’s the upside for keeping Hastert in the House? Republicans might not even retain control, which would mean he’d be out anyway. Where’s the upside – except pushing Denny aside to take the Foley scandal off the front page?

    http://thepremise.com/archives/10/03/2006/263

  • I don’t think Boehner is going to have a good shot at the Speakership slot. From the WT editorial this morning:

    ***We nominate Rep. Henry Hyde***

    When the Times has to go all the way down the International Affairs Committee to find someone they’d like to see as Speaker of the House, it’s a sure bet that the top GOP brass in the House are in serious trouble.

    Do I hear the sound of a tsunami coming up the Potomac?

  • Now, this is precious… from Raw Story (emphasis added)

    “Congresswoman and Senatorial candidate Katherine Harris claims that Republicans did not know about the Mark Foley page scandal, but implies that people “in the media and on the other side of the aisle,” may have known and withheld it from the public.”

    One out of three is pretty good for ol’ KH.

  • Rove is too smart for this. He’s going to call a meeting of the leadership and not let them come out until they are all on the same page.

  • The rat lines are filling up as the Good Ship GOP sinks slowly into the Potomac.

    The excuses are truly painful to hear.

  • Dan (#9),

    I very much appreciate your quote from “The Godfather”. I don’t know that the Bush Crime Family is quite there yet, but it’s headed in that direction, capisce?

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