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Subscribe to RSSRoll Call: “Republicans and Democrats alike said Boehner has had a calming influence in a time of crisis.” Behind closed doors at bipartisan prayer service, he said, “Our nation mourns for the victims. It yearns for peace. And it thirsts for answers.”
Last night, however, Boehner hosted a cocktail party of the RNC at the same time as the memorial in Tucson. “Boehner turned down a Tuesday invitation from Obama to fly to Tucson with him, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and other lawmakers for the Wednesday night memorial service,” Roll Call reported. http://bit.ly/fHeWKb
Starting over: “House Republicans gather today in Baltimore to plot the path forward for their hard-fought new majority under the inevitable shadow of the shootings in Tucson, Ariz., which essentially put the GOP agenda on hold this week,” Roll Call writes. “But Members insist they don’t plan to forestall their agenda for long and see no reason to alter their strategy for implementing it, even if they get a later start than they hoped.”
More on speakers: “Conservative commentator Dennis Prager will keynote today’s dinner, while columnist George Will be Friday’s dinner keynote. Former Speaker Newt Gingrich (Ga.), who engineered the 1994 Republican revolution, and former Sen. Phil Gramm (Texas) will speak to Members at a Friday breakfast. Also Friday, conservative economists Larry Kudlow and Arthur Laffer, the economic adviser to President Ronald Reagan for whom the “Laffer curve” is named, will lead a session on creating jobs and growing the economy. And GOP Govs. Haley Barbour of Mississippi, Bob McDonnell of Virginia and Rick Perry of Texas will brief Republican lawmakers on innovative policies that they are pursuing in the states.”
Bloomberg News: Representative Darrell Issa, House Republicans’ new chief investigator, is expanding his oversight committee to focus on the heart of President Barack Obama’s legislative achievements. The California Republican, who has called Obama’s administration 'corrupt,' says he will hold hundreds of hearings as chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform." More: "He has created two subcommittees to scrutinize policies defining Obama’s first two years in office: the $814 billion economic-stimulus plan and the bailouts of banks and automakers. A third panel will oversee Obama’s health-care overhaul."
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John Boehner should have been there by Congresswoman Gifford's bedside along with Mrs. Wasserman Schultz, Mrs. Pelosi and the President and First Lady. He failed at a moment of leadership only to be in the presence of everything that is wrong with this country.
"The more things change, the more they stay the same."
Boehner should have been there and he was invited as well as had a seat on Air Force One . But he wanted to attend a RNC Fundraiser... say's alot about the man huh
the republicans are truly a bunch of heartless bastards who only recognize pain when it is their pain and only recognize loss when it is their loss !!! and, once again they prove that money is the only thing that is important to them !!!
Dial it back! That's what your president wants, isn't it?
Well, LouisJ- at least we all got to see what REAL leadership looks like last night. It was both refresing, and reassuring at the same time. There will always be idots like Boehner in the mix. We have to look past them, and forge ahead.
Was Boehner saying prayers for the Tucson victims between cocktails? I watched Boehner on the House floor yesterday crying like a drunk on a crying jag, just blubbering away, but it was about four days late. And why did he say prayers behind closed doors?
I assume that you were one who was moved by Obama's words last night. Way to put that into action!
No Joe NJ, it has nothing to do with Obama. Boehner was invited to come with the President to the memorial.
As Speaker of the House, shouldn't he have been at a memorial service for the victims? Rep Giffords isn't dead, but she was critically injured. No compassion for your house members? At the very least it shows leadership for the Representative who he has authority over.
Obama serves up a great speech at the memorial and boehner serves up crocodile tears at a RNC fundraiser !!! nothing else need be said !!!
"Rick Perry of Texas will brief Republican lawmakers on innovative policies that they are pursuing in the states.”
I wish he would brief Texans. We have not heard any innovative policies outside of selling the interstate highways to toll road operators.
Ain't THAT the @!$%#in' truth. I can't make a drive to or around Austin nowadays without paying extra to some God-forsaken private firm.
Perry will be talking about innovative ways to hide a budget deficit until after an election.
Matthew, I forgot that was his one sucess in his previous term.
I am disappointed by Speaker Boehners refusal to go to the memorial. It will ultimately appear to be a slight to Rep Giffords and her district. He is after all the Speaker of the House and the Reps all report through him.
What does Rep Issa expect to find? I am thinking he is going to look like Sen McCarthy if he is too vigilant in his "hearings". Did anyone try to sue to stop the stimulus? Did anyone win trying to stoip the stimulus? So what is the crime if not merely a difference in policy?
Do not forget there are crazy people all around you everywhere.It took an irresponsible politician's to bring out the worst in people..The grim weeper of the house Beohner.. Palin ..Bachman,,Mc Connell.. to name a few are the people who created the real problems here ..They were allowed.. by political" hack leadership" to incite rage in the people ..resulting in 6 dead people ! Even a helpless child ! ...Through their negligence / leadership "most attorneys".... 6 people are now dead ! .... Why are these people not being charged ?
Dreaming, just stop it. You obviously don't get what the President was talking about last night and you are reinforcing Palin's words about blood libel.
There are crazies out there that do not listen to reason, no matter what, and this is one of those occasions.
You are perpetuating an environment. It is time to start trying to rise above it. I don't like the rhetoric the Republicans have used, but that doesn't mean that I have to perpetuate it.
Did not Jesus say that if someone strikes your cheek to offer him the other? I think that I'll listen to Jesus.
So we want civil discourse but we will attack the other party at every opportunity. Way to go Libs! Do as I say not as I do. Can't make this stuff up!!
Ahh, the irony.
Why would Boehner pass up the chance to drink cocktails. It's the one thing that he does well beside crying like the puss he his.
His being a nice guy is all fine ..He lives in a world where he only see's and hears what they want him to ....
cant trust boehner it is very sad
Didn't Boehner realize that he could have flown on Air Force One, attended the memorial service and had his cocktails too? He could have been given a chance to pay his respects, have a good cry and get bombed all at the same time.
Maybe it is time to clean the dirt off our windshields to each see the road more clearly. With all we have witnessed maybe we just need to recognize that those working hard at exciting emotions and inciting aggressiveness, those obnoxious purveyors of distrust and hate are really pushing their own agendas and clouding up everything without a whole lot of integrity in the process. Those like Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, Bill O’Rielly, others and not to forget Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow all have their extreme biases which they have no conscience or reservation about pushing, not to mention that they make their living and get their attention with doing it. Then there are the many imitators on the internet who aggressively seek to further the cancer and keep the propaganda going. After what has recently transpired and now looking at all of it closely, doesn’t it make more sense to reject all of those efforts aimed to con and manipulate our thinking and to excite our emotions and instead strive to be more rational, objective and civil while thinking for ourselves? It would seem obvious that particular discipline would likely make things calmer and our decisions, our own decisions, more reasonable. I’m sure there are those who don’t want that to happen but then that just substantiates they don’t have our best interests in mind.
I think the talking heads would say anything to gain audience share and make money.
Talking about Speaker Boehner's missed opportunity is civil discourse. Stop saying it is not. He needs to prove himself a leader and he failed miserably at his first opportunity. We all know that he drinks too much. A drunk prefers cocktail parties to memorials. A regular citizen prefers cocktail parties to a memorial. A regular citizen will attend the memorial.
I don't think you you can put Olberman or Maddow anywhere near the same boat as Palin, Beck, Limbaugh or any of those nasty people who lie and foment hate just for the hell of it.
The moral equivalency that the right and the media has been pushing is ridiculous. I agree, Tom. It's like apples to oranges. You have Keith and Rachel for one hour each evening - not even on weekends - and they may be playing hardball but mostly repudiating lies and calling out the liars. That is what a journalist should do, backed up by facts. I have also heard everyone on MSNBC from Chris Matthews to Lawrence O'Donnell mightily criticize the President on parts of his agenda, something no red-to-the-bone right-winger would think of doing if a Republican was President. And I have also heard each and every one of the MSNBC crowd apologize for statements that were made that were either incorrect or that were too over the top. Now compare that to Faux News. Big, big difference.
Cathy,I couldn't agree more. You nailed it.
Boehner what a joke, its the same thing they pulled when Obama scheduled to meet with them on taxes
They have no concern for the we the people or Democrats he just showed that last night be staying in DC
But this is what you get those of you who voted for these nuts, he crys and crys not for the people but for himself
NO Leadership their showed that when asked what he would cut spending, this after 2 years of saying he would cut spending he just has no idea of what or how. What a joke
Lets see the Republicans says they are for smaller government
Yet Issa right out of the box creates two subcommittees more people doing the same thing nothing to move the country forward but to drag it down through the mud that they created.
Thats the Republicans, Boehner says in washington to party with his Rich friends instead of going to memorial shows where he stands
Just an hour ago i called Boehner's office to ask why he didn't go to Arizona...his aide told me that the White House deliberately called him late so that was the reason why he didn't go....typical answer from his clerk. This man was crying his eyes out on the house floor yesterday morning in grief for the victims....so why didn't he get someone to take his place so he could go to the memorial. I do not believe that the White House did anything diliberately to Boehner....tell the truth john you just wanted to go party!!!
I thought he had a plane of his own...
Do not forget there are crazy people all around you everywhere.It took an irresponsible politician's to bring out the worst in people..The grim weeper of the house Beohner.. Palin ..Bachman,,Mc Connell.. to name a few are the people who created the real problems here ..They were allowed.. by political" hack leadership" to incite rage in the people ..resulting in 6 dead people ! Even a helpless child ! ...Through their negligence / leadership "most attorneys".... 6 people are now dead ! .... Why are these people not being charged ?
I usually agree with most of what is said on this show but maybe there is another explanation. John Beohner is in line to the Presidency right after Joe Biden, who I believe was in the Middle East, the President in Tucson. Maybe somebody should be in Washington? Just a thought.