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Subscribe to RSSCiting his schedule and the coming budget debate, House Speaker John Boehner said Thursday that he will not accompany the U.S. delegation to Rome for the investiture of Pope Francis.
The delegation will be led by Vice President Joe Biden. Both men are the highest-ranking Catholic U.S. officials of their respective parties.
“I am grateful for the invitation to attend the papal investiture in Rome with Vice President Biden, and would like to be able to join the trip,” he said in a statement. “Unfortunately, my duties in the House next week - including hosting President Obama and the Prime Minister of Ireland at the Capitol on Tuesday, and the debate on the budget - make that impossible.”
Asked by NBC yesterday about the election of Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina, Boehner congratulated the new Pope and praised the choice of a pontiff from outside Europe.
“I'm happy that they were able to come to a choice as quickly as they did,” he said. “I think that reaching out beyond the traditional continent of our church is another big step in the right direction for our church.”
This story was originally published on Thu Mar 14, 2013 11:54 AM EDT
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So, The Weeper doesn't want to be around the Pope who advocates for the poor!
He might go if they have an open bar.
Says the guy who only works 164 days per year!
I can think of a dozen better excuses for Otis to come up with other then his work schedule! lol
The Weeper offers his regrets:
Sure!...I gotta' Obstruct....
.....but like you say Job1, the open bar with a round of golf would trump (oh my) his alleged duties in the House!
Bad enough he skips State dinners but to insult the Vatican in order to celebrate St. Patrick's Day and preside over a do-nothing House is ridiculous.
Steeler Fan . . .
I think you hit the nail on the head .... he wants to celebrate St. Patrick's Day and hangovers in front of Biden and the Pope probably aren't wise.
And yet another invitation extended by Democrats, and turned down by the GOP leadership. Remind us again, which party is it that refuses to reach across the aisle. That would be the GOP party of NO!!
Asked by NBC yesterday about the election of Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina, Boehner congratulated the new Pope and praised the choice of a pontiff from outside Europe.
“I'm happy that they were able to come to a choice as quickly as they did,” he said. “I think that reaching out beyond the traditional continent of our church is another big step in the right direction for our church.”
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Soooooo if they had no done this, they were going to get a scolding from the US Speaker of the House?
Just couldn't re-arrange those visits by those well "oiled" constituents Johnny Walker and Jim Beam?
Or maybe it was that hard to get tanning appointmnet....
So the Weeper of the House disses the President...Disses the Pope....Hopefully he will enjoy his time with the Devil...
I'd also bet that Boehner might be afraid that God might just strike him dead if he steps foot in the Sistine Chapel.
Typical left wing nut responses. First the left criticize Boehner for not staying in Washington and doing his job and now they criticize him for wanting to stay in Washington to work on the Budget and other political functions.
Very typical yet when the Right does it to President Obama, we are a bunch of racist, hypocrite, bastards.
Hell just yesterday, in her usual lead off piece of work the Feisty one said:
So what's the big deal if he doesn't go and actually wants to stay and work. It never ends or ceases to amaze.
And this disses the President how?
I don't thing Bohener should go with a bunch of hypocrites that that demand abortion and gay marriage, when principals of the Catholicism oppose those views.
Fine, Biden will take Nancy Pelosi instead, she'll be Speaker again soon, anyway.
#1.11 Talkto the hand - Ok, I'll give you that one. I skimmed the thread on the pope. It is funny that some people who are bashing Boehner for not going to visit the pope, were the same ones bashing him (Francis) and the office. Perhaps folks are a little too eager to bash Boehner? On this it is not warranted. The speaker should be criticized for his actions, policies, not this. If he is going to work then he has an excuse. Good for Biden for asking though.
As I didn't want to enter the sullied pope thread I'll post my comments here. My take, I find it refreshing that the new pope was chosen outside of Europe. On that point, the false conception that he is just some old white guy and not Latino speaks to most people's lack of understanding. Like everyone else elgible for this job they will have their critics. Bendedict had his detractors because of his Nazi youth ties. Troubling that Francis didn't do as much to protect free speech etc. during Argentina's dictatorship.
On the plus side, he seems to be less hypocritical about wealth, precluding himself from living in opulence in Buenos Aires. He's reported to care more about the poor and concerned about their outreach. Obviously as a Catholic bishop and now Pope he is going to have traditional beliefs about abortion, marriage etc. He should not be attacked for that.
As some others mentioned, I would like to see him punish those priests who assaulted children and their superiors who covered it up.
AGREED!!!
Also because of his stand on those beliefs of the church (which he should not move on and to be considered for the highest position within it), he was outed by the Argentinian government and spent years in the northern part of the country teaching math in school and still never wavered in those beliefs. It was John Paul that took him to the Vatican and rescued him as a good man of the church from the disdain he was shown in his own country.
Yeah Fisty and spilled should be glad that the Weeper isnt hanging out with those Pedofiliac Catholics...Right Fisty?
They had such kind words yesterday..in fact the homophobia from Drivel By was Nostalgic Liberalism. I believe Cindy Lauper touched on it about True colors...
I would love to see how the majority of the above posters contribute so greatly to the dialog and discussion.
nothing VILE and INFLAMMATORY there...EVAR!
Such a benign, insignificant little article .... amazing how it can stimulate an all-out and immediate diarrhea of leftist comments from the usual libturds posting on this site !!!
How many lefty posts are from overpaid and underworked government employees desperately trying to protect their "unearned income" ? LOL !! Some of you clowns need to get a real job !!
I want you, while being completely impartial, state that you are not doing the same exact thing.
Then, as a defense, you throw out the stereotypes.
You are what you claim to detest. Funny how things end up going full cirlce.
Of course American Catholics will not think very highly of the snub by the highest elected Republican in the land. On the other hand, the Speaker might get the Irish vote, but only the Protestant Irish vote. And staying home to work on the budget will be about as productive as asking Rep. Paul Ryan to draft a reasonable budget bill.
Well, said Bruce!
I keep seeing the left wing nuts complaining about the Ryan Budget, but haven't seen the Democrats rushing to back the POS that Patty Murray put out. Oh, that's right Murray's Budget has someone around a trillion dollars in tax increases.
I'll second that, Layton!!!
sfcrat, Murrays budget has someone around??? I think you may have meant somewhere around, but I could be wrong? The right wing nuts are always mis-representing things!!!
What with a spelling error? Something like spelling misrepresenting as you did in your post with the hyphen Mr./Ms. Perfect?
Now back to the point. Where is the discussion on Murray's proposal along with Ryan's? Oh, that's right. There are no headlines on FR with the ridicule pointing at the left.
So the Boner doesn't want to go because of his commitments? What commitments? He doesn't want to lead, he doesn't even want to get out of the way! I seem to remember him saying, he wanted to pass all of his duties to the President? Now that's no longer true? What has changed?
Oh, I know what it is, he doesn't want to go because he can't drink in front of the Pope!!!
Guess he found out that he only gets 1 sip from the Chalice and not the whole chalice.
Why the misinformation running at the bottom of the screen on Good Morning Joe show; it said "the republican/tea party had passed a bill whereas the President had given the States permission so that people needing assistant did not have to look for work. This is a lie, why would MSNBC run this lie on the bottom of their screen .
GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
I would love to see Pope Francis instructing Boehner on why it is un-Christian for the government of the richest country in the world to work against the interests of the poor, the sick, the elderly, and the disadvantaged.
and at the same time instructing biden on why it is un-Christian for the government of the richest country in the world to flush thousands and thousands of unborn children down the drain each year?
The polite RSVP of the Speaker is nice but the root is not that he is busy but that Pope Francis is a man whose life has been dedicated to the poor. Through action and word Speaker Boehner is just the opposite. After all h ow would it look to the Republicans if one of their top leaders went to visit such a man as Pope Francis, chapion of the poor?
And who are you to judge Adler ? Are you God ?? Are you another self-declared "Regressive" who has some type of God complex ???
You might as well admit the truth ... you really don't know anything about John Boehner... but this article presents an opportunity for you to run your mouth anyway !
Perhaps you Dems need to send someone like Sandra Fluke so she can talk openly about her support for "women's rights" ( terminating the lives of babies before they are born) ! I am sure the new Pope of the Catholic Church would politely show her the door !
Maybe he does not want to visit the pope with a delegation against traditional marriage, and abortion for convenience advocates. Unlike Biden his religeous views somewhat reflect in his politics. Why attach yourself to a group that has no sincerity in it's visit. The pope knows these people hate religions of any type. It is a photo op of sycophants.
I think Boner should go on the mere chance that the new Pope will tell him what it like to take the subway to work and also that it would be a nice thing to help the poor.
??
I agree ??. J coop ??
Boehner should have gone out of respect. You are not validating the religion or even the beliefs . . . it is about acknowledging a person who has been chosen to fill a role and is trying to help the world's poor and homeless. I am disappointed in the Speaker.