Notes on Boehner resignation presser:
Much blah, blah...
He did choke up when he said there was a quiet moment with the pope the press didn’t see. Pope grabbed his arm and thanked him for his work on education and kids-— and asked Boehner to pray for him.
Taking questions:
He said there was never a doubt that he could survive a vote, but he didn’t want “his members and the institution” to go through that-— especially since he had long-planned to leave anyway (at the end of his term?).
Says he is going to make the same decisions and votes as he would had he not resigned.
Goal is to find common ground between Dems & Repubs.
Told McCarthy 2 minutes before he told the meeting. Said McCarthy would make excellent speaker.
Told chief of staff and wife yesterday that he was strongly leaning to resign, but didn’t decide for sure til this morning.
I told Kevin, if he is next Speaker, that his number 1 responsibility is to protect the INSTITUTION.
Smattered throughout presser was make Institution stronger, protect Institution, not harm the Institution.
Thank you for the notes. I gave up watching/listening early on.