I actually had not considered what Boehner’s motives were in saying such a thing. I couldn’t care less what he says. But, I cannot count the times I have read a comment by someone here, obviously anti-Cruz, that repeats what Boehner said because they believe him to be telling the truth about Cruz. Who knows, maybe Boehner is telling the truth about Cruz, but I am not the type of person that clutches at what a disreputable and dishonorable person says just because it happens to be what I want to believe.
I haven’t seen people claiming that Boehner’s word is sterling. I could imagine people saying a stopped clock, etc. But hopefully conservatives are not looking to Boehner for truth. That would be misguided.
This may just be me, but I would find it far easier to believe Boehner thought his insults would help Cruz than hurt him. Boehner didn’t resign because he was popular. He knows very well the base detests him. If he complimented Cruz, that would be the kiss of death, and Boehner is not so new to DC as to not know it. If the former Speaker wanted to get Cruz some extra media attention, and also wanted to boost Ted’s stock, he went about it just right.