Posted on 11/17/2006 6:49:59 AM PST by steveegg
House Republicans picked John Boehner Friday to serve as minority leader when Democrats take control of Congress for the first time in 12 years in January.
Boehner defeated Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana in a closed-door election among colleagues. The Ohio winner was expected to speak after elections for other leadership positions concluded. Boehner received 168 votes, Pence 27 and Rep. Joe Barton of Texas won 1 vote.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Most people barely know who the speaker is. We are more distraught then most because we are political junkies. There won't be a bunch of people saying, damn I really wanted Pence to win, I am staying home in 2008. 90% of Americans won't have any idea who Pence, Shadegg, Boehner, Blunt are to be honest.
Truly disappointing.
CNN (over-the-air, no web source yet) - Blunt re-elected minority whip.
In case the GOP didn't notice, they lost the last election.
Continued carping isn't getting us anywhere.
The current leadership is what got us to this point. This is insanity. It is hardly carping to point out that the GOP apparently hasn't learned a damn thing from their losses and appear content to remain the minority party unless the Dems screw up worse than the pubbies did. And that is NO WAY to govern.
Please Lord give this man the fortitude and determination to protect the Constitution with all the ramifications that carries.
My sense is if they go Pence-Shadegg they acknowledge that they screwed up in the House, if they go with Boehner-Blunt they think the voters screwed up.
Blaming the voters is a bad move.
I hope Boehner will choose to use him as a spokesperson for the Congressional Republicans. He is better at articularing a position than anyone in public life with the exception of Tony Snow.
Maybe I'm just in a bad mood today, but I've all but given up on the Republican party.
Sure, the 'Rat party is a willful danger to the republic, but the Republican party has become the party of incomptence and stupidity, and worse, no longer seems to care that it doesn't represent conservative values.
I'm not sure what to do about it - I certainly wouldn't vote Dem, but I sure as heck don't feel like I have a voice in the Republican party (as a group) anymore.
Its bad enough that they weren't listening over the last few years. Then they get kicked out of the majority, and they still can't seem to wake up. At some point, reasonable citizens have to throw in the towel in terms of actively supporting this party. I think I'm there.
Nah, on that one I was just throwing out my favorite Rumsfeld line to follow up your Rumsfeld line.
I'm going to miss that guy.
I will ping you to my vanity post this afternoon.
Insanity - Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Dang...what is wrong with those Reps...on 27 for Pence??
American Conservative Union Ratings:
2005: 100
2004: 100
Life: 94
There are far more decent Conservatives in the Republican Party than there are decent human beings in the dim party. We will survive and regroup... dims are going to fall apart.
LLS
Viable third party anyone?
The Dems got in because the Republicans stopped being CONSERVATIVE, it was a wake up call.
As usual, they cannot see the forest for the trees.
Boehner has done nothing wrong. He inherited a position from DeLay at a bad time for DeLay. This was mere months before the election. Personally, I don't think much can be laid at Boehner's doorstep. He deserves a bit more lengthy chance than he has heretofore received.
Most of them have known Boehner for years, and they know what he can do. Pence is an unknown to them as far as operating in a leadership capacity.
They are just not going to make changes in this atmosphere. Most of them are already worried about their seats in 2008.
I think we should cut them some slack. Boehner is an ok guy, and the last few times I have seen him on TV he has done a pretty fair job.
..you nailed it, Steve...
It was not absurd when Rummy said it. Throughout our history we have found after the fact that the army we had going in was not exactly what we needed when we got there. This has ALWAYS been the case and is somewhat inevitable as most cannot accurately predict the future.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.