Posted on 09/05/2010 6:23:45 PM PDT by Chet 99
WASHINGTON — John Boehner could walk down most American streets without turning a head.
But the perpetually tanned, chain-smoking Ohioan might be the next House speaker and a huge force in national politics, trying to manage an increasingly libertarian-leaning Republican caucus while leading the opposition to President Barack Obama's policies.
(Excerpt) Read more at google.com ...
‘We need someone who can articulate what conservatism is and move an agenda.’
Henry Clay and James G. Blaine were Speakers who articulated their party policies. In the 20th century only Gingrich was successful as an articulator. The House is just too complicated for a non-technician to run it.
Not completely true, at least not for Rayburn.
TV has changed the nature of American politics. When Rayburn was speaker, he did his work behind the scenes. Senate Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson did most of the talking during the Eisenhower years, and Rayburn let him take the limelight becuse he knew Lyndon wanted to run for president. Rayburn had no such ambitions, at least not after 1940.
During Eisenhower's years with a Democratic majority in Congress, Rayburn and Johnson would go down to the White House at the beginning of a congressional session along with the Republican leadership. Ike would serve bourbon and branch water while all the deals were made for the session. When Rayburn and Johnson went back to their respective Houses, they could count on the votes because party discipline was not something to be taken lightly.
Rayburn once said he was uncomfortable when the Democrats had too big a majority in the House because "all kinds of squirrely ideas" would get brought to the table, particularly from the Northeastern liberals.
You rarely saw Rayburn on the Sunday morning talkfests. He was content to let the committee chairs talk while he ran the House from behind the scenes.
The second to last person I was to see as Speaker is Boehner!
Note: the first would be Pelosi of course.
What would be the reaction if AP (accurately) described the other party’s leader as “the perpetually tanned, chain-smoking Obama”?
Gingrich wasn't a media star, either. And is Pelosi doing a bang-up job as spokesman for the majority?
One of the problems with being out of power is that it forces people who aren't "front men" into positions of media prominence. Who is the spokesman for the GOP right now?
Clue: There ain't one. And there won't be one until we have a presidential nominee.
That said, given a choice between an effective legislative leader and a "good hair" talking head, I'll take the effective operator every time.
They have examples of places where it was tried.
Rayburn... I’m not quite that long in the tooth. :)
Any good poly sci course in the legislative process would make all of this clear.
Rayburn shows up in the second and third volumes, and he turns out to be a sympathetic and honest figure.
They didn't listen? How do you know?
The Boehner haters are whacked out. I worked for a member on the Hill and Boehner has been exceptional at holding this caucus together. And he has been excellent at helping candidates who are running in very contested races. Very supportive...and been listening to these future members. I know this for a fact. He has the support of conservatives too. People on here don’t know what they are talking about.
The guy is not “likeable”. He has no personality at all. I don’t think he is capable of smiling. I know this might sound silly, but this is not the kind of person we want to present as the new face of the Republicans. He is the stereotypical, old, mean Republican,the same old , same old that got voted out of office two years ago. Two years of this guy will have people looking at the Democrats again. We need someone who is likeable.
Because of their votes.....how else?
I’ll bet he’d be a lousy astronaut too. So what?
Boehner is very popular in the House caucus. I doubt there is even 20 in private who would go against him.
Speaker Boehner will be virtually invisible during the Presidential campaign, which will start before he takes office. He won’t try to dominate politically like Gingrich.
I've been enjoying your reasoned answers. Unfortunately, you might be wasting your time. The words militant and stupid aren't mutually exclusive.
I don't get why you, and a lot of other people here, are jumping on him when he's done a great job keeping Republicans in line aganist the ONE. A lot of you folks need to take a deep breath now and then.
Anybody else feel AP is getting ahead of themselves, like Ole Miss with a fourth quarter lead?
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