So...could we end up with Boehner as a coalition speaker?

[Ken Burch]

The 'pugs are pretty badly split...for most of the last couple of weeks Boehner has looked like he cared more about staying in the speaker's chair than anything else...is it possible that he will decided that this might be his last term as speaker anyway, but that he could at least keep Cantor out of the job by taking a few loyalists over and forming some sort of coalition with the Dems(presumably, with Pelosi as coalition majority leader)?

And if this were possible, should we see it as a good thing or not?

[Odin2005]

1. It would indicate that the GOP is splintering, a good thing.

[HooptieWagon]

2. Interesting possibility.

On the one hand, Boner would likely give some committee chairs to Dems, and the gridlock would be effectively broken assuming the Dems and Boner's loyalists could work together.
On the other hand, the Rethugs all fear a primary challenge from the extreme right, so Boner would have real difficulties finding a couple dozen loyalists willing to work with Dems. He might get a half dozen at best.

[Ken Burch]

3. He could draw from those who would assume that, at this point,

they're going to get a primary challenge no matter what. I think there's a large contingent of such people in Boehner's caucus tonight...the Tealiban has really driven a lot of Republicans past the point of endurance with their attitude on this issue, I think.