Salon: The end of John Boehner?

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"What we've suspected all along can now be asserted with confidence: John Boehner is a SINO -- Speaker-in-name-only. And after what went down -- or, more accurately, what didn't go down -- in the House on Thursday night, it's fair to wonder how much longer he'll even be that.

All week, Boehner did everything he could possibly think of to convince rank-and-file Republicans to line up behind his plan to raise the debt ceiling. That he'd been forced into this position was itself telling, the result of the House GOP's cool -- if not hostile -- reaction to the "grand bargain" framework he'd drawn up with President Obama, a long-term deficit reduction plan that was overwhelmingly slanted toward conservative priorities. But the rank-and-filers still smelled a sellout, so Boehner had to walk away, draw up his own 11th hour plan, and then persuade Republicans that by backing it they'd be sticking it to Obama.

And it looked like he'd pull it off. The Speaker made all of the required right-wing media rounds, privately briefing Rush Limbaugh and bragging to Laura Ingraham that Obama, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi were all against his plan. He also channeled his inner Tom DeLay, telling wavering House Republicans to "get your asses in line," and played a clip from a violent movie at a GOP conference meeting. Democrats made it clear they'd all vote no -- a posture that, in a perverse way, probably helped Boehner's effort to sell it to his own members. By sundown Wednesday, there was a growing sense that the plan would end up squeaking through the House by the slimmest margin.

But now Thursday has come and gone with no vote taking place. There was supposed to be one around 7:00 P.M., but when that hour arrived, the House was busy debating post office namings -- filler work while Boehner and his team scrambled to secure support that had eluded them all week. Shortly before 11:00 P.M., the No. 3 House Republican, California's Kevin McCarthy, announced the House would adjourn for the day without a vote, the August 2 debt default deadline creeping ever closer.

Why are House Republicans so unwilling to follow their own leader at such a critical moment? Probably because he really isn't their leader. He's simply the guy who was in place to ascend to the speakership when Republicans regained control of the House in last November's midterm elections."

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[Chipper Chat]

1. Does this mean 'hello Speakress Michele Bachman?'

or grinning eric cantor?

[BillyJack]

2. Oh please, g_d, NO!!! eom

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. Eric has a tad more control over the children, but not much more

there is now a fight, and the party has split. So who will emerge depends on who wins.

You have the WS faction, led by Boehner

The TEA faction, led by Bachmann

And the backbenchers who will raise the bloody shirt that survives this. Cantor, Boehner and the whip are now in for a ride.

[Ruby the Liberal]

5. Can't you just see a Cantor lead? CoC would have his

nuts over lettuce with a delicate vinegar and oil for lunch on day one.

Good luck guys. You built 'em, you own 'em. Will be enjoying watching you reign 'em in.

[Trajan]

4. I do see a possible way out for the Speaker

To actively recruit 'moderate' GOP members to vote with the Democrats, and PASS the Democrats Senate bill .....

His only way out is to vote with the Democrats .....

[rucky]

8. That's also his way out AS Speaker

They'll boot him and bring in Cantor.

But it's still probably the best move Boehner's got.

[Kennah]

6. Down, goes, Boner! Down, goes, Boner! Down, goes, Boner!

[C_U_L8R]

7. orange ya glad

i'd be surprised to see Boehner hold on to his job for much longer.