Boehner Knocks GOP ‘Knuckleheads’

House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio meets with reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2014, following a Republican caucus. When asked about House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Rep. Dave Camp,... House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio meets with reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2014, following a Republican caucus. When asked about House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Rep. Dave Camp, R-Mich., and his plan to release a rewrite of the nation’s tax code later today, Boehner distanced himself from the details and wouldn't promise a House vote on the plan this year. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) told a trade group on Tuesday that there are “a few knuckleheads” in the Republican conference.

“On any given day, 16 of my members decide they’re going to go this way, and all the sudden I have nothing,” Boehner told the International Franchise Association, as quoted by The Hill. “You might notice I have a few knuckleheads in my conference.”

As a result, he said, House Republicans can be a “paper majority.” He said “dealing with Democrats is one thing, dealing with the knuckleheads is another.”

Boehner’s office would not comment.

It wasn’t the first time the Speaker has chided his members. In April he mocked some of them for being afraid to take on immigration reform. “Here’s the attitude,” Boehner said. “Ohhhh. Don’t make me do this. Ohhhh. This is too hard.”

Latest Livewire

Notable Replies

  1. 16?

    Methinks he’s misunderestimating.

    A lot.

  2. Avatar for marby marby says:

    Boehner calls his a “paper majority” - that and “knuckleheads” are the best descriptions I’ve heard of what is wrong with congress.

  3. Avatar for hychka hychka says:

    Vote them out in November! Even their own party won’t miss them!!

  4. Is Congressman Orange looking at a mirror again?

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

46 more replies

Participants

Avatar for doremus_jessup Avatar for littlegirlblue Avatar for marby Avatar for pac Avatar for artemisia Avatar for dv01 Avatar for asanders91360 Avatar for Patriott Avatar for teenlaqueefa Avatar for msny Avatar for tani Avatar for sandyh Avatar for hychka Avatar for mantan Avatar for blueberrytomatosoup Avatar for grandpoobah Avatar for ignoreland Avatar for snarkus_aurelius Avatar for neal_anderthal Avatar for serendipitoussomnambulist Avatar for elfpix Avatar for fiftygigs Avatar for darrtown Avatar for antisachetdethe

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Associate Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: