THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT JOHN BOEHNER WOULD BE RESIGNING
AS THE SPEAKER WAS MET BY CHEERS FROM THE RIGHT.
LITERAL CHEERS, AS YOU WILL SEE IN THIS CLIP.
>> JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO, SPEAKER BOEHNER ANNOUNCED THAT
HE WILL BE RESIGNING ñ [CHEERS
AND APPLAUSE].
>> THAT'S AWESOME.
>> HE DID NOT QUITE SEE THAT COMING, BUT THAT IS WHY.
WHEN
THE TEA PARTY IS PROMISING TO UNITE BEHIND ONE CANDIDATE, I
THINK THEY WILL.
THERE HAS BEEN SUCH A DESIRE TO GET IN THE WAY
OF BOEHNER, AND GET IN THE WAY OF MITCH MCCONNELL, THEY REALLY
FEEL LIKE THOSE GUYS ARE LIBERAL SELLOUTS.
CRAZY PEOPLE.
MY HUNCH IS THAT THERE MAY BE SOME INFIGHTING TO GET THERE, BUT
THEY WILL PROBABLY UNITE BEHIND
ONE TEA PARTY, OR FAR, FAR, MUCH FURTHER RIGHT THAN BOEHNER GUY.
>> HE IS OBVIOUSLY GETTING SHIT NOW BECAUSE HE WILL OFTEN TALK
WITH THE MORE RADICAL, I GUESS, SECTION OF THE PARTY, TO
WORK WITH SOME DEMOCRATS TO ACTUALLY GET SOMETHING DONE, TO
GET LEGISLATION PASSED WITH PRESIDENT OBAMA.
HE GETS CRAP FOR WORKING WITH PRESIDENT OBAMA, WE HAVE GIVEN
OBAMA CRAP THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE TIME THAT HE HAS BEEN PRESIDENT
FOR THE SAME REASON.
>> THEY
ARE ANGRY WITH BOEHNER AND MITCH MCCONNELL FOR CAPITULATING ON
THINGS LIKE NOT SHUTTING DOWN THE
GOVERNMENT, AND THE DEBT CEILING.
THESE ARE THINGS WE DID NOT THINK NATIONAL PEOPLE WOULD
ARGUE WITH.
YOU CANNOT NOT RAISE THE DEBT CEILING, YOU CANNOT DEFAULT.
WE ARE UPSET BECAUSE PIECES OF LEGISLATION, THINGS LIKE
FINANCIAL REFORM, ALL OF THESE IMPORTANT PIECES OF LEGISLATION,
LIKE THE HEALTH CARE BILL, ALL THE THINGS THAT WE THOUGHT
WOULD BE MORE PROGRESSIVE, ARE FAIRLY RIGHT-WING BILLS.
>> THAT IS WHAT EVERYONE IS SAYING.
>> THE HEALTHCARE LAW WAS THEIR IDEA IN THE 1990S, OR THE 1980S.
NO, WE'RE NOT BEING HYPOCRITICAL, JUST BECAUSE BOTH SIDES THINK
THAT THEIR LEADERSHIP HAS CAPITULATED TOO MUCH TO THE
OTHER SIDE DOES NOT MEAN THAT BOTH SIDES ARE THE SAME AMOUNT
OF RIGHT OR WRONG.
THEY ARE OUT TO LUNCH, AND WE ARE NOT, IN THIS
CASE.
>> I WANT TO GET MORE REACTIONS.
SOME OF THESE ARE AT THE VERY
LEAST POLITE, IF NOT OUTRIGHT
RESPECTFUL.
BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE VERY HAPPY TO
SEE HIM GO.
HERE IS HERITAGE ACTION
SAYING, "AMERICANS DESERVE A CONGRESS THAT FIGHTS FOR
OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL, AND FAVORITISM TO NONE."
"NOW
IS THE TIME FOR A PRINCIPLED, CONSERVATIVE LEADER TO EMERGE."
TED CRUZ SAID, "I HAVE LONG CALLED ON REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP TO DO
SOMETHING UNUSUAL, LEAD."
HE HAS CALLED ON THEM TO STOP THE VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF
ACTUAL WORK THAT GETS DONE IN CONGRESS THESE DAYS.
HE WANTS TO SHUT DOWN THE OCCASIONAL DRIP JOBS OF
LEGISLATION THAT WE GET.
>> WHEN TED CRUZ WAS RUNNING FOR SENATE, HIS WEBSITE TALKED
ABOUT THAT UNITED NATIONS PLAN, AGENDA TWENTY-ONE THAT WAS
GOING TO CREATE HOBBIT HOMES.
>> HE WAS GOING TO OUTLAW GOLF COURSES.
>> HE WAS GOING TO MOVE EVERYONE INTO THE CITIES WHERE THEY
WOULD LIVE IN HOBBIT HOLES.
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
>> THE HOBBITS DID NOT LIVE IN CITIES, I FIND THAT OFFENSIVE AS
A NERD.
WE GOT ERIC ERICKSON.
"THIS PROBLEM IS THAT HE HELD
MORE AND MORE OF HIS OWN PARTY AND HOUSE IN CONTENT.
IN THE
END, IT WASN'T JUST THE CONSERVATIVES WHO FELT SHUT OUT
AND UNABLE TO DO BUSINESS,
EVERYONE ELSE DID.
SO BOEHNER HAD TO.î GUN OWNERS
OF AMERICA.
"YOUR GRASSROOTS ACTIVISM HAS PAID OFF.
SPEAKER
JOHN BOEHNER IS ON HIS WAY OUT OF CONGRESS."
LET'S SEE, WE'VE
GOT AN AWESOME GRAPHIC BY
FREEDOM WORKS.
YOU HELPED OUST BOEHNER AS HOUSE SPEAKER.
A LOT
OF PEOPLE ARE RETWEETING BECAUSE
OF THE TEARS IN HIS EYES.
"I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL, FRANKLY"
TRUMP TOLD ME, AFTER HE WAS
REMINDED WHO BOEHNER WAS.
>> HOW COME HE DIDN'T CALL HIM A LOSER?
>> I PREFER SPEAKERS WHO DON'T QUIT.
>> ANYWAY.
>> AND YET HE GETS ALONG VERY WELL WITH SARAH PALIN.
WHY DON'T WE TURN NOW TO SOMEONE WHO IS GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT NICER.
HERE IS THE PRESIDENT.
>> JOHN BOEHNER IS A GOOD MAN.
HE IS A PATRIOT, HE CARES DEEPLY
ABOUT THE HOUSE, AND THE INSTITUTION IN WHICH HE SERVED
FOR A LONG TIME.
HE CARES ABOUT HIS CONSTITUENTS, AND HE CARES
ABOUT AMERICA.
WE HAVE OBVIOUSLY HAD A LOT OF
DISAGREEMENTS, AND, POLITICALLY, WE ARE AT DIFFERENT END OF THE
SPECTRUM, BUT I WILL TELL YOU, HE HAS ALWAYS CONDUCTED HIMSELF
WITH COURTESY, AND CIVILITY WITH ME.
HE HAS KEPT HIS WORD WHEN HE MADE A COMMITMENT, HE IS
SOMEBODY WHO HAS BEEN GRACIOUS, AND I THINK MAYBE MOST
IMPORTANTLY, HE IS SOMEBODY WHO
UNDERSTANDS THAT IN GOVERNMENT, IN GOVERNANCE, YOU DON'T GET 100
PERCENT OF WHAT YOU WANT.
BUT YOU HAVE TO WORK WITH PEOPLE WHO
YOU DISAGREE WITH, SOMETIMES A STRONGLY, IN ORDER TO DO THE
PEOPLE'S BUSINESS.
>> THE REVERSE WOULD JUST NEVER GET IT.
MOST REPUBLICANS SERVING WOULD NEVER SAY THOSE LITTLE
OBVIOUS THINGS ABOUT THE PRESIDENT.
>> I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT.
WHAT STRIKES ME HERE IS THE DYSFUNCTIONALITY.
I HAVE TO PUT MY EUROPEAN GLASSES ON A LITTLE BIT.
>> EUROPE, EUROPEAN, BRITISH RIGHT?
I KNEW I WOULD GET IT EVENTUALLY.
>> WHAT STRIKES ME IS HOW DYSFUNCTIONAL EVERYTHING IS.
I KNOW THAT IS AN OBVIOUS THING TO
SAY, BUT THE CHECKS AND BALANCES LEAD TO COMPLETE PARALYSIS.
IT IS EPITOMIZED BY THIS RESIGNATION, IT IS EPITOMIZED BY
THE REACTIONS, IT IS EPITOMIZED BY WHAT I HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO
YOU GUYS SPEAK ABOUT.
YOU GUYS ARE NOW SUGGESTING THAT THE FAR
RIGHT IS NOW GOING TO DEFINE THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
IT IS JUST SO FUNDAMENTALLY TROUBLING, AND I THINK IT
CONTRIBUTED TO HIS FORCED
RESIGNATION.
AND THEN THEY STILL FELT THAT THERE WAS A
LOGJAM.
IT'S JUST ALL STARTS TO BREAK DOWN, AND THAT IS WHEN YOU
GET SOMEONE LIKE DONALD TRUMP.
>> THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.
>> THERE IS NO SURPRISE WITH WHERE DONALD TRUMP CAME FROM.
DONALD TRUMP CAME FROM THIS ATMOSPHERE, THIS WAY OF TALKING, THIS MANNER
OF SPEAKING.
FROM THIRTY YEARS, IN THIS COUNTRY, WHICH MUST
SHOCK EUROPEANS, THIRTY YEARS OF SAYING, DON'T READ THE PAPERS,
EVERYTHING IS A LIE.
EVERYTHING THEY HAVE TOLD YOU IS
A LIE.
THAT IS THE RESULT.
THE NEXT TIME THAT THEY SUGGEST THAT
SOME DO GOODING PERSON, LET US BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER, I'D LOVE
TO, ONE SIDE WILL NOT DO IT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.
IF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY WERE FILLED
WITH GUYS LIKE JOHN BOEHNER, WALL STREET WOULD STILL
DOMINATE AND IT WOULD STILL BE AN UNFAIR SYSTEM THAT IS RIGGED
AGAINST EVERYDAY AMERICANS, BUT THEY WOULD MAKE DEALS.
THEY WOULD GET STUFF DONE.
>> AND THEY HAVE FROM TIME TO TIME.
WE HAVE
VERY RARELY LIKED THE DEALS THEY HAVE GOTTEN DONE, BUT THE
MAJORITY OF THE DEALS THAT HAVE
BEEN PASSED IN CONGRESS HAVE RELIED ON BOEHNER DOING
WHAT BOEHNER DOES.
>> THE FAILURES OF THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION, THAT IS WHEN WE
HAVE FELT, HOW MUCH DO YOU FEEL
THOSE HAVE BEEN PRODUCED BY THIS, OR IS IT JUST THE FACT
THAT WHEN YOU GET IN POWER, IT IS ONE THING TO RUN AND ANOTHER
THING TO GOVERN?
OR IS IT THE FACT THAT IT IS NOT ABOUT RULING, IT IS ABOUT
THIS DYSFUNCTIONALITY?
>> I THINK THAT SOME PART OF IT IS SIMPLY THAT OUR EXPECTATIONS
WERE TOO HIGH.
HE IS NOT A SUPERHERO, REGARDLESS OF WHAT
POLITICAL CONTEXT HE FINDS HIMSELF IN ONCE HE IS THE
PRESIDENT.
WHATEVER IT IS THAT HE WOULD HAVE BEEN THEORETICALLY
ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH AS A PRESIDENT, HE WOULD HAVE HAD
MORE OF IT HAD THE DEMOCRATS RETAINED CONTROL OF BOTH HOUSES OF
CONGRESS, AND YOU CAN MAKE THE CASE THAT IF HE HAD BEEN MORE
AGGRESSIVE WHEN THE DEMOCRATS WERE IN CONTROL THEY COULD HAVE
THEORETICALLY STAYED IN CONTROL.
IT IS VERY EASY AND ACCURATE TO
SAY THAT THE REPUBLICAN LED GRIDLOCK ñ
FUCKING TRUMP, ALWAYS INTERRUPTING.
>> HE CAN HIDE BEHIND GRIDLOCK NOW, AND HE IS RIGHT, HE IS
NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET MOST BILLS THROUGH CONGRESS, BUT
IT DID NOT NECESSARILY NEED TO END UP THIS WAY.
>> IF YOU ARE A LEFTY, I THINK THAT THE REAL DIEHARD BERNIE
SANDERS AND
SUPPORTING PROGRESSIVES, WHICH I AM ONE,
SOMETIMES MAKE THE MISTAKE OF IGNORING WHAT ELLIOTT
WAS TALKING ABOUT.
DO NOT FORGET TO BLAME THE PEOPLE WHO
DESERVE MOST OF THE BLAME HERE, THESE GUYS ARE CRAZY AND THEY
WILL NOT NEGOTIATE.
THEY WANT TO DO THINGS LIKE NOT RAISE THE
DEBT CEILING, AND THEY HAVE MADE
LIFE IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE PERSON WITH WHOM OBAMA WAS SUPPOSED TO
NEGOTIATE, WITH JOHN BOEHNER.
WE DO NOT PUT NEARLY ENOUGH BLAME
ON THEM.
CONVERSELY, THERE ARE VERY BLIND OBAMA DEFENDERS IN THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
HE IS NOT WHO YOU THOUGHT HE WAS.
HE JUST IS
NOT.
HE IS A FAR MORE MODERATE, SOBER GOVERNOR THAN THE MAN WHO
WE THOUGHT WE WERE ELECTING IN 2007 AND 2008.
>> BUT TO YOUR POINT, HE HAS TO BE PRAGMATIC.
IT IS ONE THING
TO HAVE THESE WONDERFUL IDEAS
AND LIVE IN AN INTELLECTUAL BUBBLE, AND YOU GET 230,000
PEOPLE AT THE BRANDENBURG GATE WHEN HE WAS A SENATOR AND
HE WAS RUNNING, WHEREVER IT WAS, BUT AGAIN, HE WAS NEVER
GOING TO MEET THOSE EXPECTATIONS.
AT THE SAME TIME, HE HAS TO BE PRAGMATIC, AS ANYBODY DOES.
>> I THINK WE LEARNED THAT HE WAS VERY QUICK TO BE PRAGMATIC.
FOR A LONG TIME, IT TOOK UNTIL HIS SECOND TERM FOR HIM TO
FINALLY START RECOGNIZING, THESE GUYS AREN'T GOING TO PLAY ALONG.
HE BURNED A LOT OF POLITICAL CAPITAL, HE WASTED A LOT OF
TIME, AND I DON'T THINK HE CARED THAT MUCH ABOUT THE THINGS
WE THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO CARE ABOUT.
BUT I STILL GO BACK TO, FIRST, MOST OF THE BLAME FOR THE
DIRECTION OF THE COUNTRY IS OVER THERE ON THE FAR RIGHT.