John Boehner
The Diplomat
People, composure and the difficult conversation held well.
John Boehner is a seasoned political leader known for his ability to navigate complex political landscapes and build coalitions. This interview reveals his focus on bipartisanship and the challenges of maintaining relationships in a polarized environment.
“David, most of the so-called Tea Party types became good solid republic. Now, there are some of them who became what I'll call knuckleheads, the my way or the highway caucus. They wanted it all their way or they weren't going to play ball at all. And, you know, I'm sorry, but that's just not the way our country works.”
“The boys were in one room, the girls in the other, and my parents for about 15 years slept on a pullout couch in the living room. And then finally, it just wasn't enough room, and my parents added three bedrooms. And my grandmother moved in. So, my parents had a bedroom. My grandmother had a bedroom. The girls had a bedroom.”
“And Jeff was a great guy. Joe Lieberman and I did all kinds of education things together for disadvantaged kids. We co-chaired a dinner. First of us Kennedy and I, then it was Lieberman and I.”
“Oh, it would have passed, but about two thirds of my members would have been ready to kill me. And so I was trying to find a way to get there where we didn't set the whole institution on fire. And the challenge I had was that, and a chairman of the relevant committee who wouldn't act. I won't say it couldn't act. He wouldn't act.”
The Axe Files with David Axelrod — Ep. 441 — Speaker John Boehner
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