If the Pubs take over the House, is Boehner a shoe in for Speaker?

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Who could it be if not him?

[exopolitician]

Ugh...I guess.

[Mr. Morden]

Of course he is.  What, the House GOP is going to dump their leader immediately after winning 40+ seats?

[tpfkaw]

I've heard a rumor that if enough "tea party" candidates win election, such that they control the balance of power, they'll refuse to vote for Boehner and try to get one of their own elected Speaker - possibly Bachmann (that would be entertaining) or Pence.  DeMint might also attempt a hostile takeover in the Senate.

Possible "compromise" candidates include Paul Ryan in the House and John Thune in the Senate.

[You kip if you want to...]

Lean yes, as above, the tea-partiers are quite the wild-card. Either way, it's scary to think of Boehner or a tea-partier making Obama the president-in-name-only.

Whoever is elected Speaker, it's not like they'll be popular anyway.

[MODU]

I don't see why they would dump him after winning the majority.  However, there are better candidates (though they won't challenge for the seat).

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

I don't see why they would dump him after winning the majority.  However, there are better candidates (though they won't challenge for the seat).

He won't be the one responsible for it if they do win a majority.

[MODU]

I don't see why they would dump him after winning the majority.  However, there are better candidates (though they won't challenge for the seat).

He won't be the one responsible for it if they do win a majority.

True, but he is the symbol of the Party in the House.  It is rare for the winning party to replace their leader in the House once picking the majority control.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

I've heard a rumor that if enough "tea party" candidates win election, such that they control the balance of power, they'll refuse to vote for Boehner and try to get one of their own elected Speaker - possibly Bachmann (that would be entertaining) or Pence.  DeMint might also attempt a hostile takeover in the Senate.

Possible "compromise" candidates include Paul Ryan in the House and John Thune in the Senate.

Speaker Bachmann?

Oh f**k.

However, such an leadership would quickly cripple the GOP before 2012.

[Fritz]

Fortunately, R's will not take over the House, so we don't need to worry.

[Vepres]

I recall reading something about how he wasn't liked much by his colleagues, so maybe it is possible.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Unfortunately.  There would be better Speakers, but they wouldn't punish the ring leader of the comeback (even if he didn't do his share).  I don't even think the tea-partiers will deny him, or would be enough to deny him.  Remember, this is just the first election in the tea party movement, so I don't think they'll have THAT much power in the next Congress.  They might in the 113th Congress (elected in 2012), but not in Congress 112.

[The Vorlon]

 John Thune in the Senate.

Good man - would make a fine president.

[angus]

Oh, hell yes.

(That was a reference to "oh, hell no," by the way, if you didn't catch it initially.)

Apparently Ohio Democrats don't like him much.  I spoke to my friend, Gay Keith from Cleveland, the other day about Boehner, and I wished I'd never brought it up.  But if I had any republican friends, I suspect they'd not be so hard on Boehner.  I think he has a decent record, personally, and although I don't know any republicans, I suspect that most of them will feel the same way.  He's patriotic, he's outspoken, he's smart, he's scandal-free, and he's a pretty good vote-counter.  He's also good-looking for an old man.  What else can you ask for in a house speaker?

But everyone's acting like it's a foregone conclusion that the Republicans will take the house.  The first Tuesday after the First Monday in November is still ten weeks away.

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

no, the GOP has to get rid of him

[Beet]

Boehner seems okay. He's conservative, but not a nut, and that counts as a plus for the GOP.

Dems could lose as much as 100 seats. I'd still say that's on the high end, but it's no longer impossible. Interestingly enough, at about 270, the GOP would be close to a veto proof majority. They only need 20 or so blue dogs (assuming there are any left) to go along. But in that case, I would think Obama would want to sign almost anything that they sent him anyway.

[Mr.Phips]

Boehner seems okay. He's conservative, but not a nut, and that counts as a plus for the GOP.

Dems could lose as much as 100 seats. I'd still say that's on the high end, but it's no longer impossible. Interestingly enough, at about 270, the GOP would be close to a veto proof majority. They only need 20 or so blue dogs (assuming there are any left) to go along. But in that case, I would think Obama would want to sign almost anything that they sent him anyway.

The Senate would have to get to 67 votes and Republicans really only have a chance to get to 50 or 51 there.

[Mint]

 John Thune in the Senate.

Good man - would make a fine president.

Uh, what?

[Joe Biden 2020]

 John Thune in the Senate.

Good man - would make a fine president.

Uh, what?

I actually agree with the Vorlon that John Thune would make a good president.  He'd be better than the alternative, Palin, Romney, Huck.  I don't think Pawlenty has much of a chance, and I don't know much about Daniels.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

there's been some talk of Cantor, but I doubt it

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

there's been some talk of Cantor, but I doubt it

Cantor, to me, is worse than Boehner.  The pubs are pathetic if they have to resort to him spewing bullsh**t into a microphone.

[Joe Biden 2020]

there's been some talk of Cantor, but I doubt it

Cantor, to me, is worse than Boehner.  The pubs are pathetic if they have to resort to him spewing bullsh**t into a microphone.

The appointing of Cantor to Majority Leader is the same thing as preparing to give the same seat back to the Democrats in January, 2013.  Eric Cantor is one of those Republicans that I would love to see defeated in an election.

[Brittain33]

Uh, what?

He's very tall and some people think he's handsome.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Uh, what?

He's very tall and some people think he's handsome.

Oh, so that's how Obama won? 

[Torie]

there's been some talk of Cantor, but I doubt it

Cantor, to me, is worse than Boehner.  The pubs are pathetic if they have to resort to him spewing bullsh**t into a microphone.

What did Cantor say that annoyed you Grumps?  He seems calm enough to me as he states the GOP all gain, no pain talking points. Not everyone can be a substance and detail junkie like Ryan you know.