Boehner Calls Voinovich a Wimp
Boehner Calls Voinovich a Wimp after McCain and Voinovich Get in Shouting Match over Iraq
July 12, 2007 (Washington D.C.) -- House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH), in a remark that demonstrates the increasing division among Republicans over Iraq war policy at a time when Democrats have become increasing unified in confronting President Bush and the GOP, called his colleague in the Ohio congressional delegation and fellow Republican, U.S. Senator George Voinovich, a wimp yesterday for calling for a change of course in Iraq and saying the "surge" has failed. Boehner's reference to Voinovich as a "wimp" came just 24 hours after Voinovich and U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ), whose Presidential ambitions are circling the toilet because of his support for the war, engaged in a shouting match over the future of Iraq war policy.
In a rare stinging indictment leveled by a party leader towards members of his own political party, Boehner branded Senator Voinovich and a host of Republican Senators, including Richard Lugar (IN), Olympia Snowe (ME), Chuck Hagel (War Hero-NE), Pete Domenici (NM) and others who have recently repudiated the President's policy in Iraq "wimps."
"John Boehner has either spent too much time in the tanning bed or in the hot sun on the golf course," said Brad Woodhouse of Americans United for Change. "The real ‘wimps' in this debate are not those who have the courage to challenge the President and his failed policy in Iraq - it's those like John Boehner who are afraid to speak out, afraid to take on the President, afraid to admit what the facts on the ground make clear and afraid to admit that when it comes to Iraq they have been wrong all along. What Boehner's remarks and the McCain-Voinovich episode do show is that Republicans are fracturing to the point engaging in their own civil war over the future of Iraq war policy as President Bush becomes increasingly isolated. John Boehner may think calling people who disagree with him and Bush on the war ‘wimps' will hold Republicans in the House together - what it has done instead is expose divisions and disarray within Republican ranks that if anything will help increase momentum to end the war in Iraq. Thank you, Mr. Boehner."
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Boehner calls anti-surge GOP senators 'wimps' |
By Jackie Kucinich |
July 11, 2007 |
Rep. Heather Wilson (R-N.M.) called for comity Wednesday during a meeting of the Republican Conference after House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) referred to Senate colleagues who have begun to favor a change in course in Iraq as "wimps." Wilson declined to comment directly on what Boehner had said during the closed-door meeting, but she noted that "Senator [Richard] Lugar's (R-Ind.) speech was one of the more thoughtful speeches [she had heard] in the Senate in a long time."
The lawmaker added that the war and the thoughts of her colleagues about the conflict "should always be taken seriously." Wilson, a former Air Force officer and Republican centrist, questioned the Bush plan to increase troop levels in Iraq but voted against Democratic-backed Iraq war measures. According to sources, Boehner and Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) were urging solidarity among House Republicans, explaining that they must distinguish themselves from their Senate colleagues. A spokesman for Boehner said his comments were in no way meant to trivialize the war or the senators' decisions. Rather, they were meant to emphasize the importance of allowing the troop surge to work and to urge GOP lawmakers to reserve their judgment on the situation until September, when Gen. David Petraeus is scheduled to brief Congress fully on the progress in Iraq. "The leader's comments were intended to illustrate the fact that we just recently voted to give the troops our full support - including ample time for the Petraeus plan to work - and that too much is at stake for Congress to renege on its commitment now by approving what can only be described as another partisan stunt by Democrats," Boehner spokesman Brian Kennedy said. "Their bill will have no impact if passed, other than to give America's enemies something to gloat about." |
