Pulling a Boner

I’m glad to know that I was not the only person who noted that the perpetually tanned John Boehner’s pick to be the next head of the RNC failed to win that job. From Slate:

The Republican National Committee ousted Michael Steele and elected Reince Priebus, who previously led the Wisconsin Republican Party, as its new leader. With the vote, RNC members sent a message that “there’s at least one corner of the Republican Party that’s beyond House Speaker John Boehner's reach,” writes Politico. Boehner was a big advocate of veteran operative Maria Cino. Despite Boehner’s efforts, “an aggressive and assertive collection of RNC insiders” ended up getting their way pushing for Priebus as a compromise candidate. The RNC prides itself in being independent from leaders in Washington. Committee members see themselves more as “an extension of the grass roots,” explains Politico and some weren’t happy about all the influence peddling. Boehner wasn’t the only big name who tried to get Cino elected. Former Vice President Dick Cheney also pushed for Cino and his daughter, Mary Cheney, even helped launch her campaign.

You’ll recall that Boehner passed up attending this last Wednesday’s memorial service at the University of Arizona in Tucson, and therefore missed being in the audience to hear President Obama’s roundly applauded address, because he was attending a fundraiser for Cino in Washington, D.C. So let me see if I’ve got this straight: Boehner opened himself to criticism because he eschewed a national “healing” event, following the mass shooting in Tucson last weekend ... and then the woman for whom he ditched said event didn’t even win. Heck, Cino didn’t even come in second.

It seems Boehner might just be in the market for some better political advice in the future.