Interesting watching the "dog chasing its own tail" on other
blog sites as the MSM has created the buzz and excitement of an
impending election that was a foregone conclusion a month ago to
readers of sites like AmSpec and RedState.
For us, the only question was the timing and how late into
January the Republican caucus and its leadership felt they could
hold on.
It may be that Rep. Roy Blunt has built up enough goodwill in
the past two months to have the "interim" removed from his
leadership title. But as we have pointed out before, one reason
Blunt's star was tarnished to begin with was damage inflicted by
then-Leader Tom DeLay. There has been no reconciliation. DeLay is
still influential in the caucus and will do everything he can to
ensure Blunt is not given what DeLay feels his colleague should not
have to begin with.
John Boehner -- his K Street credentials and friendships aside
-- is right now in a slightly better position to take the
leadership mantle. There is a clear sense that many in the caucus
want change and Boehner is enough of a change to suit those seeking
it, while presenting a more stable, presence than some of the young
bucks who are agitating for radical reform.
Boehner goes back to the old House Banking Scandal days, when
he, Rick Santorum and Jim Nussle were integral to keeping that
story alive for months. Boehner is the last of the gang in the
House with enough stature to grasp what many of them had their
sites on back in 1991 and 1992.
If there is one winner to identify already, it's former Rep.
Chris Cox, who surely would have been thrust forward as leadership
fodder this time around. From his perch in his shiny new SEC
Chairman's office, he must be breathing a deep sigh of relief.
topics:
John Boehner
