Well, the latest Boehner boo-boo, anyway. The guy is loaded with ’em.
John Boehner, thanks to the split in his caucus, is having to rely on House Democrats for some key votes. That’s just the way it’s worked out for the Republicans: their party has a major as well as a bunch of minor fractures which tend to annihilate their win in November. So the last thing Boehner should be looking for is trouble with Democrats.
But now he’s got trouble. In a breach of protocol as well as good sense, Boehner invited the widely detested Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to speak to Congress. And now, thanks to the Boner, President Obama is getting some unusually strong support for his Iran policy.
President Obama’s relations with Democrats on Capitol Hill have never been especially close. But one man is helping to bring them a little closer together: Benjamin Netanyahu.
The decision by the Israeli prime minister to accept an unusual invitation from House Republicans to address a joint meeting of Congress has had the unintended effect of helping the president rally Democrats as his administration negotiates a delicate nuclear deal with Iran.
For months, the issue of imposing sanctions on Iran split many Democrats from the president, as they feared his posture was emboldening the government in Tehran to further develop its nuclear program. But Mr. Netanyahu’s planned speech, a provocation of the president that many Democrats found distasteful and undiplomatic, has helped shift the political dynamic. …NYT
Once again John Boehner’s having a hard time. He deserves it.