A president is in trouble when members of his party have no fear excoriating him on the record. The former Speaker of the House was not kind to Donald Trump.
John Boehner did not mince his words as he described how bad of a leader is our child president masquerading as the head of the free world. Politico reported the following,
“Everything else he’s done [in office] has been a complete disaster,” Boehner said during a question-and-answer session at a conference in Houston on Wednesday. “He’s still learning how to be president.”
The former GOP speaker, whose remarks were initially reported by the energy-sector publication Rigzone, said he and Trump had been friends for 15 years and that the two had played golf together multiple times. Still, Boehner said he “never envisioned him” becoming president.
The former speaker said something that progressive have got to be careful about sooner rather than later. It is something that played out with Clinton’s impeachment as well.
“Talk of impeachment is the best way to rile up Trump supporters,” Boehner said. “Remember, impeachment is not a legal process; it’s a political process.”
In other words, progressives must not get ahead of the Russia story. They must let it develop to ensure its legitimacy is unquestionable.
Boehner also reiterated the ACA reality Republicans would eventually have to come to terms to whether they like it or not.
The former speaker said the president “did what he could” on legislation to repeal and replace Obamacare, perhaps the president’s most prominent campaign promise, but added Trump should have instead sought to repair his predecessor’s signature health care legislation.
He also threw cold water on another important piece of the Trump agenda, tax reform.
Talk of tax reform, another legislative priority for Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress, is just “happy talk,” Boehner said. “I was a little more optimistic about it early in the year; now my odds are 60/40.”
With Russia a stranglehold on Trump’s narrative, it is hard to see how much of his agenda gets passed. My initial concern was that the Russia distraction would allow Republicans to effect their evil deeds unnoticed. However, it seems the media is learning to walk and chew gum somewhat more effectively in recent weeks.