A TEARFUL GOODBYE
Boehner quitting Congress
WASHINGTON — House Speaker John Boehner sent shock waves through DC Friday by announcing that he would quit Congress at the end of October amid a looming government shutdown and standoff with combative conservatives.
Boehner, 65, sprung the news at a press conference hours after fulfilling a decadeslong dream by hosting Pope Francis at the Capitol.
“This morning, I woke up, said my prayers, as I always do, and thought, ‘This is the day I am going to do this.’ Simple as that,” the famously emotional Boehner said, his eyes growing misty (right).
The Ohio Republican had come under fire from conservatives looking to force him into another highstakes clash with President Obama over government funding.
“It had become clear to me that this prolonged leadership turmoil would do irreparable harm to the institution,” he said Friday.
“This turmoil that’s been churning now for a couple of months, it’s not good for the members, and it’s not good for the institution.”
He said he had planned to leave by year’s end and had only moved up the date.
Boehner began the news conference on a cheery note, singing “ZipaDeeDooDah” on his way to the podium.
The announcement caught both sides off guard.
The reaction among conservatives at a Values Voters Summit in DC was gleeful, with Sen. Marco Rubio (RFla.) getting a standing ovation as he broke the news.
“I’m not here to bash any one, but the time has come to turn the page,” Rubio said.
Tellingly, the most laudatory statements came from Democrats.
“John Boehner’s a good man,” Obama said, calling him “gracious.”
Sen. Charles Schumer called him a “decent, principled conservative man” who will be “missed by Republicans and Democrats alike.”
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California is a likely successor.