N. Y. Dem might vote Boehner for Speaker

[last_texas_dem]

>>>A Democratic congressman who backed Speaker Nancy Pelosi for minority leader said Monday it is "quite possible" he might vote for Republican John Boehner for Speaker in the next Congress.

Rep. Bill Owens (N.Y.) said he voted for Pelosi (D-Calif.) for minority leader in a House Democratic caucus meeting last week, even though he thinks she is too liberal. But Owens said he is open to supporting Boehner, whom House Republicans designated as the next Speaker, when the full House votes next year.

The congressman's statement, to the Adirondack Daily Enterprise, underscores the fact that a bloc of Democrats still resent Pelosi's decision to remain at the head of the House Democratic caucus despite their large losses in the midterm elections.

Republicans ran against many vulnerable Democrats by tying them to Pelosi, who is unpopular with the public.>>>

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/130503-dem-congressman-may-vote-boehner-for-speaker

What an ass. I thought one of the only good things about the last election was that most of the backstabbers in the Dem caucus had been voted out, but it seems we'll never have a shortage of those. If you're that scared for your political life, I can understand abstaining, but how can any self-respecting Dem even consider voting for that creep Boehner?

P. S. The Hill is a nonpartisan paper, right? Anyone know why their comments sections almost always read like a thread from FReeperville?

[ProSense]

1. Democrats say some weird things, but not sure what

point the article The Hill links to is trying to make.

<...>

Owens said he hadn't yet decided who he will vote for for speaker. He said it was "quite possible" he would vote for the Republican leader, Boehner; he also said he might abstain.

<...>

Owens said he didn't consider voting for Shuler.

"When I was asked to support her (Pelosi), I said I will if she agrees to govern from the center and makes jobs her priority," Owens said. "She assured me that she would, and I made it equally clear that if she didn't, I would not support her going forward."

How did she govern before?

"Clearly, she made it very clear that she was a progressive and pushing a progressive agenda, which is one of the reasons why, on a number of issues, I stepped away from the Democratic leadership," Owens said.

<...>

Owens also said he is "very disappointed ... in the failure of either she or Mr. Boehner to offer a compromise on the Bush tax cuts. I think that's a real failure of leadership on both of their parts."

[last_texas_dem]

2. Yeah, you have a point.

Owens kind of sounds like he's all over the map in his statements.

I get what he's doing politically to an extent, considering his district, but the "possible" vote for Boehner thing to me just irks me. The last Dem I can remember crossing over and voting for a Repug speaker was Jim Traficant, and that doesn't seem like any sort of model to follow!

[asjr]

4. The name for it is blackmail. Pelosi is going

to use her political skills for the people of this country, not Mr. Owens. There are too many like him going to D.C. They are in it for themselves. No wonder nothing much gets done if they have to be pandered to.

[ProSense]

5. And here is Politico jumping on the story

N.Y. Dem might vote for Boehner

[Dr.Phool]

8. Not that it will make any difference.

He's earning brownie points.

Isn't Owens the guy who won when that tea-bagger won the repuke primary, and the Republican endorsed him.

[otohara]

3. Did Any Liberals Vote For This Guy?

hmmm.....

[robcon]

6. There must be a tit-for-tat.

Owens must have been promised something by Boehner.

[Guilded Lilly]

7. Go ahead Owen...

you won't be the first Democrat who is a total jerk.

[DFW]

9. Owens is just playing CYA and probably has Pelosi's secret permission

He is the first Democrat to represent his heavily Republican district since the 1870s. The Republicans tried mightily to
get him out of there in the last election, and he was one of the few who survived the onslaught, so he is no friend of theirs.

If this move, totally symbolic since Bonehead's majority is unassailable, will give him the appearance of "independence" in
order to secure his re-election in two years, it's a minor incident, especially if he keeps voting with us.