Boehner vs. Bachmann?

[Geee]

National Review:

Speaker John Boehner and Representative Michele Bachmann have never been close. Now, in the midst of the Huma Abedin flap, the question is whether there will be open hostilities.

After Bachmann’s presidential campaign fizzled earlier this year, the Minnesota Republican returned to Capitol Hill unsure of her role in the House Republican conference. She had run and lost a race for a minor leadership post, and her Tea Party Caucus was idle. According to a couple of her friends, it was a personal and political low point. Fox News called sporadically, and a colorful bloc of conservative freshmen — Allen West, Rand Paul — were the Right’s new darlings.

But Bachmann had a political lifeline — a seat on the House Intelligence Committee — thanks to Boehner. Bachmann was tapped for the post in late 2010, and it has been a plum spot ever since then, enabling her to review classified material and enter the national-security debate as an insider. At the time of her appointment, many senior House GOP aides were wary of elevating the fiery backbencher, but Bachmann was vocal about her interest in foreign affairs, and Boehner assured them that it was an appropriate gesture.

Up until this month, having Bachmann on the intelligence committee has proved a good move from Boehner’s perspective. He has praised her in the past as a hardworking member, and he knew she would relish the opportunity to broaden her portfolio. Bachmann still may be a thorn in his side on various votes, aides explain, but she has usually avoided publicly railing against Boehner. That cold peace has ended, and the latest tensions may not end amicably, sources say.

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Bachmann has generated national headlines for accusing Abedin, a top adviser to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, of tilting U.S. foreign policy in favor of the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamist group. Four other lawmakers signed Bachmann’s letter, but many Republicans have criticized Bachmann’s finger-pointing. Senator John McCain of Arizona was the first to reject Bachmann’s claims, then Representative Mike Rogers of Michigan, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, did the same. But it’s Boehner’s cagey response to the kerfuffle that has made Bachmann and her allies nervous.

“I haven’t seen the letter, and I don’t know Huma, but from everything I do know of her, she has a sterling character,” Boehner told reporters last week. “And I think accusations like this being thrown around are pretty dangerous.” When a reporter followed up and asked about Bachmann’s intelligence-committee seat, Boehner didn’t rule anything out. “I don’t know that that’s related at all,” he said. According to a source close to Bachmann, the Minnesotan interpreted those remarks as a warning and a sign of Boehner’s tenuous support for her committee position. And from a procedural angle, her fears are warranted. Boehner may have picked her for the committee, but, as speaker, he could easily take that post away.

Several Republicans close to House leadership tell National Review Online that Boehner is not working to oust Bachmann from the committee or discipline her. If anything, one GOP source says, the entire episode has been a distraction for Boehner, especially since the speaker wants the conference to focus on jobs and the economy. If the situation festers, the leadership is keeping its options open, another aide says, but it expects Bachmann to eventually move on from the controversy.

There is a general sense among those close to Boehner, Majority Leader Eric Cantor, and Whip Kevin McCarthy that Bachmann is not so much a political threat to the leadership, but a member who needs to be better managed. Still, they say, because she does not consult with leadership on most of her initiatives and does not respond well to emissaries or private counsel, many aides feel that Boehner’s public statement was the best way to send a message — for now.

[logicnreason]

Bone-your wants the House Intelligency Committee to concentrate "on the economy and jobs"!!!! This clown has been the weakest, most "casper milktoast" toady the right has ever had for a Speaker.

 

Regardless....if the right holds the House come this November (and that is in doubt), old Bone-your needs to be replaced. Immediately. In fact, we can only hope he is voted completely out of office come November.

[Valin]

@Geee

 

From CGP: some crazy old white guy

 

Suzan

Steve Schnmidt today, McCain's campaign manager in '08, called Bachmann a fool and said the idea of her on the intelligence committee was mind-boggling. I'm paraphrasing. He may have used a word other than mind-boggling, but that was the tone.

 

Valin

I cannot tell you how much this shocks me, that that someone like Steve Schnmidt would say this. I'm stunned!

 

Suzan Quote:

I'm not a Bachmann fan by any stretch. I wonder about her mental stability, and not just because of this incident, but I'm questioning why she's taking the brunt of this. I haven't seen the first letter, but there are four other congressmen who signed onto it, I believe. They seem to be coming out of this unscathed.

 

I wonder if they want her out or maybe just off the intelligence committee?

 

Valin

(this is kind of inside baseball stuff)

There people both in Washington and here in Mn. who would not be displeased if she lost the election this fall. This is a part of the on going battle inside the party, between the old guard and the young turks, the establishment party and the tea party. The Republican Party has always had....problems with Movement Conservatives (of which Michele Bachmann is a longtime member), they want the support (doing the ground game) and votes, but when the election is over they want them to stand aside and let those who know better govern. You can go back to Taft v Eisenhower to see this. Michele Bachmann is just the latest case in the fight. That said she has the reputation (and often deserved) of going off half cocked. So the question is...is this one of those times? I have to admit I don't think she has gone off half cocked, this time...of course as alwways I could be wrong.

 

As for why she is taking the brunt of the attacks? Because she's Michele Bachmann and a national figure. And because in many ways she is seen as a stand in for Sarah Palin, because they are both national figures, women, and movement conservatives. I strongly believe she and the other 4 knew this was going to happen, and she told them she'd take the heat, because this would bring these (larger) questions to the front, the questions being the MB/Islamist influence campaign in government and the larger society. And I believe there are good reasons to think this is happening, and going back to the 60's when the Saudis started pouring money into western Middle East Studies.

 

So that's what I see happening...take it for what its worth.