Boehner: It Pains Me When I’m Described As Establishment

Thursday at his weekly press briefing, when asked about the opposition to his leadership, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) said he is frustrated and pained by charges of not being conservative enough.

Boehner said, “Listen, I have given some thought to this, as you might imagine. The American people are very frustrated. They are frustrated in a struggling economy. They are frustrated they don’t think Washington is listening. They want action. I talk to Americans every day, I talk to my constituents every day, and this frustration that’s out there, they need to take it out on somebody. Take it out on the president, take it out on me, it comes with the territory.”

“During my years here, when I voted, I had the most conservative voting record in the Congress,” he continued. “It does pain me to be described as spineless or a squish, and I tell you what pains me the most is when they describe me as the establishment. Now, I’m the most anti-establishment speaker we have ever had. Who was the guy believes in regular order? Me. Who believes in allowing more members to participate in the process from both sides of the aisle? Me. I’m pretty comfortable in my own skin. I’m going to do my best to show all of our members, Democrats and Republicans, and those members who voted against me, that I’m up to the job I was given.”

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