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When House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) abandoned bipartisan debt-reduction talks yesterday, it seemed rather obvious, almost immediately, that he was throwing House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) “under the bus.” After all, Cantor quit the moment things got tough, leaving Boehner to cut an unpopular deal and fight for its passage.
There’s been talk for months about behind-the-scenes tensions and divisions between Cantor and Boehner, and this only reinforced those rumors.
Not so, GOP officials said yesterday. The official line was that Cantor’s decision to quit was part of a long-standing plan, weeks in the making. Republicans, they said, were all on the same page.
There’s ample evidence to the contrary.
For his part, Cantor didn’t inform Boehner of his decision to leave the talks until Thursday, shortly before the news broke, said a GOP official familiar with the situation.
What’s more, the New York Times reports that the Speaker had a private chat with President Obama on Wednesday night, apparently to discuss the negotiations, and Boehner had no idea that Cantor would abandon the talks the following morning.
I think it’s safe to say the top two House Republicans aren’t exactly coordinating their efforts. It’s also fair to say both would like to blame the other for a deal that no one is going to like.
And it’s also fair to say that if Republicans fare poorly in 2012, Cantor will be challenging Boehner for the caucus leadership post, and is taking the necessary steps now to ensure he’ll have more support than the Speaker among the GOP’s rank and file.
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jdb on June 24, 2011 3:44 PM:
I hope the administration recognizes a divide-and-conquer opportunity when it sees one.
Anonymous on June 24, 2011 4:22 PM:
Nonetheless, it could still have been "part of a long-standing plan, weeks in the making," without Boehner being kept in the loop. Afterall, it is pretty much the Republican pattern on all negotiations.
dcsusie on June 24, 2011 4:40 PM:
I'm not sure Cantor is going to be able to line up more support by showing how willing he is to land a shiv in the back of people he is supposed to be working with. He and his fellow 'young guns' buddy Paul Ryan have got themselves pretty souped up on their regard for their own wonderfulness, and that's not ususally the best way to build a following, long term. With the unpopularity of the Ryan Medicare proposal, members who are not 100% sure of their seats for the next election may find they need to back away from the edge a bit.
Ron Byers on June 24, 2011 4:44 PM:
Sarah, I was thinking "Baghdad Bob"
kindness on June 24, 2011 4:53 PM:
"And it’s also fair to say that if Republicans fare poorly in 2012, Cantor will be challenging Boehner for the caucus leadership post" - I couldn't help but snicker. Cantor can HAVE the Minority Leader post if he likes. If things go badly, the Republican's hold on the Majority in the House will be an astounding single term. Then it'll be hello Speaker Pelosi again.
Jon on June 24, 2011 4:55 PM:
The official line was that Cantor�s decision to quit was part of a long-standing plan, weeks in the making.
Wouldn't that imply that all their negotiations were in bad faith?
Goldilocks on June 24, 2011 5:03 PM:
Mutiny on the Bounty. Can we be so lucky?
bdop4 on June 24, 2011 5:36 PM:
"The official line was that Cantor’s decision to quit was part of a long-standing plan, weeks in the making. Republicans, they said, were all on the same page."
So repubs never really intended to cut a deal from the beginning, or did they assume Dems would not ask for any concessions?
Nice official line there.
xando foote on June 24, 2011 8:59 PM:
I rarely agree with Speaker Boehner but always felt that he was at heart a decent and honorable man. This Rep. Cantor, though, seems a bit of a weasel, yes?
He has apparently thrown in his lot with the TP and the Norquist cabal and, come Nov'12, we shall see how he arranged his own downfall.
Doug on June 25, 2011 7:20 AM:
Whether Cantor did, or did not, "keep Boehner in the loop" IS a vital point.
As pointed out above, if Boehner IS in the loop, then the Republicans necer intended to bargain at all, it was ALWAYS going to be "all or nothing". I'd like to say I'd be shocked by such a revelation.
I'd also like to win the lottery...