Many here speculated that the Pope's visit may have contributed to the speaker's resignation. Well, we're not the only ones who think so. According to an article in Politico, Peter King (R) said Friday:
“I think it signals the crazies have taken over the party, taken over to the party that you can remove a speaker of the House who’s second in line to be president, a constitutional officer in the middle of his term with no allegations of impropriety, a person who’s honest and doing his job. This has never happened before in our country," King said in an interview with CNN's Dana Bash on Friday afternoon. "He could have stayed on.”
King went on to say that Boehner's announcement was met with silence. Shock really. And that him leaving is opening the door for the carnivores (read: NUTS) within the party to devour everyone else. But the most interesting thing about this article is how King made a connection between Boehner's resignation and the Pope's visit.
"But having the pope here yesterday just sort of put John in the frame of mind [that] it’s time to leave."
Even more curiouser? Boehner is said to have read the
The Prayer of Saint Francis after his announcement.
The Prayer of Saint Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
It is in dying to self that we are born to eternal life.
According the NBC news, Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Ca.) is rumored to be the top choice for the job, but he'll face the same infighting and dysfunction Boehner left behind.
The Republican party is in disarray and appears to be fighting for its very soul (that's assuming it still has one). Keeping with Boehner's biblical theme, the bible says a house divided can't stand. Boehner's resignation is a good indicator that the GOP is a party gasping for its last breath...and identity. And quite frankly, relevancy. Given the changing demographics in this country, unless Democrats stay home or the GOP steals another election, they seem destined to go the way of the Dodo bird and the Whigs.