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POLITICO Forums:Congress: Boehner turns down Air Force One ride to Tucson - POLITICO.com
Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) turned down an offer by President Barack Obama to travel on Air Force One to Arizona for a memorial service on behalf of the victims of Saturdays shooting, a decision that has upset some Democrats.
Boehner is instead scheduled to attend a reception on Wednesday night on behalf of Maria Cino, a former top House GOP aide who is seeking the Republican National Committee chairmanship. Boehner is backing Cinos challenge to current RNC Chairman Michael Steele.
Boehners reception for Cino was first reported on Wednesday morning by POLITICO.
Senior Democrats - who to date had been impressed with Boehners response to the Arizona tragedy - expressed surprise at what they saw as an unmistakable misstep by the new speaker: appearing at a partisan political event on the same night as the the president, first lady Michelle Obama, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and the Arizona congressional delegation come together at the memorial service for the victims of an attack that nearly took the life of a member of the House. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) was critically wounded in Saturdays attack, while six other people died and a dozen more were wounded.
It is disrespectful for Speaker Boehner to skip joining the Presidents and bipartisan congressional delegation to the Tucson Memorial so he could host a Washington D.C. cocktail party for RNC members, said a Democratic leadership aide, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
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So what? Harry Reid didn't go either. Why is John Boehner obligated to go? He doesn't represent Arizona and Gabrielle Giffords is not dead. Boehner already said his piece on the House floor and he was well received by everyone in the House on both sides of the aisle. Other than the president and Congressmen who represent parts of Arizona, showing up at this memorial is nothing more than a photo op. This was for the people who died. It's not a political rally.
well said...and-
House Speaker John Boehner is catching a lot of flack for missing last nights memorial service in Tucson, reportedly declining an Air Force One invitation from President Obama in order to slap backs and clink glasses at an RNC event.
But a look at the timeline of events paints Boehner in a better light.
Yesterday, House members attended a vigil for victims of the Arizona shooting spree in an auditorium underneath the Capitol Visitors Center. As they trickled in, a House aide provided reporters, including me, a glimpse of the program of events and list of speakers. There was one small revision to the schedule, though: Minority Whip Steny Hoyer would be reading Minority Leader Nancy Pelosis portion of scripture, because she was on her way to Tucson with the President.
If Boehner had accepted the invitation, then the leaders of both parties would have missed the Wednesday vigil.
Presented with this recollection of events, Boehners spokesman Michael Steel confirmed, and defended his boss. Boehner would not have been able to attend the bipartisan prayer service if hed gone to Tucson, he said. Yesterday, Rep. Giffords colleagues on both sides of the aisle honored her and mourned those who were lost. The Speaker felt his place was here in the House, with them.
No, Boehner didn’t “snub” memorial rally Hot Air