Make the Bastard Deny It

Jonathan Capeheart has a good take on how what I see as the White House's "double-dog-dare" for the GOP-led House to put up or shut up over impeachment is a threat that should be taken seriously, because the House leadership isn't saying "no". He's got a great point there, because I didn't think they'd shut down the government after it did them few favors back in the 90's, but they sure did (not that it did them such great favors this time around, either). They threatened the full faith and credit of the US, too. It's hard to put a whole lot past these folks, except, maybe, the expectation that they might pass useful legislation, besides votes to defund bits of Obamacare that they try to pass off as "jobs creating".

But my own take is a little different. You've got the Sarah Palin/Ted Cruz side of the party, which might not mind the heat and light of putting Obama's presidency on trial over any little old thing (sure, Senator Cruz isn't saying he's after impeaching Obama, but he does call him "lawless" and has plumped for impeaching AG Holder). Boehner's lawsuit is a sop to that. But plenty of savvy conservatives can see past that calculated move.  Boehner isn't one of them. Remember--this is they guy whose Speakership has been humiliatingly called into question, with the problem being that no one exactly wants to do his job. (He doesn't even seem to want to, much of the time!) He, for reasons unfathomable--likes being Speaker, and suspects going full metal wingnut is a Very Bad Idea.

There's a saying--you come at the king, you best not miss. Obama has a following. Some of them didn't show up in 2010, but they showed up a lot in 2012. Make this about Obama, and regardless of his poll numbers, there are some people who won't let the nature of a challenge to his presidency lie, and they do outnumber the loud but not vast section of the right who are confused about whether impeachment even removes a president from office--which it doesn't necessarily, and even if it did, would lead to President Biden. As dopey, feckless political misadventures go, people who've spent ample time on the Hill probably smell this one is a loser--but just to disaffect the Tea Party base, Team Obama would like Boehner to admit it.

Or rather, make the bastard deny it. They aren't spreading a rumor about carnally knowing the pig, but they are asking him if he's willing to screw the pooch.  And if they get him to deny it, if he still stays Speaker...

Heh. Heh. Heh.