The Obsession in the Capitol

++John Boehner's surprise resignation is still the buzz around here. The consensus emerging is that Rep.McCarthy from Bakersfield, California will become Speaker--Third in line to the Presidency. His legislative achievements in ten years are the renaming of the Bakersfield post office for Buck Owens and the research center in Bakersfield after Neil Armstrong. Two whole bills in ten years--what a record.

++What propelled Boehner out the door. He sang Zip-de-do-dah" when he quit. Boehner claimed it wasn't the Pope's visit. But he spent time describing his meeting with the Pope alone after Francis' speech. John Boehner tried for twenty years to get the Pope to address Congress and he clucked out this time with Francis. 

++But what was clear was that the House Republicans really did want to shut the government down over planned parenthood. And then after that comes the debt ceiling vote, which last time brought down the credit rating of the United States. Boehner knew that there would be a motion for vacation on the Speakership. Late this week,there was a scenario floated where he would allow the government to shutdown if only for a weekend to appease the Freedom Caucus. But that clearly wasn't enough.

++Remember he wanted to leave last year but the defeat of Eric Cantor screwed up his schedule. Eric Cantor would have been the first Jewish Speaker of the House--but it was not to be.

++Boehner's speakership has been dreadful. He had to sideswiped the Hastert rule just to pass crucial budget bills with Democratic votes. 

++On this go-round,Democrats made it clear he would have to get out of the jam the best he could. Rep.Becera said that it was like the Syrian civil war, no one knows who is on what side. 

++All we get out of this is a bill to keep the government working through December. Then the fun really begins for President Obama's last year.

++It is like we delayed the perfect storm for the President's finale. 

++John Boehner's speakership was maladroit at best, incompetent at worse. And Yet we may end up with the worst.