Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Boehner To Miss State Dinner

Speaker John Boehner was invited to attend tonight’s State Dinner honoring Chinese President Hu Jintao. He has declined.  He has another meeting that he needs to attend.  Apparently that was the same excuse that he used explain his absence from the memorial service in Tucson.
Tonight’s event is not a partisan political event.  It is a State Dinner where the government of the United States is hosting the nation that will no doubt be its primary partner or adversary in the twenty first century. For the man who is arguably the second most powerful person in the government, second in line for the Presidency and the leader of one of the country’s two major political parties, to be too busy to attend raises a number of questions.
Speaker Boehner is know in Washington as a great golfer and party enthusiast.  He is known for hosting lavish events for the purposes of raising money for his party.  Apparently his social calendar is too crowded to accommodate tonight’s little shindig.
Boehner’s office says that he is not attending in part because he has a private meeting with Hu later in the week.  That may in fact be the case. But perception is reality and for many his absence tonight  is perceived as a political stunt.
Boehner has made all the right moves since assuming the mantle of Speaker.  But he stubbed his toe on this one.    

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