As soon as Pope Francis left the Capitol on Thursday, the wheels were set in motion for House Speaker John Boehner to announce his resignation Friday morning.
Boehner told reporters Friday he had planned to announce his resignation on his birthday, Nov. 17, but then began to change his plans after Pope Francis pulled him close, before departing, and told Boehner to pray for him.
Recommended Stories
“Who am I to pray for the pope? But I did,” said Boehner, a practicing Catholic.
Boehner started considering the idea of resigning after that episode, and he told his chief of staff it was on his mind, and that he’d sleep on it. Boehner told his wife about his plan last night.
Friday morning, Boehner walked to Starbucks and Pete’s Diner in his Capitol Hill neighborhood and that is when he decided, “Today’s the day.” He told his staff at an early morning meeting and then just before a House closed-door meeting with all GOP rank-and-file members, Boehner informed his Majority Leader, Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.
“I had to tell him five times because he didn’t believe me,” Boehner said. “I said, you better believe me.”
Boehner told reporters he was not pushed out, but he did cite turmoil within the GOP that has resulted from the conservative flank pushing back against the leadership and threatening to depose Boehner.
“I planned on my birthday to announce I was leaving at the end of the year, but it has become clear to me that this prolonged leadership turmoil would do irreparable harm to the institution,” Boehner said.
Boehner would not specifically endorse a successor, but said McCarthy, “would make an excellent speaker.”
Boehner said the historic visit by Pope Francis, who he invited to address the Capitol, wasn’t precisely what pushed him out the door. But he did say the moment was an important part of his decision.
“This morning, I woke up and said my prayers as I always do, and said, today’s the day I’m going do this,” he said.
