Stephen Colbert Confronts John Boehner: ‘How Come Nancy Pelosi Can Corral Her Crazies’ and You Couldn’t?

Stephen Colbert hosted John Boehner Monday night and pressed the former House speaker for blaming both sides of the political aisle for the deteriorated state of American politics.

Boehner joined The Late Show as part of his promotional tour for On The House: A Washington Memoir. He has previewed the book by ripping on those he quarreled with throughout his political career, but he has also shared his displeasure with the direction the Republican Party has taken over the last few years.

During his conversation with Colbert, Boehner said that it was around 2010 when right-wing media began to change because “they wanted more noise.” He went on to decry the political “noisemakers” who’ve used the media to build up their personal brands instead of doing anything to help the country.

“It’s gotten a lot worse since, and the problem is not just on the far right, it’s on the far left as well,” Boehner said.

Colbert countered Boehner’s argument at that point as he said “I think the Republicans have gotten better at having a media arm that helps inflate their worst instincts than the Democrats do.”

“If both sides do that,” Colbert said, “how come Nancy Pelosi can corral her crazies and you can’t corral yours?”

“She’s done frankly, a better job of holding her party together,” Boehner answered. “I’ve watched it over the 30 years I’ve been around Congress. Democrats are always more willing to stick together than Republicans are.”

“I don’t think that’s true,” Colbert retorted. “The Republicans have a monolithic quality. The Democrats are always a coalition of diverse interests.”

Boehner left it by saying Republicans are more “independent-minded” than Democrats.

Watch above, via CBS.