Boehner Says He Wasn’t ‘Mocking’ GOP Colleagues, Just Teasing

John Boehner got some attention recently for taking a surprisingly mocking tone with his Republican colleagues on immigration reform. It sounded a lot like Boehner was mocking fellow Republicans, but today Boehner insisted he was doing no such thing and believes the bigger impediment to getting immigration reform done is President Obama.

Boehner said last week, “But here’s the attitude. ‘Ooooh, don’t make me do this! Ooooh, this is too hard!'” At a press conference today, Boehner was asked for a reaction to him “mocking your own members” in that stinging soundbite.

Boehner jumped in and insisted that was not what he was doing.

Boehner told reporters he was misunderstood when he acted out the negative reaction from GOP lawmakers to an immigration reform bill.

“You tease the ones you love, right?” Boehner said.

He said he assured Republican members in a private meeting that he understands “the biggest impediment” to getting immigration reform passed isn’t them, it’s Obama, because people simply don’t trust him to fairly enforce the nation’s laws.

You can watch Boehner’s mocking… er, teasing moment below, via WKRC:

[h/t The Wire]
[image via screengrab]

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Follow Josh Feldman on Twitter: @feldmaniac

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