A photo showing Republican House Speaker John Boehner kissing Democratic Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has gone viral.
The photo was taken as Boehner retained his position as House Speaker after a vote. He received 216 votes in favor, while Pelosi received 164 votes.
Awkward. RT @smahaskey: With a kiss, Speaker Boehner takes gavel from Leader Pelosi to open 114th Congress. pic.twitter.com/pmBYXuIzlA“
— Malik (@malikwashington) January 6, 2015
@redsteeze This looks more awkward then Boehner embarrassing Pelosi w/ a kiss
— Kammy (@eryourlife) January 6, 2015
@ProudoftheUSA Yeah I knew something was up last year, when Boehner sent Pelosi ice cream for her birthday.
— Liz (@faythe13) January 6, 2015
Boehner isn’t much different than Pelosi. The only differences are gender and a fake tan. #tcot
— Heidi Cady (@hgcady) January 6, 2015
Here’s The Associated Press take on his reelection:
The House has re-elected John Boehner to be speaker in the new Republican-led Congress, despite opposition by tea party lawmakers that underscored party divisions.
The Ohio Republican garnered the votes of 216 GOP lawmakers as Congress convened Tuesday. That was enough for him to win a third two-year term leading the House.
But in an embarrassing slap, 25 Republicans voted for other candidates or voted present. They considerBoehner to be too accommodating and not conservative enough.
Their repudiation of Boehner was an awkward display of GOP schisms at a time when party leaders want to show voters that they can govern effectively. They want to show they won’t be forced by tea party legislators into unwinnable, unpopular showdowns with President Barack Obama.