John Boehner, the former speaker of the U.S. House of
Representatives, was teased relentlessly during his time in office —
over his last name, perpetual tan, and teary tendencies. But Wednesday
he delivered an insult of his own: He publicly called Republican U.S.
presidential candidate Ted Cruz “Lucifer,” after the fallen angel some
link with the devil, the Stanford Daily exclusively reported.
The reference came as Boehner, a GOP representative from Ohio who
stepped down in October, spoke to students at Stanford University about
the 2016 presidential election. The Stanford Daily reported Boehner
“made a face” when a moderator mentioned the U.S. senator from Texas
who’s trailing billionaire businessman Donald Trump in the race for the
Republican nomination.
Boehner declared Cruz to be “Lucifer in the flesh.” He then
added: “I have Democrat friends and Republican friends. I get along with
almost everyone, but I have never worked with a more miserable son of a
bitch in my life.”
Boehner has made it clear he’s no fan of Cruz. A
conservative media outlet, the Daily Caller, cited unidentified sources
last year in reporting that Boehner had called Cruz a “jackass.” The
former Congress member also
insinuated the senator is “a false prophet.” And Wednesday wasn’t even
the first time Boehner has used the “Lucifer” label to describe Cruz —
he also invoked the insult at a conference in Florida last month, the Washington Times reported.
Cruz shot back at the “jackass” comment in September. “The
speaker is entitled to express whatever views he likes, but I’m not
going to respond in kind,” Politico reported
the presidential candidate said on a radio show. “And I think the
American people are not remotely interested in a bunch of politicians in
Washington bickering like schoolyard children.”
Boehner said Wednesday he wouldn’t vote for Cruz should the
senator become the GOP nominee for president, according to the Stanford
Daily. But Boehner would back Trump, with whom the retiree is “texting
buddies.” He’s also friends with Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who’s running a
distant third in the nomination race.
The former speaker told people at the Stanford event he
believed former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would likely nab
the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination, although at one point
he mocked her by saying, “Oh I’m a woman, vote for me,” the Stanford
Daily reported.
Boehner said last month
he would like current House Speaker Paul Ryan to be the Republican
presidential nominee. However, Ryan has insisted he does not want the
position at this time.
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