Boehner Can't "Find" Anyone Who Supports Public Option; Maybe He Should Check His Backyard

House Minority Leader Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) said Thursday that he's never met an American who supports the creation of a public health insurance option as part of the legislative reform effort.

"I'm still trying to find the first American to talk to who's in favor of the public option, other than a member of Congress or the administration," Boehner said, according to Politico's Glenn Thrush, who noted that Boehner made this claim with a "semi-straight face."

Really, is it that hard to find someone who supports a public option?

Terri Nelson, a psychotherapist who lives and works in Oxford, Ohio, in Boehner's district, told the Huffington Post that she has repeatedly contacted the leader's office to voice support for the public option.

"I've contacted him twice in writing since the spring, and he's responded to me twice in writing," Nelson said. "And I contacted his office by phone maybe six or eight times."

Her repeated message to Boehner, she said, goes like this: "It is imperative that we have a public option."

Boehner spokesman Michael Steel responded in a statement to the Huffington Post: "Obviously, Boehner was glad to hear Ms. Nelson's concerns, and hopes his response convinced her of the dangers of a government takeover of health care."

UPDATE 1:

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee immediately fired up an online petition for folks to email Boehner about their support of a public option.

UPDATE 2: It's a pile-on.

The Progressive Change Campaign Committee announced $10,000 in online advertising targeting Boehner, a campaign asking folks to "invite" Boehner to meet with constituents who favor the public option, and a video by a constituent who'd like to meet him.

And, in response to his remark that the public option "is about as unpopular as a garlic milkshake," Boehner's colleague, Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.) brought him several cloves of garlic on Friday. Gilroy, Calif., which Honda represents, is the "Garlic Capital of the World."

Honda also shared a limerick that absolutely stinks, even next to garlic: "Two things make for a strong healthy heart. Gilroy garlic, for one, a good start. Public option? Also high, in the American eye, 65 percent n'er want it to part."

Steel reacted: "We said 'thanks.' We like garlic. The point Boehner made yesterday was simply that garlic milkshakes aren't popular, like the Democrats' government takeover of health care."

UPDATE 3: Americans United for Change tees up a golf-themed ad: "Boehner's Bogey."

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Comments

[Cwhyel]

09:39 PM on 10/07/2009

I wonder if Mr. Boehner having his head up his &ss is a pre-existi­ng condition? If so, apparently HIS insurance must cover it.

[MeinNH]

10:36 PM on 10/07/2009

LOL

[cwhiteside88]

04:14 PM on 10/06/2009

Some of Mr. Boehner's constituen­ts decided to take him up on his offer and rally outside his district office in West Chester, Ohio, delivering over 1,800 signatures of people in his district who support a public option. Watch here, and stick around for the teabagger at the end:

http://www­.youtube.c­om/watch?v­=nunTTyfCr­8Y&hd=1

[Sheldonrs]

09:40 AM on 10/05/2009

Of course he can't find anyone who supports it. It's difficult to find much of anything when your head is up your A$$.

[medic628]

12:03 PM on 10/04/2009

If you want to be reelected get our of the booth and talk to the people in your state

[Iris Wood]

11:59 AM on 10/04/2009

House Minority Leader, Boehner, " I haven't met anyone for public health care".

Could these consituent­s be 'SIX FEET UNDER'. ???????

Boehner, what is so funny about a "death panel".???­? The uninsured are crying out for help. Clearly, they can not get it from these republican­s and democrats that continue with this narcisisti­c form of government­.

STOP BEING CRUEL!!!!!

[Gabrielle]

11:29 AM on 10/04/2009

Greedy &ss hole

[MDinOK]

11:18 AM on 10/04/2009

I have never seen him look or talk like he is sober. Perhaps that's why he thinks he can't find anyone who supports the bill.

[Mahi Joe]

11:01 AM on 10/04/2009

Yeah I empathize with Boehner because I have billions of dollars to give away for free and can't find anyone interested­.

[jwredd]

10:33 AM on 10/04/2009

I guess he's heard from a few people that support the PO by now.

[gettingitright]

10:13 AM on 10/04/2009

Everything Boehner says is absolutely absurd and isingenuou­s. Why would anyone go up to this guy and say, "I really hope there's no public option." And his comments defy the polls.

[rcwblessed]

09:46 AM on 10/04/2009

Sign the petition, and tell John Boehner that you support the puclic option. You can also include a message to Boehner: http://www­.dccc.org/­page/s/Boe­hnerA This is the message I sent to Boehner on the petition: I support the public option, like millions of other Americans, and I'm mad as hell. Perhaps, if you tried harder to get in touch with your constituen­ts, you could stop making so many outrageous claims. The only reason you and your colleagues will not support health care reform and the public option is because it would be consedered a "win" for President Obama. It's always about scoring political points, and the American people can just be damned. You may think the GOP's opposition strategy is working for you, but I think it will backfire. The majority of Americans (not your 21% lunatic fringe) are not as stupid as you like to believe. YES, WE CAN see through your BS. I hope and pray that the upcoming mid-term elections clean you and your ilk out of Congress. We need politician­s who look out for our best interests.

[IhaveaDREAMwhitegirl]

08:37 AM on 10/04/2009

How about the healthcare perks for Congressma­n and others:

http://abc­news.go.co­m/Video/pl­ayerIndex?­id=8709410

(except the riff-raff :AmericanP­ublic)

[MaryK2924]

07:54 AM on 10/04/2009

I wonder how Mr. Boehner likes the taste of his foot in his mouth, maybe Mr. Steele can relate.

[atomic]

04:33 AM on 10/04/2009

this guy looks like a clown ....

[jwredd]

10:34 AM on 10/04/2009

clown to the core.

[henrypapillon]

04:32 AM on 10/04/2009

You can tell by Boehners face that he is always in the bag. I guess that makes it easier for the lies to come out and do the terrible things he does.