Video: Kevin Cramer Says He Backs Boehner

Rep. Kevin Cramer was on MSNBC’s Morning Joe this morning to talk about his Keystone XL pipeline legislation which he is introducing in the House. That’s an important bill, but not really all that newsy given that we can pretty much assume what’s going to happen.

The Republican-controlled Congress is going to pass the legislation, with some help from Democrats, and President Obama is probably going to veto it.

More interesting were some of Cramer’s other comments. Such as voicing his support for Speaker of the House John Boehner which I know many of you SAB readers are upset with Cramer for.

“I don’t know how you can look at a party that has taken over the largest majority now for Republicans in the House of Representatives in, what, 86 years and somehow think that’s a bad thing and a result of bad leadership, and you should throw out the guy who helped engineer some of that,” Cramer said. “I fully support Speaker Boehner for all the reasons I just stated, that we’ve had tremendous success. I don’t think you can somehow isolate him away from that success; I think we have to give him a good deal of the credit.”

He also said that Boehner brings much-needed stability to Congress. “One of the things I appreciate about John Boehner is that he doesn’t panic in getting to 218 votes to get a majority,” Cramer said. “He always maintains his cheerful demeanor and a stable demeanor. And I think this is a place that needs some stability.”

A lot of people have been asking me what I think about Cramer voting for Boehner, and my response is mostly “meh.” On one hand, sure, I could point to things Boehner have done that I didn’t like (I could do the same with Cramer). On the other hand, who are the alternatives?

Rep. Louie Gohmert? Would he be a more effective leader than Boehner for opposing President Barack Obama’s agenda and promoting a limited government platform of policies? I’m not so sure.

Cramer was also asked if he had any praise for Obama, and after noting that the President has been pretty tough on energy (I chuckled when Cramer said “you’re welcome for all the oil” on behalf of North Dakota), he praised the recent move to normalize relations with Cuba.

North Dakota’s lone congressman has been pretty outspoken in his support for normalizing relations with Cuba, and I tend to agree with him. While nobody wants to do anything to help prop up the Castro regime, I’d argue that decades worth of diplomatic sanctions have done more harm than good.

What Cuba needs is an infusion of capital.