Maybe his Facebook was hacked

I find it unsettling so many past and present members of Congress suddenly swell with words of praise for soon-to-be-gone House Speaker John Boehner.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is among them. Gingrich posted on Facebook:

Speaker John Boehner is a solid conservative who worked with every fiber of his being to move America back to a conservative path. Yesterday was in many ways the high point of his Speakership. As a devout Catholic he had always wanted to host the Pope for a joint session. Today was the right day for Speaker Boehner to announce his retirement. He is a new grandfather and nothing would surpass the Pope's address. It has been an honor to work with Speaker Boehner over the years, and I wish him all the best in his retirement.

Solid conservative? Conservative path?

I couldn't help but add a comment:

Mr. Gingrich, please tell me your Facebook account has been hacked. The real Newt Gingrich would know Barack Obama's fundamental transformation was only able to roll forward the past four and a half years because Speaker Boehner made sure funding was available.

My own sitting Congressman also issued a glowing statement of praise for Mr. Boehner. Rep. Rob Woodall's comments were also posted on Facebook, saying, in part:

 I’m grateful for the sacrifice he and his family have made over the years as he served the American people with distinction.  I wish him the very best, and remain committed to continuing the work of moving America in the right direction.

Again, I felt a responsibility to add a bit of balance.

From the start, Boehner was a promise-breaker. Only direction he's moved the country in since rising to speaker has been one in line with Obama's progressive fundamental transformation. Boehner has waged war with the people who were once the party's base, and attempted to punish Republican members of Congress who dared to represent constituents if what constituents wanted went against his dictates. I certainly don't see what Speaker Boehner's done as being in the right direction. Served with distinction? He's been an out-right embarrassment. 

The term serving with distinction has come to have an odd and twisted meaning in today's Washington Dc.

I'm reminded Obama foreign policy adviser Susan Rice used the term to describe Bowe Bergdahl upon his release from the Taliban in Afghanistan.