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Boehner learned hard lesson in failed House coup
By CNN Chief Washington Correspondent Jake Tapper
WASHINGTON (CNN) - Two things motivate House Speaker John Boehner in his showdown with Democrats and President Barack Obama, sources close to him say - one personal, one philosophical.
The personal one is evident through how he deals with his caucus of 232 Republicans, especially the unruly tea party group.
Boehner originally did not want to tie a contentious effort to defund Obamacare to spending legislation needed to avert a shutdown.
He expressed that sentiment as far back as March.
"Our goal here is to cut spending. It's not to shut down the government," Boehner said. "I believe that trying to put Obamacare on this vehicle risks shutting down the government. That's not what our goal is."
But ultimately, there were enough House Republicans demanding the two issues be linked that Boehner changed his mind. Why?
"He has been seen people rise and fall," a source close to him said.
In fact, he was one of them.
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