Skip to content

Boehner Has ‘Putin Envy,’ Carney Says

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney on Thursday said Speaker John A. Boehner appeared to have “Putin envy.”

Carney was referring to a one-minute video put out by the Ohio Republican comparing President Barack Obama’s unwillingness to negotiate with the GOP over the debt ceiling with his willingness to negotiate with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“The video, I thought, demonstrated a little Putin envy — a little odd, a bit of Putin envy, on the part of the speaker. Maybe he can explain it,” Carney said.

Carney said that the president has spent “an enormous amount of time with John Boehner over the years,” and said he had no doubt the president would be talking to congressional leaders in the coming days about the importance of meeting the looming budget deadlines.

Recent Stories

‘Israel is in charge’: Netanyahu made sure Trump’s Iran diplomacy was no picnic

Covert actions key to Israel’s strikes on Iran: Mossad

Striking up — Congressional Hits and Misses

Photos of the week | June 6-12, 2025

AI can sharpen America’s edge in the Pacific — if we move now

Walz and Johnson make misleading claims about bill’s impact on SNAP