An hour before news broke that House Speaker John Boehner would be resigning from Congress at the end of October, on CBS This Morning, Face the Nation moderator John Dickerson declared that the Republican leader “had the high and the low yesterday, spending time with the Pope and then three hours with those conservatives who are giving him a lot of trouble on trying to keep the government open and funded...”
At the top of the segment, co-host Norah O’Donnell proclaimed: “In Washington this morning, lawmakers are trying to tap into a spirit of cooperation. Pope Francis used those words yesterday when he called for members of Congress to work together.” She observed that the papal visit was “a big moment” for Boehner and asked Dickerson: “Do you think it ends up having an impact, though, on the fights that are ahead?”
Dickerson lamented: “Well, I think who knows what the Holy Father did to stir the hearts of the audience privately, but I don't think, as a political matter, there's any evidence that he did anything to change basically the state of play here in Washington....So, I'm afraid there's not going to be a lot of progress on the actual business of politics...”
O’Donnell noted that Boehner would be Dickerson’s guest on Sunday’s Face the Nation.
Here is a transcript of the September 25 exchange:
8:07 AM ET
NORAH O’DONNELL: In Washington this morning, lawmakers are trying to tap into a spirit of cooperation. Pope Francis used those words yesterday when he called for members of Congress to work together. House Speaker John Boehner couldn't hide his emotion when the Pope entered the Capitol. For the Speaker, a Catholic and former altar boy, those tears carried over from the speech into the House chamber and then to the Capitol balcony. CBS News political director and moderator of Face the Nation John Dickerson will speak to Boehner on Sunday. And John joins us now from Washington, good morning.
JOHN DICKERSON: Good morning, Norah.
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: The Pontiff’s Message; Dickerson on How Pope’s Address is Being Received]
O’DONNELL: John, we know that John Boehner is given to tears at times, but this was certainly a big moment for him, certainly, yesterday. I know he's your guest on Sunday. Do you think it ends up having an impact, though, on the fights that are ahead?
DICKERSON: Well, I think who knows what the Holy Father did to stir the hearts of the audience privately, but I don't think, as a political matter, there's any evidence that he did anything to change basically the state of play here in Washington in terms of both sides and the way they look at the issues here. So, I'm afraid there's not going to be a lot of progress on the actual business of politics, I’m sorry to-
ANTHONY MASON: It was a great day for Speaker Boehner, though, who's been inviting popes to come to Washington for what, about 20 years, I think.
DICKERSON: Yeah. I mean, a signature achievement of his career. As Norah mentioned, you know, the altar boy from Redding, Ohio. And it’s funny the way in which – maybe this is true of all of us – the Pope brings us back to our early Catholic experiences. Boehner refers to himself as the “little Catholic boy like me.” I think his – you know, his whole life was encapsulated in that moment, in some ways. But he had the high and the low yesterday, spending time with the Pope and then three hours with those conservatives who are giving him a lot of trouble on trying to keep the government open and funded when money runs out at the end of September.
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