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 Chain smoking in his stately Capitol office, the perpetually
tanned Ohio Republican, second in line to the presidency after the
vice president, sat down on Wednesday with reporters.
For nearly 40 minutes, he recalled recent events, boasted of his
accomplishments and was coy about his next steps in private life
after 25 years in Congress, five as speaker.
He said he was looking forward to buying a car and driving, which he
said he missed after years of being chauffeured.
On his relationship with Democratic President Barack Obama, Boehner
said he might save his impressions for a book.
He offered advice to Wisconsin's Representative Paul Ryan, the
former Republican vice presidential candidate who is expected to be
elected on Thursday to replace Boehner.
There were no tears from the often emotional speaker, who appeared
relaxed and happy. Here are some of his remarks.
 ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
Among highlights he listed were $2.1 trillion in spending cuts and
protecting nearly all of the tax cuts from Republican President
George W. Bush's administration. Boehner also boasted of banning
"earmarks," those special-interest projects that lawmakers used to
win for their home districts, often without any oversight. Saying
they "robbed the federal treasury," Boehner predicted it will be
difficult to ever bring them back.
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES:
Some time ago, Boehner informally threw his support behind Jeb Bush
for president in 2016. With Bush's campaign sputtering, Boehner was
reticent to talk about alternatives. But he noted that Ohio Governor
"John Kasich has been one of my friends for 30 years and I like him
a lot."
'CLEANING OUT THE BARN':
Boehner said difficult issues, such as extending the debt limit and
passing a two-year budget deal, "had to be done. I didn't think
leaving this for the next speaker was at all fair."
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BIGGEST REGRET:
Not being able to enact a comprehensive deficit-reduction deal with
Obama that Boehner said would have brought "trillions of dollars" in
government savings and boosted the economy.
Boehner revealed that as talks with Obama faltered in July 2011 on a
deficit-reduction and debt limit increase deal, the country nearly
was pushed into a historic debt default.
Asked how close Congress and the White House came to failing to
reach a deal the weekend before an early August deadline at that
time, Boehner said, "We were pretty close."
PROSPECTS FOR IMMIGRATION REFORM:
"Clearly not any time soon," Boehner said. He added that the next
president will "have to heal the wounds so the Congress can work
together to resolve this problem."
ADVICE TO RYAN:
He has given "lots" to his likely successor. At the top of his list:
"This is the loneliest place in the world. Almost as lonely as the
presidency."
Asked if Ryan's chances to become president will be hurt by being
House speaker, Boehner said: "I think he recognizes that," noting
that not since James Polk in 1845 has a House speaker become
president. On his own desire to become president, Boehner said:
"Stick me in the eye with a dull stick. I've never been afflicted
with that disease."
(Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Tom Brown)
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