Are Republican convention and platform too long? John Boehner thinks so.
| Tampa, Fla.
House Speaker John Boehner, chairman of the Republican National聽Convention, says both conventions and party platforms would be better聽if they were shorter.
Mr. Boehner, the top-ranking Republican in Washington, was dismissive聽of the party platform that was completed last week under the direction of聽Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, the Republican Party platform chair.
鈥淗ave you ever met anybody who has read the party platform? I鈥檝e not聽ever met anybody. It ought to be on one sheet of paper. And guess聽what? I was on this kick about at least eight or 12 years ago that we聽ought to have a one-page party platform, and that way Americans could聽actually read it. Might be willing to 鈥� might.鈥�
Appearing relaxed in a sports coat but no tie, Boehner met with聽reporters for lunch hosted by the Monitor at a Tampa, Fla.-area restaurant.
The Republican platform was in the news last week聽because the group drafting the document met after Missouri Rep. Todd聽Akin made controversial comments about rape. The 2012 GOP platform聽contains a plank calling for banning abortions without including a聽specific exception in the case of rape or incest.
Boehner also joined those who say the actual business done at聽conventions is spread over too many days. "These are very expensive聽propositions to put on. I think that given as much news as people get聽today and the way they get their news, I'm not sure that having a聽four-day convention for the future makes a lot of sense.鈥�
The current GOP convention in Tampa was shortened from four days to聽three when tropical storm Isaac swept past the waterside city.聽Party Chairman Reince Priebus called the convention to order at 2聽p.m. Monday and then immediately recessed. The convention will resume聽on Tuesday with Isaac threatening to聽make landfall near New Orleans.
Boehner opened the gathering with reporters by stressing his聽commitment to retaining the Republicans鈥� majority in the House. 鈥淢y聽goal is [to] gain seats,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e on offense and I鈥檓 going to聽keep our team on offense all the way through Election Day.鈥�
When the speaker was asked what could be done to improve the public鈥檚聽view of Congress, he offered a spirited defense of his colleagues of聽both parties that was laced with humor.
鈥淐ongress has been America's favorite whipping boy for 200 years and I聽don't think that's going to change anytime soon. And then secondly,聽with 435 members and on any given day some of them are out doing聽things they probably shouldn't be doing. It's a fact," he said.
But Boehner added, 鈥淚 know my colleagues on both sides of the aisle.聽And while there may be differences between some Democrats and聽Republicans 鈥� 99 percent of my colleagues are decent, honest people聽trying to do the right thing for the country. But we work in a setting聽that makes it very difficult for people to see that.鈥�
鈥� Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.
