Politico: Tom Cole: John Boehner will make ‘tough’ fiscal cliff deal

Politico - Tom Cole: John Boehner will make ‘tough’ fiscal cliff deal

Republican Rep. Tom Cole, the Oklahoma congressman who has called for a quick extension of middle class tax cuts, offered praise on Thursday for House Speaker John Boehner.

“I think the Speaker’s doing a great job,” Cole said on CNN’s “Starting Point.” “I think at the end of the day, he’ll negotiate a tough deal. Every time he’s done that, I’ve been there and voted for that and tried to persuade others. I haven’t seen the deal yet, but I suspect I’ll be there again.”

Cole said earlier this week that Republicans should get on board now for an extension of tax cuts for the middle class, and debates over tax cut extensions for higher income earners could be hashed out later. Boehner (R-Ohio) pushed back on that suggestion Wednesday.

“I told Tom earlier in our conference meeting that I disagreed with him,” Boehner told reporters, according to news accounts Wednesday. “He’s a wonderful friend of mine, and great supporter of mine.”

Cole also said Thursday that he would “never say anything disparaging about…the speaker, who, by the way, I agree with.”

Meanwhile, outgoing Rep. Mary Bono Mack (R-Calif.) offered support for Cole’s stance.

“Tom presented a very thoughtful, articulate position,” she said on “Starting Point,” adding, “I would agree with what Tom has to say.”

Her husband, Rep. Connie Mack (R-Fla.), who lost his bid for a Senate seat, also appeared on the show — where he broke with both his wife and with Cole.

“Now I don’t happen to agree with my wife and Congressman Cole,” he said. “I think we need to continue to look at ways to cut spending.”

Online: Politico