Republican Slapfight!

John Boehner is flexing his muscle, only to be rebuked buy a guy from Oklahoma. The hilarity at the NRCC is non-stop these days.

The Politico has a story for you concerning the ruckus and it puts on display the lack of party discipline currently being exercised by the GOP:

Republican sources say Boehner wants to replace Pete Kirkham, the NRCC’s executive director, and Terry Carmack, its political director, with more “aggressive” people with a more “realistic” view on next year’s elections, sources said.

Boehner has not yet directly asked Cole to replace the two men, although his intention to do so is well known in House leadership circles. Cole has refused to consider the move and has privately declared, “I will resign before I fire those two,” said sources familiar with the dispute.

Boehner is House Minority Leader. Cole is chair of the NRCC. The fact that this kind of infighting has made it to the national press (even if it is the Politico) is delicious. I can't get enough of this kind of thing.

I often say that party discipline, while not an unassailable practice, can be very important, and that public infighting outside of a primary at any level makes your party look silly and weak. Should you ever need proof, here it is. Grown men are essentially kicking sand at each other the big Republican playground, and I think the winner in that fight is Democrats everywhere.