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'Fiscal cliff' leaves Boehner a wounded speaker

Published: December 22, 2012 Comment on this article

WASHINGTON (AP) — John Boehner is a bloodied House speaker following the startling setback his own Republican troops dealt him in their "fiscal cliff" struggle with President Barack Obama.

photo - Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, speaks to reporters about the fiscal cliff negotiations at the Capitol in Washington, Friday, Dec. 21, 2012. Hopes for avoiding the "fiscal cliff" that threatens the U.S. economy fell Friday after fighting among congressional Republicans cast doubt on whether any deal reached with President Barack Obama could win approval ahead of automatic tax increases and deep spending cuts kick in Jan. 1. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, speaks to reporters about the fiscal cliff negotiations at the Capitol in Washington, Friday, Dec. 21, 2012. Hopes for avoiding the "fiscal cliff" that threatens the U.S. economy fell Friday after fighting among congressional Republicans cast doubt on whether any deal reached with President Barack Obama could win approval ahead of automatic tax increases and deep spending cuts kick in Jan. 1. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

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There's plenty of internal grumbling about the Ohio Republican, especially among conservatives, and lots of buzzing about whether his leadership post is in jeopardy.

Even so, it's uncertain whether any other House Republican has the broad appeal needed to wrest the job from him. It's also unclear whether his embarrassing inability to pass his own bill preventing tax increases on everyone but millionaires is enough to bring him down.

Boehner says he isn't worried about losing his job when the new Congress convenes Jan. 3.