The September 14 edition of CNN's The Situation Room featured a report on House Minority Leader John Boehner's (R-OH) September 12 response to CNN host Wolf Blitzer's question regarding the "$2 billion a week or $3 billion a week" spent in Iraq and the “loss in blood, the Americans who are killed every month,” in which Boehner said: “We need to continue our effort here because, Wolf, long term, the investment that we're making today will be a small price if we're able to stop Al Qaeda here.” As Media Matters for America documented, CNN initially ignored the controversy surrounding Boehner's comments, but extensively covered Sen. John Kerry's (D-MA) October 30, 2006, “botched joke” regarding President Bush and the Iraq war.
From the 4 p.m. hour of the September 14 edition of The Situation Room:
SUZANNE MALVEAUX (guest host): A comment that House Minority Leader John Boehner made right here in The Situation Room from Baghdad Wednesday has liberal bloggers and politicians up in arms. The Republican responded to a question from Wolf Blitzer about the cost and the loss of blood in Iraq. Boehner said it will be a small price if we're able to stop Al Qaeda. Internet reporter Abbi Tatton has been following this story, and Abbi, what did he say?
TATTON: Suzanne, it was Congressman Boehner's response to this question from Wolf that has people talking.
[begin video clip]
BLITZER: How much longer will U.S. taxpayers have to shell out $2 billion a week or $3 billion a week as some now are suggesting the cost is going to endure? The loss in blood, the Americans who are killed every month, how much longer do you think this commitment, this military commitment is going to require?
BOEHNER: I think General Petraeus outlined it pretty clearly. We're making success. We need to firm up those successes. We need to continue our effort here because, Wolf, long term, the investment that we're making today will be a small price if we're able to stop Al Qaeda here, if we're able to stabilize the Middle East.
[end video clip]
TATTON: That video now reposted on liberal blogs, “a small price” the words they're zeroing in on. Democrats are demanding Congressman Boehner apologize. Sen. John Kerry writes online: “That comment was stunningly cavalier.” Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, called it deplorable. And now Republican Sen. John McCain has weighed in, saying Boehner ought to retract it.
Congressman Boehner's spokesman said in a statement the congressman was referring to the amount of money spent in Iraq, adding “there isn't a member of Congress that appreciates the sacrifice of our troops more than Mr. Boehner.” Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: Abbi, thank you so much.