How close did we come to having the first ex-NFL Speaker of the House? Well, not that close, actually. But according to my research (playing two games of Angry Birds), Heath Shuler became the first ex-pro quarterback ever to get votes in the House Speaker election. The ex-Redskins and Saints QB, a Democrat from North Carolina, got 11 votes today, posing a mild challenge to incumbent Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who got 173 Democratic votes.
Republican John Boehner received all of his party’s votes — 241 — to win the seat. Just guessing on this, but I’ll bet it made him cry.
Also, there was this. From The Hill:
Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), the outgoing majority leader, Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), the civil rights leader, Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), and Rep. Jim Cooper (D-Ky.) also received votes. Reps. Dennis Cardoza (D-Calif) and Jim Costa (D-Calif.) voted for each other, drawing laughter from the packed House chamber.
Actually, Shuler would have been a good choice. This country’s in a huge financial hole, and if there’s anyone who knows about hopeless situations it’s an ex-New Orleans Saint from the ’90s.
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Boehner takes gavel as Speaker of the House on party-line vote [The Hill]
