Washington, D.C. — House Speaker John Boehner on Friday pounced on President Barack Obama's remark that "you can't change Washington from the inside," blaming a lack of leadership for Obama's inability to keep his 2008 campaign pledge to change the tone in Washington.
"You actually can change Washington from the inside: It takes courage, it takes determination," Boehner told reporters. "It's called leadership."
Obama's remark created a bit of a stir yesterday—and supplied Mitt Romney with a new attack line on the campaign trail.
But even as he was amplifying the Romney campaign's leadership attacks, Boehner acknowledged the GOP nominee faces an uphill battle in Ohio, thanks to a better-than-average economy there.
"One of the things that probably works against Romney in Ohio is the fact that Gov. Kasich has done such a good job," said Boehner, who hails from the Buckeye State. "The unemployment rate in Ohio is lower than the national average."
"As a result," Boehner added, "people are feeling good about the economy and jobs in Ohio."
Indeed, most recent polls have shown Obama leading Romney in Ohio.
Still, Boehner said the Romney campaign should continue to make the economy the chief issue in the remaining days before the election.
"The Romney campaign needs to stay focused on jobs," Boehner said.
He added, "They've done a pretty good job of it."