Transcript: Rep. John Boehner Speaks to Diane Sawyer

Nov. 4, 2010 — -- Following Tuesday's historic election that will return the House of Representatives to Republican control, House Minority Leader John Boehner, the man expected to be the next Speaker, spoke with ABC's Diane Sawyer about the results. The following is a transcript of their conversation, edited for clarity:

DIANE SAWYER: So, it's Thursday. How does it feel two days later?

JOHN BOEHNER: It feels fine.

DIANE SAWYER: Fine?

JOHN BOEHNER: It just feels fine. I've been very calm through all of this -- for the last month or six weeks -- leading up to the election. And since the election. Know a lot of -- hoopla. But I'm -- calm, confident, and know that if I listen to the American People and -- be myself, this job will go just fine.

DIANE SAWYER: You've been looking at the President's face. Do you feel he got the message you felt that you were sending?

JOHN BOEHNER: Well, I didn't see the President's press conference on Wednesday. But I've read a little bit about it. And -- there seems to be some denial on the part of the President, and other Democrat leaders. The message that was sent by the American People. When -- when you have the most historic election in over 60-70 years -- you would think that -- the other party would understand that the American People have clearly repudiated -- the policies that they put forward the last two years.

DIANE SAWYER: The President's extended an invitation to come meet together. What's the first sentence you're gonna say to him?

JOHN BOEHNER: Hello. Nice to see you. Now, listen, I have no personal animosity at all towards the President. I get along well with him. And while we disagree, we try to do it in a way that's -- neither one of us are disagreeable.

DIANE SAWYER: But you haven't talked often in this two years, have you? Been together often?

JOHN BOEHNER: No, usually in a larger group of -- the rest of the leaders. But we get along fine. Just -- we just have differences -- over what the appropriate role of the federal government ought to be.

DIANE SAWYER: The President said today, because he spoke again today in the cabinet room that he said that -- that the American people are saying that they do not want gridlock. And we can't afford squabbling. Agreed? No gridlock.

JOHN BOEHNER: I don't want gridlock. I don't want squabbling.

DIANE SAWYER: No squabbling?

JOHN BOEHNER: But I -- I'm gonna listen to what the American people had to say. The American people think the government in Washington is too big. That it spends too much. And -- and that it's totally out of control. They want something done about it. And I came here 20 years ago to fight for a smaller, less costlier, and more accountable federal government.

DIANE SAWYER: And let me just get a sense on a few of these critical issues, at this moment, where you stand. Jobs. How many -- new jobs can you create and how soon?

JOHN BOEHNER: Well, as a former small businessperson -- I understand what's going on, I think in the business community. And businesspeople around the country are looking at all the spending and all the debt. They're looking at all the policies coming out of this Congress and this administration the last two years, and they -- it's created all this uncertainty. And until the uncertainty starts to go away --

DIANE SAWYER: So, how long will that take? Will it take one -- till February of next year? Will it take --

JOHN BOEHNER: Well, I'm hoping that it can start -- yet this year. Let's make sure we extend all of the current tax rates for all Americans. That will begin to reduce the uncertainty.

DIANE SAWYER: Let me ask you about that, because as you know, you've got 60 new members, at least, that identify with the Tea Party. And they have said they want permanent extension of the tax cuts. Permanent. No variations on income for two years. No variations as you go. Are you saying today, it's permanent or nothing? You're going for permanent?

JOHN BOEHNER: Oh, I believe that we ought to extend all of the current tax rates for all Americans. And the extent -- you can make them permanent. People have some idea of how to plan.

DIANE SAWYER: But I think you said once that if you had just one option and that option was -- to take what you could get, basically. Take the middle -- class cut and then wait on the -- the over $250,000 --

JOHN BOEHNER: Well, this is after I answered the question the same way six times. And -- one of your competitors asked me a seventh time the same question. If it was the only option. Listen, I think what's best for the economy and to create jobs is to extend all of the current tax rates -- for all Americans. It -- it begins to reduce the uncertainty. And for small businesspeople, they can look up and begin to plan.

DIANE SAWYER: But if you extend it for one year, for two years, is that okay? Would you do that?

JOHN BOEHNER: I -- I don't think -- that eliminates the uncertainty that's preventing employers from hiring.

DIANE SAWYER: But I guess the question is, will you begin talking about a middle ground or are you saying permanent as far as the eye can see for all income groups --

JOHN BOEHNER: We're gonna have -- we're gonna have -- this debate here in Congress over the next couple of months. Congress is gonna come back in a lame duck session. We have to deal with two issues. Spending and taxes. And I believe that -- extending all the current tax rates for all Americans is the best policy -- given the economic uncertainty that our country faces and the uncertainty the small businesspeople face all around the country.