Kline: There was one response and that was Paul Ryan’s
WASHINGTON - GOP Rep. John Kline says he didn't see GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann's rebuttal to President Obama's speech last night but downplayed its significance. Bachmann upstaged the GOP response of Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan.
Kline, a member of the House GOP leadership team, told MPR's Cathy Wurzer that the GOP response came from Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan.
"The Republican response was Paul Ryan," Kline said. "I thought he did a fantastic job.
Mrs. Bachmann, I do understand she had a response, and well probably 4 or 500 of us have responses. I'm talking to you about it right now. I went back to my office after the State of the Union and did interviews last night.
Hers has gotten a lot of attention. I understand that but there was one response. That was Paul Ryan's and I thought he did just a fantastic job of laying out the situation that we're in."
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Kline was careful to mention that he doesn't know if there is a split between GOP leadership and members of the Tea Party caucus.
On the issues, Kline repeated his concerns over reauthorizing the federal Race to the Top funding and his plans as chair of the House Education and Workforce Committee.
"I'm supportive of reducing the federal presence from the federal government and fixing No Child Left Behind," Kline said.
It appears that the Obama Administration is trying to work with Kline on education issues. Education Secretary Arne Duncan visited Kline's district last week.