WATCH: Chris Christie slams the GOP over Sandy aid

In the aftermath of the fiscal cliff deal, many politicos are speculating whether John Boehner will hold onto his speakership in the new Congress. But after the beat-down he received today from members of his own party, perhaps the real question ought to be whether he even wants the position. The morning began with conservatives hammering Boehner for shepherding a bill through the House that would raise taxes on the wealthiest Americans. "This is what happens when your political party is led by an emotionally compromised weeper," tweeted Todd Starnes of Fox News. Then Rep. Pete King (R-N.Y.) publicly savaged the Republican leadership in the House for failing to pass a $60 billion bill that would assist victims of Hurricane Sandy. "They're going to have a hard time getting my vote, I can tell you that," King fumed.

But that was nothing — nothing — compared to the abattoir of abuse Boehner received from New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, whose state is still recovering from Sandy. "Last night, the House majority failed that most basic test of public service, and they did so with callous disregard to the suffering of the people of my state," Christie thundered at a press conference. "There is only one group to blame: The House majority and their speaker, John Boehner."

Christie said the bill, which passed with bipartisan support in the Senate, "just could not overcome the toxic internal politics of the House majority." He added, "It's why the American people hate Congress… Unlike the people in Congress, we have actual responsibilities."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

For good measure, he made sure that everyone remembered that it was Boehner's fault: "It was the speaker's decision — his alone." Christie said Boehner did not return any of his four phone calls, and described the speaker as a "know-nothing."

When asked whether he thought Boehner would remain speaker, Christie responded: "I don't care."

When asked whether he would campaign against Boehner in a primary, Christie said: "We'll see, primaries are an ugly thing."