Boehner Tells Leno He Won't Give Up Wine, Golf to Be President

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, told "Tonight Show"  host Jay Leno that Republicans agree on goals, but not always the means to achieve them.

Asked by Leno if GOP infighting is the worst he's seen, Boehner replied, "Oh … no."

He thought a second, then admitted, "Well, maybe it is. It's bad."

Republicans agree on all the goals, he said: "We think Obamacare's bad for the country; we think we shouldn't spend more than what we bring in; we think the president's ignoring the laws. It's all a fight over tactics. It's not over what our goals are."

Boehner found himself caught in the party infighting late last year as tea party Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas led an effort to defund Obamacare as part of the budget discussions.

Boehner had initially sided with the GOP establishment in opposing the tactic, but tea party members of the House persuaded him otherwise.

After the tactic failed and the GOP was largely blamed for a resulting government shutdown, Boehner blasted outside conservative groups for pushing the failed effort.

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Boehner told Leno there isn't as much common ground in Washington as there was 24 years ago when he first went there. Still, he said, he doesn't hold personal animosity for President Barack Obama.

"We get along fine," he said. "But we come at our jobs from a very different perspective. I'm right of center; I think he's way left of center."

Boehner responded with an emphatic "No" when Leno asked if he ever considers running for president.

"I like to play golf. I like to cut my own grass," Boehner said. "I do drink red wine, I smoke cigarettes. And I'm not giving that up to be president of the United States."