Bailout foes 'still love' Rep. Boehner

WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 (UPI) -- Rep. John Boehner probably didn't hurt his status as House minority leader in advocating the failed $700 billion bailout plan, congressional observers said.

The Ohio Republican worked with Democratic counterparts and the Bush administration to craft a bill he thought was acceptable to enough Republicans to pass, but was able to deliver only 65 votes, Politico reported Tuesday.

The minority leader lost support from some of his closest allies, including Reps. Tom Latham of Iowa, Devin Nunes of California and Thaddeus McCotter of Michigan.

McCotter said Boehner would survive.

"You can't abandon a man who at his core respects that you can have principled differences," McCotter told the Washington publication. "That's why all of us still love him."

"I have some members who would do anything for me, and I talked to them, and it just killed me, absolutely killed me, when they told me they couldn't vote yes," Boehner told reporters after Monday's floor defeat of the plan to stabilize the U.S. financial markets.

"Given the unpopularity of this whole concept, it's amazing that we got as many votes as we did," Boehner said.