got a pattern now. three strikes and you're going so start thinking maybe he doesn't want to hang around the president. don't you think it's rather curious that the second guy in line to be president doesn't want anything to do with the state dinner and the chinese? what about this? >> i never thought i would hear a politician being accused of not going to enough parties. there's a farless -- i hate to disappoint you. there's far less than meets the eye with this story. harry reid declined to go to a state dinner that george bush invited him to to honor the queen of i think land. and harry reid declined to go to dinner for barack obama. he said he had other things to do. listen, people are busy in washington. it happens on both sides of the aisle. i think this is much ado about nothing. . >> ed, you know, two wrongs don't make a right here. let's talk about john boehner. i think boehner is making a huge mistake. first of all, i don't think he realizes that he's speaker now. he's no longer sweeping floors