Washington, D.C. (Politico.com): House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) has put to rest questions about the future of NRCC Chairman Tom Cole (R-Okla.), but he hasn’t quelled concerns of Republican members, aides and lobbyists who say Boehner lacks the “killer instinct” necessary to fend off an electoral disaster in November.

Although Cole has presided over three straight special election losses in districts thought to be GOP strongholds, Boehner has refused to join rank-and-file members in calling on Cole to step down.

The two men met privately Friday and again on Monday; in between, Boehner appeared on ABC’s “This Week” and declared unequivocally that Cole will be “staying” as chairman of the party’s campaign committee through November.

Sources say that Cole has offered to make some token moves - such as bringing in a well-known GOP operative to help with the National Republican Congressional Committee’s “incumbent-retention activities” - and that he and Boehner were hammering out the details Monday evening. But, the sources said, it now appears that there will be no major reshuffling of committee staff before November.

For Republicans hoping that the GOP loss last week in Mississippi would be the “wake-up call” Boehner said it was, the response from the top has been disappointing so far.

“This is the equivalent of watching two doctors fight over how to treat a patient with a gaping wound, and as a compromise they decided to apply a Band-Aid to the wrong appendage,” said one GOP insider.

One Republican lawmaker who is close to the dispute said that Boehner waited too long to force Cole to shake up the NRCC and that “nothing can be done” now.

“Cole is going to do this his way, and that’s that,” said the member, who asked to remain anonymous for this story. “There was a window where something could have been done over there, and now the window has shut.”

Boehner tried in September to oust Pete Kirkham, the NRCC’s executive director, and Terry Carmack, the political director, only to be rebuffed when Cole threatened to resign. Since then, Boehner and other party leaders have repeatedly attempted to force Cole to institute a new direction at the committee - to wade into primary fights in order to guarantee the best general election candidates, or to make more of an effort to reach out to traditional donors who feel ignored by the party.

While Cole remains philosophically opposed to getting involved in GOP primaries, he and his team have stepped up their fundraising efforts with these traditional backers. Just before the GOP loss in Mississippi, Boehner and Cole agreed to form an advisory committee for the NRCC. In the wake of the Mississippi loss, GOP insiders say that panel will be “given some teeth” to allow it to have more say over strategic and tactical decisions within the NRCC.

Now that Cole has struck an uneasy détente with the Republican leader, Boehner must find ways to revive a dispirited Republican Conference while at the same time making sure House Republicans don’t face a bloodbath on Election Day - an outcome that could eventually cost Boehner his job.

“This has all become about Boehner now, how he runs things,” said a veteran GOP political operative. “If Boehner isn’t seen as shifting Cole, then it will hurt Boehner’s standing with members. The story becomes ‘Boehner can’t run the House Republican Conference.’ It’s a bad spot for him to be seen in.”

This source also said Boehner “lacks some of the killer instinct” of former Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas). “DeLay had a lot of problems, but he got the job done. Boehner needs a little more DeLay in him. He’s got to knock some heads,” said this source.

Boehner has taken a decidedly anti-DeLay approach since taking over the party in early 2006, preferring consensus over conflict. But the GOP’s recent slump had some members and aides reminiscing fondly about the days when “The Hammer” ruled the Republicans.

Boehner’s office dismisses the talk about his political future as speculation, and his aides said the Ohio Republican remains focused on the task at hand, not worrying about what will happen down the road.

“With 167 days left until the election, Leader Boehner is more concerned about earning back the majority than short-term headlines,” said Kevin Smith, Boehner’s communications director. “With that in mind, he is talking with Chairman Cole, and engaging all our members, about how we achieve our shared goal of electing more Republicans to the House. That starts with rolling out an agenda of change on energy prices, the economy, security and health care that stands in stark contrast to the tax-and-spend record the Democrats have assembled in the last 16-plus months.”

During his appearance on “This Week” Sunday, Boehner said his recent meetings with Cole have been “frank and constructive and positive,” and he expressed confidence that the new GOP agenda - House Republicans announced a family agenda last week and will unveil an energy package this week - will help convince voters to support GOP congressional candidates in the fall.

Boehner’s bravado notwithstanding, the mood among House Republicans remains one of anxiety and doubt. At the request of Texas Rep. Jeb Hensarling, who heads the Republican Study Committee, House Republicans will meet for another closed-door session Tuesday to discuss the direction of the party following the special election losses.

Some members grumbled after two earlier meetings that they did not have enough time to discuss their concerns before the broader caucus.

In a smaller meeting of the Republican leadership, Chief Deputy Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) complained about a new slogan leaders unveiled - “Change You Deserve” - because it echoed the advertising for a drug marketed as an antidepressant, members and aides said. Republican leaders have since tweaked it to “Change America Deserves.”

Boehner, however, is not going to change his style as a consensus-builder. As other Republicans were reeling last week in the face of bad news from Mississippi, Louisiana and Illinois, their leader projected an outward appearance of calm. To Boehner, making hasty decisions in a crisis atmosphere only “ensures that you make bad decisions.”

Cole told Politico on Monday that he knew all along that Republicans were going to be in for a “tough cycle,” and he denied reports that other members have asked for him to step down from the NRCC.

And even amid all the turmoil, both Boehner and Cole have their defenders in the GOP Conference, especially among older members who don’t want to see anyone thrown overboard.

“There’s no question that there’s a lot of anxiety and heartburn and questioning,” said Rep. Ray LaHood (R-Ill.). “But for now, when you have these [party leaders] elected to two-year terms, I think our members are going to let it play out. The truth is, members have little control over [NRCC operations], other than giving [Cole] advice on the people that he needs.”

Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.), a former member of the elected leadership, said the agitation now roiling the conference is typical during political downswings. “People just need to blow off steam,” he said.

© 2007 Capitol News Company, LLC