Well, that was a bit of a stumble for the new guy in the White House.

John Podesta, former White House chief of staff during the Clinton administration, has taken on a new role as special adviser to President Obama. OK, so far.

Then we hear about an interview he did some time back in which he compared congressional Republicans to the Jonestown, Guyana cult led by the maniac Jim Jones, the one ended with the mass suicide of more than 900 men, women and children.

Podesta said this right about the time the president was ready to commence his second term: “They need to focus on executive action given that they are facing a second term against a cult worthy of Jonestown in charge of one of the houses of Congress,” Podesta told Politico Magazine.

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/193524-podesta-apologizes-for-gop-jonestown-cult-comparison

Bad call, Mr. Podesta.

He has apologized to House Speaker John Boehner, someone Podesta said he has long “respected.”

Podesta is supposed to one of the grownups who work in the West Wing. I reckon he’ll get his big boy persona into gear soon as he provides special advice and counsel to the rest of the Obama White House team.

However, given the hard feelings that linger between the White House and congressional Republicans, I’m quite sure many in the GOP aren’t going to accept the apology and just move on.

Too bad.