Santa Claus to Boehner: Pass Obama's tax cut bill or you're on the naughty list

Santa Claus came to Capitol Hill on Wednesday to deliver a message to Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio): pass President Obama's middle-class tax cut bill or you'll be on the naughty list.

The roly-poly white-bearded man dressed in his seasonal red attire slid right past the “Official Business Only” sign in the alcove to Boehner’s Capitol Hill digs.

With an entourage of paparazzi (five photographers) and a handler from the liberal group “Catholics United,” “Santa” asked a good-natured Speaker staffer for “two minutes” of Boehner’s time.

The wide-eyed aide, hidden behind a desk in front of a long hallway to Boehner’s office suite, denied the request: “[Boehner’s] in back-to-back meetings today. Would you like to leave a message?”

Old St. Nick paused before responding: “Leave him the message that he needs to get on with business. I’m sure he has a big heart. Pass the tax cut so we can all go home for Christmas.”

A handful of Speaker staffers and security detail slowly filled the hallway behind the reception desk to get a glimpse of Santa.

Santa wasn't done, adding, “Now, I know he doesn’t want me to come back in two weeks with a bag of coal ... Merry Christmas.”

As he walked out of the alcove into the vestibule connecting the Rotunda to Statuary Hall, a gaggle of school children were passing by — and shrieked when they saw Santa.

“SANTA!!! Hi Santa! Hi Santa!,” the 20-30 kids in Miss Gross’s first-grade class yelled.

“Is everybody ready for Christmas? Did you all send me your letters?” Santa said down to the Stoddard Elementary School children visiting the Capitol for the day.

“YES!!!!” they replied in unison.

One little girl cried out, “Where are your candy canes?” To which Santa had an unsatisfactory answer: “Mrs. Claus has me on a diet.”

Upset by that response, the little girl said, “This is NOT the real Santa.”

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