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The Nation's Pulse
For Crying Out Loud
Oh, no, John Boehner’s tears are falling again.
House Speaker John Boehner insists his tears, like his tan, are genuine. Too bad. His election night sob story over his climb to success, followed by his 60 Minutes blubbering over schoolchildren, might be excusable if inspired by a Machiavellian streak. Alas, a lack of self-control, rather than an act to exert control over his audience, explains the teary-eyed outbursts.
Boehner’s waterworks flow most frequently and famously. But his aren’t the only tear ducts opening when the cameras are rolling. Senator Tom Coburn cried during his speech in favor Judge John Roberts’s confirmation to the Supreme Court in 2005. Weepy behavior is bipartisan, as Senator Chuck Schumer whimpered during his introduction of Judge Sonia Sotomayor at her confirmation hearings last year. Mitt Romney choked up running for president when talking about his church admitting blacks, his father, and seeing a casket return from Iraq. America is in trouble when the behavior of its elected officials resembles that of the YouTube sensation who tearfully exhorted everyone to “Leave Britney alone! Please!”
One needn’t be a stoic to find something unseemly in all this crying. Almost fifty years ago, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons counseled big girls not to cry. Today, one can’t suggest so much to grown men without appearing like a troglodyte. Wussy is the new manly.
Politics merely reflects the culture, which likes its men to be like its women. Sometime after the appearance of man purses but before the pandemic of male eyebrow waxing, the culture gave the green light for guys to wail and weep. “It’s okay to cry,” we were told. But male icons in sports, movies, and television told us that it’s not just okay to cry. It’s obligatory.span>
Michael Jordan cried after winning his first NBA title and Tim Tebow cried after losing the SEC championship game. Get some perspective. You play a children’s game. There may be no crying in baseball. Basketball and football are another story.
Joe Friday and Harry Callahan would never make it in today’s Hollywood. Jerry Maguire, whose welling eyes impressed rather than repulsed the girl, seems a more iconic representation of modern manliness. He had her at hello. He lost me at boo-hoo.
In 2009, ABC presented Jason Mesnick as a catch to female contestants on The Bachelor. The indecisive, gushing Mesnick presented himself as unable to control his emotions to ABC’s viewers. The man that ABC believed that women wanted turned out to be a bachelor for a reason.
Glenn Beck may or may not be a crier in real life, but he plays one on TV. Beck’s weepiness has become as much a part of his shtick as Bill O’Reilly’s temper or Keith Olbermann’s sanctimony. When Walter Cronkite’s voice cracked as he reported President Kennedy’s assassination, few faulted him for his momentary betrayal of the dispassionate ethic of the anchorman. But in the news-o-tainment era, tears=ratings. Cry yourself to the bank.
Pundits who obsess over the artificiality of the tear flood miss the point. The indifference of the sincerely moved to suppress the impulse toward public emoting, and the eagerness of the phonies to release the feigned emotions, both tacitly acknowledge the benefits of being a crybaby in our society.
Proponents of crying suggest there is something unhealthy in holding back the tears. Perhaps they are on to something. Men are from Mars, not from Vulcan, after all. But why must so many men lose it so publicly? It’s undignified. It can be, à la children’s crocodile tears, manipulative. In leaders, it does not inspire confidence. As one might say to a couple partaking in similarly annoying public displays of affection, “Get a room!” — the bathroom, the bedroom, the basement, wherever. Just take your crying eyes away from our eyes.
Cannot the dry eyes and the wet eyes come to a compromise? The former faction will grant that it is okay to cry, provided that the latter faction does so behind closed doors. Deal?
Thirty-nine-years ago, Maine Senator Edmund Muskie stood outside of the Manchester Union Leader and denounced the newspaper for criticizing his wife. Amid the emotionally-charged speech, and winter’s flurries, reporters glimpsed moisture trailing down the presidential frontrunner’s cheek. Was it melting snowflakes or tears? It didn’t matter. The mere suggestion that an aspirant to lead the free world broke down during a stressful situation was enough for some to dismiss his candidacy.
In less than four decades, America has morphed from a culture that cringes at grown men bawling to one that rewards it. That’s almost worth crying over.
About the Author
Daniel J. Flynn is the author of Blue Collar Intellectuals: When the Enlightened and the Everyman Elevated America. He blogs at www.flynnfiles.com.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (353) | Leave a comment
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Michael | 12.17.10 @ 6:27AM
When Mr Boehner cried on 60 minutes for the reason "children cannot get a good education", I was embarassed for him. He did look a quart short. That's like crying for all the poor people in the world. Do something about it. I'm not sure Mother Teresa shed that many tears and to that degree. Just when you thought it was safe to trust the Repubs a little again; here comes Boehner pulling a boner and going on that slanted 60 min with the harridan Stahl. Govern and grow up.
Wayne | 12.17.10 @ 1:02PM
So he cried. Grow up people.
stmichrick| 12.19.10 @ 11:44AM
Barbara Walters criticized Boehner for crying and only because it wasn't prompted in one of her interviews. It's her stock in trade.
Alan Brooks| 12.17.10 @ 1:11PM
Now who is a sissy? Tell Boner to ACT LIKE A MAN, and the Godfather will send Hagen to Hollywood to straighten Woltz out.
Grzmlyk| 12.17.10 @ 3:56PM
Boner! That's funny.
Zing!
Margie| 12.17.10 @ 4:25PM
Yeah, that's what the Left has been calling him for years. Hardly original.
RCV| 12.17.10 @ 11:06PM
It's actually what his college nickname was - true story.
W| 12.17.10 @ 4:22PM
Alan, the line was "stop crying like a hollywood finocchio and act like a man," finochio is italian slang for homosexual. Do you still think it is funny? The hollywood people are libs like you
Alan Brooks| 12.17.10 @ 5:54PM
Why should I be offended, W? you think I care anymore what you think of me, than you care what I think of you? I think finocchio is funny. Gays laugh at themselves, maybe not the LBGT Stonewall Communist brigade Of Workers World Party; however many gays have a sense of humor.
Alan Brooks| 12.17.10 @ 5:59PM
...BTW, did you have that Brando line memorized? or did you look it up on youtube to riposte my comment? if it is the latter, you must care about me-- let's have dinner sometime.
Then we'll go to a movie.
Chairman No Bomba| 12.17.10 @ 7:06PM
Alan, alan, still bubbling Brooks.
W| 12.17.10 @ 7:13PM
Touchy, touchy, Alan, It was your comment that triggered it, saw the movie last week, I care about everyone, but, no thanks about the movie, I know enough left wingers with no sense of humor, and your posts make no sense, so the conversation would be dull.
Eric Cartman| 12.18.10 @ 2:39AM
Eeesh.
Negro X| 12.17.10 @ 7:24PM
AB,
I'm glad that you admit to laughing at yourself because the rest of us are.
Benny Boy| 12.18.10 @ 10:14AM
I love you all dearly
So don't shed a tear
I'll be spending Christmas
With Jesus this year
(a Xmas poem for the contributors to AmSpec)
Debra| 12.19.10 @ 3:49AM
You miss the reason why Mr. Boehner, and Glenn Beck for that matter, shed tears. Their personal life circumstances and their own personal determinations to overcome and correct wrong in their lives has allowed them both to face truth about themselves and the human condition. Those who have chosen this path to raise themselves out of the rubble, understand the tears of others. These men have attained a level of understanding that many have not. Rather than waste time writing articles that spew your obvious jealously , lack of understanding and contempt for men who understand what they face while you haven't evolved to that level of understanding, your time would be well spent speaking of their tested morality and steadfastness, which America desparately needs.
alyeska| 12.21.10 @ 4:32AM
he's a juicer -- what do you expect!
Dave | 12.21.10 @ 10:22AM
It's all going pretty much as I suspected it would when I first saw this Weeping Winnie go into Waterville the first time.
Case in point:
Last night, (12/20) Jay Leno did a funnhy, pointed and creative bit with Boehner blubbering on camera and some nifty editing.
So, what did I first figure? Well, Lil' Johnny's River of Tears routine is nothing less than a boat load of late night comedian ammo for the next 2 years ... or more.
Think I'm out of bounds here? Maybe. But it's gonna be difficult to take much of anything this guy says when Letterman, Ferguson and the rest of the post midnight gigglemiesters do a parody of John Boy's Waaaahhhh routine. and besides, kidos -- when the ship is sinking - the last thing the frantic passengers want to see is the captain going for a box of Kleenex.
It kind of reminds me of those classic scenes in any one of those old movies where someone on a ship, airplane or bus ends up with a stricken passenger, and the next thing someone yells out is - "IS THERE A DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE?"
Well, to me ... this nation is filled with a few million stricken citizens. All I'd like to yell out today is - "IS THERE A MAN IN THE HOUSE?"
I guess we'll have to see.
Deborah D | 12.17.10 @ 6:33AM
Interesting. I've been married to my wonderful husband for over 35 years, and I don't ever remember seeing him cry. Laughing -- always; crying never. He's probably younger than Boehner, and I know he's younger than George W. Bush -- who admitted to his family's tendency toward tears. As one who has a tendency to tear up during sweet movies or even some commercials, I have a hard time dissing anyone who cries. I tend to give the person the benefit of the doubt and remember my daughter as a little girl not being able to hold back tears with the response, "Mommy, I can't help to cry." Some just have those tears closer to the edge. She got that from me, not her dad.
I'm sure Boehner will get over his amazement at his position and turn that emotion over to where it will do some good -- kicking the pants out of the Democrats. Give the guy a break.
Mimi| 12.17.10 @ 7:18AM
I'm with you Deb...Give the guy a break. I think what we have here is potential in a man who may just become "An AMAZING Speaker of the House" Here is a man who began LIFE in a home of 11 children....We should honor the " HUMBLE ". He may very well do RIGHT by us. The narcissistic... may have trouble.
Deborah D | 12.17.10 @ 5:52PM
Thanks so much for your kind words, Mimi. I agree. I think he will do great. I think if you're not overwhelmed by the great task ahead then you're not attached to reality. Boehner has a huge mess in front of him -- and he wants to clean it up. The damage the Dems have done in 4 years of congressional majorities and in two years with a leftist president is frightening. I think he sees what he's up against. I know he'll do great -- but if you don't have doubts and fears, then you don't have a firm grasp on reality. One of my favorite sayings is "Courage is fear that has said its prayers." I'm praying. I'll be Boehner is praying too.
carnot| 12.17.10 @ 11:01AM
maybe...but the point is the way the game is played these days is to destroy the reputation of leadership threats. Boehner has now handed a compete distractor to the Liberal Press to undercut his stature as Speaker and...by implication...the ideas he advocates for. there's too much at stake right now for this sort of dumb rear quarter mishandling of the media. he needs to wise up...it's not about him and his past.
Orion| 12.17.10 @ 11:54AM
Well said carnot.
SonOfSam| 12.17.10 @ 12:22PM
Carnot, if you think that the ObamaNazi slime in Congress and the media wouldn't INVENT a "distractor", you're quite wrong, sir. For years now, I've had to listen to the asinine charge that conservatives are heartless, unemotional, frigidly cold SOBs. "Obviously conservatives are heartless bastards," so went the argument "otherwise they would want the government to spend trillions on welfare and entitlements to help people"
Now we have a leader who is not only a proven conservative, but has no problem wearing his heart on his sleeve. As a patriot of long standing who has always had an emotional reaction to the cesspool of liberalism that MY country has been flung into, I say its about damned time!
What we need are patriots of good will whose hearts and souls are on fire for our America. Not aloof, haughty, "matching tie and handkerchief", country-clubbing, anal-retentive jackasses who look like they're posing to be next on Mount Rushmore
carnot| 12.17.10 @ 6:04PM
there's a difference between a discrete event and a pattern.
Margie| 12.18.10 @ 11:16AM
SonOfSam,
Yours is one of the very best posts to this article I have read!
Wayne | 12.17.10 @ 1:05PM
Well said Deborah. I last cried when I was 7. My mother went to the hospital with a miscarriage. I decided at that early age to never cry again. And I haven't. I have no problem at this ripe old age, being the same age as Boehner, seeing a man cry.
When conservatives start eating their own, we are all in trouble.
Deborah D | 12.17.10 @ 5:47PM
Thank you, Wayne. I agree. Conservatives need to support their leaders -- especially when they do what is necessary to take care of the country. Mr. Boehner is a good man. The rest of this is BS. He'll do great. It's time to move on and see what he does instead of predicting the world will fall apart because a man gets emotional occasionally. Bless him. Come on, y'all -- get over it yourselves. Really, who's being emotional here? Anger is an emotion.
Alan Brooks| 12.17.10 @ 5:55PM
Palin got it Just So:
"I don't know if a woman would be given a pass necessarily. That's one of those things where a double standard is applied. I'm sure if I got up there and did a speech, and I started breaking down and cried about how important it is to me that our children and grandchildren are provided great opportunities, I'm sure I would be knocked a little bit for that."
But Palin said it was OK, since double standards only encourage women in politics "work that much harder" and "be that much tougher."
Negro X| 12.17.10 @ 7:26PM
AB,
The only thing you would break down about is your loss of governement entitlements.
Nelson H.| 12.19.10 @ 11:24PM
Palin is spot on. Even HRC got kicked around when she wept in New Hampshire in connection with her burning ambition to seize, er, be elected to power. Women in power simply cannot be seen weeping for any reason other than a personal family tragedy because that reinforces the suffragette-era charge that women are weak and too emotional to make sound decisions.
Of course that charge is totally nullified when the stronger sex is seen shedding copious tears at the drop of a hat. Bottom line, Boehner has a government job--it's not something to cry about. Now, if he was describing the implications of the soaring national debt then maybe I could understand as any rational person could completely break down.
ShortNSweet| 12.18.10 @ 10:42PM
I agree...Some have those tears closer to the edge than others. At least he's passionate about something other than his next dollar. He's just fine with me!
stmichrick| 12.19.10 @ 1:02PM
Not only that; Boehner has broken the liberal monopoly on 'sensitivity.'
Talk about hope and CHANGE!
Kenny| 12.17.10 @ 6:54AM
John Boehner -- and we're stuck with him as a leader.
Pathetic.
kachonka| 12.17.10 @ 9:28AM
Do you miss pelosi already? Frikkin commies like you suck
Kenny| 12.17.10 @ 9:34AM
No,I don't miss Pelosi nor am I a commie but am dismayed that Boehner is the best the GOP can come up with. Aren't you?
In any event, John Boehner better learn to stop his boo-hooing and wise up.
And let's remember, it was not that long ago that this man was ready to raise taxes on the 'rich,' just like the liberal Democrats wanted.
carnot| 12.17.10 @ 11:03AM
"stupid is as stupid does"...don't give away what the electorate handed the Republicans in 2010.
Eric Cartman| 12.17.10 @ 9:28AM
The new Winston Churchill:
"We shall go on to the end *sniffle*, we shall fight in France *sniff sniff*, we shall fight on the seas and oceans *blub sniff*, we shall fight in the air *burble snort sniff*, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches *sniffle blub bwaaaaaa, snortsniff* , we shall fight on the landing grounds *snuffle bulubber we,we,we,waahahaaaa* , we shall fight in the fields and in the streets *ba ba ba sniff waaaaaa* we shall never surrender *Oh, I'm so proud - sniffle blub snort - of you! Waaaaaaaaa!"
Inspiring, no? Now can we please get back to some John Wayne types?
Jeremiah| 12.17.10 @ 9:50AM
In working with candidates and public officials I often told them, when they wanted to complain about something and how unfair it was that, "people may sympathize with a victim - but they will never choose them as a leader. Don't play the victim. Period."
The same can be said of crying. I thank God we are rid of Pelosi as Speaker, but Boehner's tears make me nervous.
Dustoff| 12.17.10 @ 10:01AM
lol............. bingo.
John you need to grow a spine. You job is going to get much worse after Jan 1.
SonOfSam| 12.17.10 @ 12:29PM
There's a difference between having a spine, and having a stick up your ass. A HUGE part of the problem for the GOP is how they are perceived as being aloof, heartless SOBs, with no gut feeling for what the average American is going through. Republican leaders had better start acting as if they give a damn. If tears are being shed, well don't you think its about friggin time? Our country is disintegrating right in front of your eyes, and we are ruled by a regime of traitors and tax cheats who have got us 13 trillion dollars in debt, and kiss the ass of every tyrant the world over. Just when the f*ck SHOULD become outraged and upset, if not now?
Eric Cartman| 12.17.10 @ 12:42PM
I may agree with you that tears should be shed, but not in the heat of battle. There will be plenty of time afterward. The way to fight the appearance of aloofness and heartless is to get to work straightening up the mess these aholes created in the first place. Explain the reasons - explain, explain, explain. Confront, confront, confront. Fight Liberal Aholes and there beliefs. Explain what they are doing to the country. Call them Socialists, because that is what they are. Fight like Churchill for you country, not an Oprah guest caught cheating on you "life-partner". People will understand how much you care when they can pack a lunch and leave for work in the morning, not blubbering over your station in life.
NavyBrat | 12.17.10 @ 10:06AM
Thanks Cartman! I just sprayed my whole desk with Sprite!!!!!
Lullabys, Legends and Lies| 12.17.10 @ 10:33AM
Too damn funny Eric!!
Nunya| 12.17.10 @ 10:39AM
Awesome!!
(You must imagine Eric Cartman saying that to get the true picture of what I'm saying...)
Excellent post!
Orion| 12.17.10 @ 11:59AM
LOL! Thanks, very funny.
Eric Cartman| 12.17.10 @ 12:45PM
Thanks, all. Glad I could bring a smile. Oh, sorry about the mess, NB ;-)
grant1863| 12.17.10 @ 2:09PM
Actually while not crying during this speech, I have read somewhere , perhaps Paul Johnson's excellent short bio, about Churchill weeping quite often.
Eric Cartman| 12.17.10 @ 2:27PM
His country was being bombed day and night and his citizens were dying every second of the day. I'm sure he did weep about these tragedies. But he didn't in public and knew a strong presence was what was needed. It's a tad different with Boehner blubbering about his station in life. Get a grip, get on with life.
Occam's Tool| 12.17.10 @ 4:01PM
I prefer Speakers and House majority leaders with names like "The Hammer," myself. I miss Tom DeLay.
Margie| 12.17.10 @ 4:49PM
I miss him too, OT. Have you seen what they are doing to him, literally destroying him.
The most conservative among us are are always sacrificed on the altar of the evil Left. It is truly sad. We all should keep him in our prayers.
RCV| 12.17.10 @ 11:09PM
"They" are not doing anything to him. He was convicted by a jury of everyday citizens, who heard the evidence presented, including his defense, and found him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of breaking the law. He's a venal, mean-spirited man who deserves to be right where he's headed.
Eric Cartman| 12.18.10 @ 2:35AM
Okay, let's say you are correct about DeLay. So he did what? Politics? Okay, fine. After years of legal BS - and a stint on Dancing With The Stars - the guy is found guilty of breaking Laws Liberal Aholes do every day. What are you oh so upset Liberal Aholes going to do about Rangel? I guess you are going to be indignant! Say things like "Well, I NEVER!?" Get the vapors? Hunger strike? Hold your breath?
And what about Teddy Kennedy? When you scumbag Liberals dig his rotting, drunk carcass up and put him on trial for negligent homicide, I might listen to you scumbags. You aholes suck ass. And not in a good way.
Margie| 12.18.10 @ 11:14AM
Now, now, Eric. Less words than those got me temporarily banned. I had the nerve to call an anti-semite a scumbag and a lowlife!
But thanks anyhow, for taking the words right out of my mouth.
RCV| 12.18.10 @ 12:28PM
Rangel belongs in the same cell, no doubt about it.
Christopher| 12.18.10 @ 3:37PM
RCV, his conviction will be reversed on appeal. Just because a jury convicted him does not mean he did it, remember the OJ jury? As an attorney, you know what they say about a jury? Tried by twelve persons too stupid to get out of jury duty
RCV| 12.19.10 @ 10:23PM
After trying cases for thirty years, I can tell you that in criminal cases, they almost always get it right. I have great respect for the ability of twelve average Americans to ascertain the truth.
skip| 12.21.10 @ 3:13PM
Like the O.J. Simpson trial in, ahem, California?
Like the Rodney King trial in, ahem, California?
loulou| 12.17.10 @ 10:42AM
Are we really stuck with the blubbering fool?
If he keeps this up and does not develop some backbone he will be challenged by a real conservative.
Nancy in NC| 12.17.10 @ 2:14PM
Personally I think the article and the replies are pointless.
I don't give a damn about Boehner's crying or not crying.
We have so many serious problems in this country that it didn't even make my radar. Let's waste time arguing about this, while the left continues to destroy the country.
RAMIII| 12.17.10 @ 5:42PM
Yes Nancy -- you have it right!!
Alan Brooks| 12.17.10 @ 6:04PM
"Yeah, that's what the Left has been calling him for years. Hardly original."
Marge,
Michael used 'boner' first (which is why I thought it was safe to use it as a pronoun):
"Michael| 12.17.10 @ 6:27AM
[snip]... here comes Boehner pulling a boner and going on that slanted 60 min with the harridan Stahl. Govern and grow up."
Margie| 12.17.10 @ 6:24PM
Why Alan, I didn't know you cared, LOL.
My comment was an in general comment anyhow.. not aimed particularly at you, but at the usage of the description.
OK Big Al of Laugh-In fame?
Alan Brooks| 12.17.10 @ 6:32PM
Ring a ding ding!
As the Rat Pack used to say (we were born around the same time).
Margie| 12.17.10 @ 7:29PM
What? You're about 80 yrs. old or so?
Country Boy| 12.17.10 @ 7:04AM
My recollection of why Boehner was crying on 60 minutes was from recounting his resume, starting at washing the floor in his father's tavern and now as House Speaker (third in line for POTUS). He called that the American Dream. He's right, and it is an amazing story, not possible in most countries. It is not an inappropriate moment for a grown man to weep.
carnot| 12.17.10 @ 11:08AM
yea....every time I recount my history of obstacles do I...
A. look my interlocutor in the eye with strength and pride?...... or.....
B. do I look askance and weep self-pitying tears?
Third in the chain from the top - are you **it'n me?
Mark Naff| 12.17.10 @ 3:20PM
I cried all the time as a child. Maybe he's still a child. He should grow up and get over it.
Widow Twanky| 12.17.10 @ 7:14AM
What will happen when he's interviewed by Barbara Walters?
NavyBrat | 12.17.10 @ 8:44AM
Who's Baba Wawa?
:-)
Paul D| 12.17.10 @ 7:16AM
Dang Republicans. They never learn.
chonkatta| 12.17.10 @ 9:29AM
They never learn liberal treasonist communism is what you really meant, right?
purpleguy| 12.17.10 @ 12:04PM
Republicans are just a bunch of selfish, self-centered, egotistical pansies hiding behind the flag that they proudly display to cover up what they ain't so proud of ... and every once in a while, one gets outted. Foley, Craig, Ventner, Sanford and now Boehner boo-hooing his way into Nancy Pelosi's dress. I'm sure he'll wear it proudly to cover up what he ain't so proud of.
victor| 12.17.10 @ 7:05PM
PurpleGoo:
"I'm sure he'll wear it proudly to cover up what he ain't so proud of."
You mean being one of 13 children, working in his father's store, learning how business works and operates, dealing with customers and problem resolution?
Yeah, you're right, nothing to be proud of there, eh?
Splains why you and the democrats think the way they do, don't it.
"hiding behind the flag that they proudly display to cover up what they ain't so proud of"
You mean like Jim Crow, segregation, DixieCrats, the 1955 Southern Manifesto, George Wallace standing in the schoolhouse door?
And let's not forget the KKK and the lynchings?
Yeah, plenty there to be proud of, eh?
Splains why you're the way YOU are.
Boy in Shoe| 12.17.10 @ 7:30PM
So now it's 13 children? How about 19? or 27?
Foot In Mouth| 12.18.10 @ 11:10AM
Is that the only thing you can find fault with, dumby?
Purpleguy| 12.19.10 @ 12:22PM
13 children? And he voted against the SChp program to give insurance to millions of children? that's to be proud of? Voting for TARP is something to be proud of? Working in your father's store is something to be proud of? Can't he get a job on his own? Ya know, proud individualism, help from nobody, a self-made man - he is NOT.
All your racist screed would be worth a discussion, except that the Republicans were more than happy to take the mantle of racist pigs from the Democrats in the 1960's after the Civil Rights and Voting Rights acts were passed and desegregation was compelled in the South. Ever hear of Nixon's "Southern Strategy"? Where are most of the Electoral Votes for Republicans today - in the South dummy, where racism is still rampant.
Proud of the Democrats of 50-60 years ago, no. Proud of them today - YES.
Are you proud of your racist, deficit creating, screw the middle class, throw grandma off of Social Security, bible-thumping, flag waving, closet gay Republican crowd? Are you?
Nick| 12.17.10 @ 7:38PM
Purplejackass,
Are you still posting here?
What a glutton for punishment you are!
Have you learned, yet, that sitting governors in Virginia don't run for re-election, brainiac?
How are you enjoying O'Bush's presidency?
O'Bama is the third term of George W. Bush, ya' know.
He just beat down the liberal kooks and regressives in the House of Represetatives, and got them to extend President Bush's tax cuts. Something he said he wouldn't do, repeatedly, in '08. He lied to all you stinking liberals!
O'Bama got more democrat votes in the Senate than Mr. Bush did!
You guys are like the stupid mistress who keeps on believing that her boyfriend will leave his wife.
What a bunch of losers you Useful Idiots are!
RCV| 12.17.10 @ 11:14PM
Read Charles Krauthammer if you want to know the real significance of the tax deal. Most Democrats aside from the far-left of the party think the move was quite smart. The new Republican Congress would have extended the Bush tax cuts in a heartbeat. Obama knew that, and yet managed to get Mitch McConnell to agree to the unemployment extension, which the new Congress would never have passed. Not sure what possessed McConnell to agree, but it was pretty saavy on the President's part. He'll also likely get done in this lame-duck session, the DADT repeal, the START II treaty and the Dream Act. All in all, a pretty good month of accomplishments from our perspective.
NIck| 12.17.10 @ 11:30PM
Don't count your chickens, RCV.
And, you can try all you want, but you can't put lipstick on a pig!
Who said that?
Despite being a marxist, and doing a good job of hiding it from the public, O'Bama has infuriated his marxist base. They will remember in '12. He will be starting the next election campaign in the hole.
President Dither has continued many of President Bush's policies. Is this what you guys voted for?
RCV| 12.17.10 @ 11:40PM
The Obama I voted for is exactly the Obama who is President. The far left wing of the party is always upset when they don't get their agenda; like the far right on TAS, they can't stand compromise and don't understand it's an inevitable part of our governmental process, which was designed to force it.
But when 2012 rolls around, you can be sure Democrats will be strongly united, particularly if the GOP is foolish enough to run somebody of the Palin stripe.
Nick| 12.18.10 @ 12:09AM
RCV,
The far left wing of the party?
That's like saying, "The rich part of Beverly Hills."
Or, "The part of Nancy Pelosi's face that's had plastic surgery."
Most of the democrat party is far left wing. The DLC is a small, and rich, part of the party.
Have you read the kos-kids or huffpo lately? The peasants are revolting!
"Boy you said it, they stink on ice!"
Bah-dum-bump!
Again, don't count those chickens.
RCV| 12.18.10 @ 9:59PM
Well, at least one of the chickens hatched today, DADT repeal.
Nick| 12.18.10 @ 11:36PM
RCV,
Aaaand....one died, illegal alien shamnesty Nightmare Act.
Purpleguy| 12.19.10 @ 12:47PM
Actually, quite happy with Obama's results. Funny you should say he's Bush extended. You don't seem to like him very well.
Yep, I'm here, thought y'all needed to hear from someone other than the right-wing echo chamber.
RCV couldn't be more right. DADT is history, and Obama extracted 3x as much for the middle class and unemployed as McConnell (old turtle face) got for his side... but I'm certain it assures his campaign war-chest stays full of corporate and rich boy money.
The far left is wrong as is the far right. Not being a liberal, the name-calling doesn't bother me. Ever notice Im not BlueGuy or RedGuy, or did that escape your keen observational skills?
The Democratic Party doesn't try to "purify" it's ranks - it is the big tent party and your boys just made the tent bigger by millions of Hispanics that won't soon forget the Dream Act died due to Republican obstructionism and racism. And this act is simply to help those children born here, who have known no other country as their own but ours to start on a path to formal citizenship. In return our country gains a well-educated youth (2 yrs of college is necessary) or new recruits for the Armed Forces (2 yrs or more service is required) to start them on the citizenship path. What their parents had done in the past is no excuse for denying these kids now. But, I know, in your twisted little "it's all about me" Republican world, you see them as a threat and not an asset to the country.
Glad to see you read Huff Post and Daily Kos - let's hope you learn something other than right wing talking points and smear tactics.
Nick| 12.19.10 @ 6:20PM
Purplejackass,
Is this what you voted for:
No end to rendition?
Troops still stationed in Iraq?
An escalation of troops in Afghanistan?
Targeting of U.S. citizens for assassination?
Keeping President Bush's Defense Secreatary?
No repeal of the Patriot Act?
Gitmo still open for business?
No government/public option?
No universal health care?
President Dither smacking down the liberal kooks in the House in order to extend President Bush's tax cuts?
Including lowering the death tax?
Yes, keep supporting him.
At this rate, we might be able to get O'Bama to get rid of socialist security and the income tax!
The democrat party is in deep trouble. By all means, keep your head in the sand.
p.s. I thought you were never going to respond to me? You are so easy!
RCV| 12.19.10 @ 2:00PM
It did, and it was a sad thing, especially for a lot of innocent kids who have worked hard, made it to college and could have contributed lots to our society. And a number of brave other men and women who have volunteered to risk their lives for our country. But we'll keep pushing.
Nick| 12.19.10 @ 6:07PM
RCV,
And we'll keep pushing back.
RCV| 12.21.10 @ 5:00PM
...and it looks like that second chicken -- ratification of the STARTII Treaty -- will hatch today with 67 votes in favor in the Senate.
carnot| 12.19.10 @ 5:33PM
except that Obama and the Dems are gonna be tagged with the new spending in this bill (even if Repubs benefit). it's a theme they are gonna have to downplay if they entertain any hope of not being crushed in 2012.
jo blo| 12.17.10 @ 7:22AM
There was a time in Western Civilization when the Romans, that hard and rational people, were considered the paragon of natural man. Coupled with the charitable stoicism of Christianity, it made for a decent, tough society guided more by reason than by emotion. Now, men such as Julius Caesar, Cicero, Marius, Cincinnatus and other fine examples of MEN are considered not appropriate as role models for our school-age boys, but as brutes from a paternalistic and 'thankfully obsolete' culture.
I remember the ladies from the WWII generation from when I was a very young boy in the 80s. They were the grandmas. If a boy started crying, even for a 'good' reason, these ladies would show a short bit of sympathy, and then quickly move on to firmly, but kindly tell the boy to stop crying and buck up. The men from their generation were men. That's why they won WWII. And our generation, sentimental, 'sensitive' and 'open with its feelings' worries so much about Muslim sensitivities, that it lets government goons feel up its families. Thankfully, not everyone has changed, that's why we have fine folks serving in the military, but the wimps are great in number, and growing.
skedaddle| 12.17.10 @ 8:20AM
I also fondly remember the women from the WWII generation. Believe me, they acted the same way when girls cried. As an adult, I'm grateful for their firm guidance to "dry your eyes and move on."
stephanie| 12.17.10 @ 8:46AM
Or as my mom used to tell me when I was blubbering,, "Dry Up"
I was embarrassed for the new speaker.
Melvin| 12.17.10 @ 7:46AM
At this particular place and time, this Country doesn't need some weepy eyed wet nurse, blubbering all over himself.
Some say John Boehner's story is amazing, by his own admission his story is amazing. But his story is no more amazing than any other hardworking American that gets up to go to work everyday with aches and pains, crappy weather, and just about everything under the Sun fighting him or her.
Do these Americans cry, maybe. But they're not crying over their story in life, they're crying on not having enough money to pay the taxes on the farm, they're crying that there is 4 feet of snow on the ground and many of they're farm animals will starve and succumb to the cold. And they're crying because the job that they just worked at for twenty-five years just shut down and now they're staring the stark fact that at 53 years of age that no one will hire them because they're considered old.
Americans don't cry, we never have. When times are tough we band together and roll up our sleeves with the attitude of, "Yes, things might appear shitty right now, but we'll work out of this tough situation that we are in, and we'll do it together as a Country, as a people, and as a proud Nation."
There's is a time for crying and grieving. But only after we have won the day as a Nation.
I can't even imagine FDR, or Churchill crying on National media, they're time of extreme adversity. Hitler wasn't beaten with tears, he was beaten with a steel resolve that even the Nazi's couldn't defeat.
We as a Nation need that steel resolve now, from our Nation's leaders, and we expect nothing less.
D.| 12.17.10 @ 8:36AM
Amen!
chachi| 12.17.10 @ 9:31AM
Tell that to obama too. That traitor is always crying.
purpleguy| 12.17.10 @ 12:06PM
So much for macho men in the Republican party ... pansies
carnot| 12.17.10 @ 12:10PM
said the purple guy.
Blackguy| 12.17.10 @ 3:18PM
So much for macho men in The Democrat Party.... Obama.
Frank Marschino| 12.17.10 @ 3:41PM
Said the black guy about the black guy in response to the purple guy.
Yellowguy| 12.17.10 @ 4:26PM
Hey, what about me ?
I cry.
That's because I'm Yellow.
Purpleguy| 12.19.10 @ 12:51PM
Do you like Yellow Snow?
Blueguy| 12.19.10 @ 6:40PM
I'm Too Depressed To Cry.
W| 12.17.10 @ 4:25PM
hey, purple, as a lefty liberal do you even know waht macho means? I am sure you know what pansie means
Purpleguy| 12.19.10 @ 12:51PM
Since im no lefty liberal, names don't hurt me... I guess the "purple" part escaped your keen observational skills, huh?
Is Macho what John Boehner displays for all of us to cringe at? Are you as macho as Boner? Are you a "Macho, Macho Man" ... ala the Village People? Hahahaha ...
W| 12.19.10 @ 2:43PM
Purp. real macho name. Are your homophobic beliefs on display here? Obsessed with Boehner's Boner, and attempting to insult by hinting I am gay like the Village People represented? Typical for a lefty liberal, and that is not a "name" but a description, you take is a "name''
You sounded more intelligent when you posted as Ted R, now you are just another lefty
Purpleguy| 12.19.10 @ 11:41PM
Wow - hit a nerve didn't I? Closet homo, are ya?
W| 12.20.10 @ 10:52AM
No, but if I were, a "homo" as you, a liberal lefty, put it, I would not be a "closet homo" as you, a liberal hypocrite put it.
Still posting late at night, get a life, and get a job.
Nunya| 12.17.10 @ 10:42AM
Melvin,
Very well said. Thank you.
Mark Naff| 12.17.10 @ 3:30PM
There is a huge difference between now and then. Technology has allowed us to know everything about our leaders in an instant. "if we had the technology then, they wouldn't have been respected just as the today's leaders aren't. All the people running down the president shows no respect for the office. My parents would whoop me good for treating anybody like Obama's being treated. Remember, this nation is made up of a melting pot of people. its selfish to think like republicans.
martin j smith| 12.17.10 @ 7:47AM
What can I say, the guy cares !!!!!!!!!!! But, putting that aside, I think with the new congress coming in, he will have to show a different way of showing caring. Leadership of vital issues not tears. The real vital ones involve our economy and national security which are the same thing. The deficit and jobs are the two intertwining issues and every element that effects them . All of the Obaba legislation such as Obamacare itself and cap and trade must be blocked and others as well., All agreements with foreign nations made by Obama must be scrutinized. Boehner better be up to this. Otherwise he will be crying his way home. Boehner will have the job of forcing Obama to read the Tea Leaves and that if he does not change his ( Obama's ) course he ( Obama ) will have a approval rating. On the other hand this could be true of Boehner if there i are only tears and no action
Chalkdust| 12.17.10 @ 7:52AM
Jo Blo..... that was a well thought out post, I couldn't agree more. I can forgive a man for a loose tear in private at the news of a pregnant daughter and such, but other than that dang-nabbit, Washington, D.C. needs to cowboy up.
Kelly Staples| 12.17.10 @ 7:54AM
After a few "bi-partisan deals", Beltway Boehner won't be the only one turning on the waterworks; we're gonna ALL wish this squish would have stayed in the tanning bed.
Vern Crisler| 12.17.10 @ 8:09AM
Jesus wept at the suffering of others. If the Almighty can weep at human suffering, perhaps we can come down from the heights of our stoic snobbishness and shed a tear as well.
However, when a politician cries, it's part of his bid to win over Oprah voters. Boehner knows how to play the game.
Shamus| 12.17.10 @ 8:23AM
I don't think it's premeditated. His wife says he's always done it.
Louis Jenkins| 12.17.10 @ 8:18AM
It is alright for a man to cry, in private, but not on the national news shows or in public. These are high profile people. They should be made of steel, not tissues. The tax plan passed, and we should be thankful, but with the nation still in more debt I guess we should all cry, in private, then go out and raise some more sand. The Conservative Party still has much, much work to do.
Mark naff| 12.17.10 @ 3:36PM
The Bush tax cuts are costing $800,000,000. Where's this money coming from? i think I'm going to cry now!!!
Clint| 12.17.10 @ 8:19AM
This Chickification of American Men is gettin' outta control.
While a number of broads keep tryin' to prove that they're growin' a pair, a likewise number of dudes seem intent on losin' em.
"Welcome to Lake Wobegon, where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average"
Back to my Man Cave.
Margie| 12.18.10 @ 11:06AM
"This Chickification of American Men is gettin' outta control."
Yeah, Tim* So are your posts under all of your different screen names.
If you wanna pile on Beohner, why not be a man instead of a coward, and post under your usual name?
What's that?
Right. Cowards are as cowards do.
Monotonous, in fact!
al| 12.17.10 @ 8:23AM
"He had her at hello. He lost me at boo-hoo." That pretty much says it all for me.
Ken (Old Texican)| 12.17.10 @ 8:36AM
Folks,
For the next two years, Mr. Boehner is going to be the biggest stumbling block to the communists, (pardon the shorthand), in the federal government.
He also knows he has an almost impossible task ahead of him.
He also looks out across the country with a deep sense of sadness...knowing what is in store for us during these next two years.
I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt, that his tears are much like Christ's as He wept over Jerusalem.
I also know some very powerful men who weep with determination, and passion.
You know, I can picture Jesus' eyes tearing with anger and determination as He cleansed the Temple with a whip.
Yep,
I'm going to give Speaker Boehner the benefit of the doubt, and watch very carefully how he wields the gavel.
Best regards
Lullabys, Legends and Lies| 12.17.10 @ 9:08AM
Good Morning Ken: I heard the back-story from a secret source, as to why he started crying during that interview, and I'm sure you can appreciate it too. It turns out Speaker Boehner played a round of Golf earlier in the day, and had a shot for an Eagle on a short par-4 (his Tee-shot landed just shy of the Green on the fringe), but instead of putting it in, he chipped it instead, and it rolled off the back of the Green (vert fast green, huh?). Then after chipping it back on, he missed that putt by an inch or so, and had to settle for a bogey instead. You'd still be upset a few hours later too if you missed out on an Eagle, hell, I still haven't gotten over one particular hole I screwed up 15 years ago (I think about it every time I play).
And that's why Golf is a four letter word!!
pootskins| 12.17.10 @ 9:34AM
Golf is for sissie men like obama.
Pelligrino| 12.17.10 @ 9:50AM
Pootskins, I am with you. REAL MEN who have real jobs to do aren't out waisting them on 18 or even 9 holes.
Not when there is so much on the line for our nation right now -- and for the next decade.
We either get this right over the next 10 years or we're sliding right behind Great Britain as something that once was.
And the world will be a far crappier place. That's not jingoism; that's fact.
Ken is right. Real men weep. Doesn't everyone remember Gen. Bear Schwarzkopf doing it in a post-Gulf War interview.
Ken is right one more time: New Speaker Boehner has to do what 1,200 other (I'd like to say jerks) Congressspeople have not done in these last 25 years....that's avert the pending disaster.
He's got to be the bearer of bad news; he's got to light the asses of MANY in his own party on fire, not to mention all the well entrenched career SES bureaucrats who think their lives and worlds impervious to change. (idiot 7-figure lobbyists too)
Don't interpret these tears as weakness. I think that the man actually grasps -- like few others right now -- what MUST occur.
edo| 12.17.10 @ 1:48PM
Right-o. Nobody is good enough for anything anymore, it seems, this guy weeps, that person shoots moose, Gawd! Only Facists seek to dictate behavior to that extent. God has blessed us with a huge variety of personalities, probably as a prevention against imbred, limited thinking and stiffled imaginations. Who's to say Boehner shouldn't cry? For crying out loud!
Purpleguy| 12.19.10 @ 12:57PM
O come on - you're comparing Tanning Salon Boy to General Norman Schwarzkopf .. talk about a stretch!
Boehner isn't up to the job you ascribed to him. You'll see. The debt ceiling will be extended in March or so, the deficit will not come down - spending priorities may change a little, but not the actual amount. Republicans wanted power, not fiscal responsibility. Leopards don't change their spots, even if they try to cover them up with orange tanning solutions.
Matt Morehouse| 12.17.10 @ 10:23AM
A golf course is a terrible waste of a perfectly good rifle range.
Stormzeye| 12.17.10 @ 10:41AM
Older New England golf clubs used their course for skeet and trap shooting in the winter. Now local by-laws ban the discharge of a firearm within town limits. Keep up the old tradition on your more rural courses.
grant1863| 12.17.10 @ 2:12PM
best line I've read this week!
Purpleguy| 12.17.10 @ 12:08PM
Real men play basketball - oh that's right, Obama plays basketball... guess you are way uninformed, huh?
Grzmlyk| 12.17.10 @ 3:58PM
You call that BASKETBALL?
Please. All the guy can do is move to his left and make the occasional open jumper.
Purpleguy| 12.19.10 @ 12:54PM
I see, it's your job to be critical of anything and everything the black man does... I get it.
carnot| 12.19.10 @ 5:34PM
and you are a race baiter and mind-numbingly predictable.
carnot| 12.17.10 @ 11:21AM
ignore the apostates! ever wonder why so many great athletes become addicted to golf once they retire from professional sports? and yea...the one that got away might haunt you....but the one you made has you back for another 18!
Beer for My Horses| 12.17.10 @ 9:33AM
I'm with you on this one, Ken.
The manliest man that ever lived wept. The shortest verse in the scriptures says as much: Jesus wept - period. And yet He still went up on that cross with courage and equanimity when the time came for doing so - because He knew that was the only way for a fallen world to have redemption.
Now of course John Boehner is not Christ, but observing him for the last few years, I know he thinks right. So even if he is overcome with emotion right now when he thinks about the past and the responsibilities that lie ahead, I am confident that he also will confront the challenges that lie ahead with courage and equanimity.
Definitely give him the benefit of the doubt. I think the armchair psychologists who darkly intimate that he has an emotional problem are greatly underestimating him. We will know soon enough.
carnot| 12.17.10 @ 11:15AM
nonsense. it's not that he wept. who cares about that? It's when and where. a stupid tactical move when the whole raison d'etre for the media is to latch onto whatever slim thread there might be...however tangential to what is important...to destroy a person. there is too much at stake presently to create ANY windows for attack....to instill any doubt. let the attacks fall squarely in the arena of policy and don't arm the opposition with distractions.
Purpleguy| 12.17.10 @ 12:12PM
Too bad conservatives don't display the heart they say they admire in Jesus. Especially when it comes to the poor, the sick, the downtrodden and the underprivileged, where is the conservative "heart"...? Cold as stone, we've got ours, let them get their own ... you're on your own pal. That's where. Sink or swim - we don't care 'bout nobody but our own. But ye will be judged by ones higher then we ... enjoy the 9 levels folks ...
carnot| 12.17.10 @ 12:29PM
sure hope so! cuz it's gonna be fun when you fall into the field of view!!...ye who is so "caring"....
Purpleguy| 12.17.10 @ 12:38PM
oh, yeah, it'll be fun waving bye as we ascend and you descend for all your non-caring, selfish, blasphemous lives ... 9 levels await you... which will you be in?
carnot| 12.17.10 @ 6:08PM
yup...you're suffused with the spirit!!
Nancy in NC| 12.17.10 @ 2:25PM
And you are full of it.
Conservatives are the most generous, kind people I know. They give of their time and their money. They just resent it being stolen by the government to waste.
Statistics show that conservatives give four times as much to charity as liberals. You just like to spend other people's money...using legal plunder.
And the libs are so compassionate they think nothing of aborting a baby even though it is viable.
And the libs like LBJ was thrilled to "own" the black vote through the "compassion" of the great society. Many blacks are still enslaved by the government that tells them they can't make it without their help.
Your compassion seems to only extend to those who agree with your ideology. You don't know what I or anyone else posting here does.
Yours is typical BS. All we have to do to make you angy is to tell you the truth.
purpleguy| 12.17.10 @ 3:05PM
The government is US, you twit. When will you all realize that.
As far as generosity - you tell me you give as much to charity as you do in taxes, i'll listen. Too many conservatives think tax money goes to n'er do wells and lazy good for nuttin's ... they forget about grandma and John on disability after his car accident - no fault of his own - or the widow supporting 4 children when there father was killed.
carnot| 12.17.10 @ 4:08PM
and so we have the real and final fantasy...and the real exemplar of why Leftist ideology has always failed and always led to disastrous results: you do not see the moral difference between individuals self-determining the right allocation of personal and supererogatory actions; you either do not see or chose not to recognize the difference between individuals making decisions and the implied violence of the government being employed to force outcomes. instead...you rely on strawman arguments and intentionally ignore ALL the equities in play.
in all of history...people like you have been the stepping stone to absolutism and tyranny. pack sand......there are too many people who oppose your pov. people who may not be able to control the ineluctable dynamic unfolding....but enough to bring the system down if they collectively decide to resist. don't think so? it's happened elsewhere. the model already exists.
Purpleguy| 12.17.10 @ 4:28PM
And therein lies the rub.
" the difference between individuals making decisions and the implied violence of the government being employed to force outcomes."
Because of the log in your eye, you cannot see that the common good supersedes the individual.
This country is socialist and has been for a long time.
The quaint theories of the conservative movement that individual rights are paramount has been subsumed by the modern world. It might feel good and macho to profess your individualism, but you are no more individualistic than were your parents. You continue to fight against the march of history, which inviolably marches toward a balance of individual and collective liberty.
A civilization is judged by how it handles it's weakest members, the least in society - are they shunned, ostracized or are they embraced and cared for?
The conservative view inexorably leads to totalitarianism - and if you think the government is your enemy now; you ain't seen nuttin' until you've seen fascism up close and personal. We are on a path now toward corporatism which leads to fascism - not communism.
In effect, we really don't want to be fascist, communists, socialists, libertarian, liberal, conservative or anarchists. What we want is to be a little of all of those ideologies, which in most of our history we have been and is a prime reason America is so successful. When the pendulum swings too far left, that's not good, but neither is swinging too far right ... but im sure you would not agree, being completely sold on conservative philosophy and the ideologue you are.
W| 12.17.10 @ 4:46PM
Purple! Now i recognized you. You are TedR, your long winded left wing drivel, welcome back. Stay away from the cheap insults
carnot| 12.17.10 @ 6:09PM
nice try.
1) the weakest members are being taken care of.
2) Your philosophy and your party CREATES more constituents in the "weakest member" class
Purpleguy| 12.19.10 @ 1:05PM
1) Not because of you conservatives - you relegate them to the Church, Family or Neighbors - so they don't "pick your pocket", right?
2) Oh, and those weaksters like Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, Sam Palmisano, Tom Eisner, Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jordan, and thousands like them - all those weaksters, huh? There are a lot of rich, powerful people that have a heart and don't mind paying based on their ability to pay - taxes, charity, whatever. It's the struggling, insecure, self-centered right wingers that want to keep all their money for themselves. Still haven't learned you can't take it with you and you get back a dozen times over what you give out. Didn't Mommy teach you to share and play nice?
carnot| 12.19.10 @ 5:40PM
let me put it in the Ricardian terms you likely feel most comfortable with. It's my labor. You want the state to appropriate it to serve your value system.
you're a friggin fraud. you know darn well that were a government in power that wasn't slavishly adhering to your value system...you be railing 25 hrs a day about not paying one dime to support your worldview.
spare me the child psychology....it reads too much like the rest of your ankle deep thinking.
Orion| 12.17.10 @ 12:30PM
Christ was facing one of the most horrible methods of execution ever devised. He was doing this willingly, that he might bear the consequences of sin for all mankind. Then, these people who he was giving his life to save proceeded to nail him to a cross and torture him to death.
I think few would argue that he had good reason to weep.
This joke of a speaker does NOT.
To suggest that Christ's tears justify the blubbering, disgraceful display by the Speaker, who has just reached (hopefully) the height of his career as one of the nation's most powerful men is absolutely ludicrous.
There are many in this country with reasons to weep. Boehner is NOT one of them.
I was embarrassed. Not only for him, but also for us all and for myself. THIS is our leader? THIS is who we have chosen for ourselves? My grandfather would weep (though he'd likely kill anyone who witnessed it) if he could see what has become of the proud nation he knew.
joli| 12.17.10 @ 2:31PM
Jesus didn't weep on the cross. He wept before he raised Lazarus, He wept over Jerusalem, He wept in the garden... but not on the cross.
Margie| 12.17.10 @ 3:47PM
Oh you are just so sure, haughty one! Read your Bible, and then weep at your own pride:
"And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, "E'lo-i, E'lo-i, la'ma sabach-tha'ni?" which means, "My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" Mk. 15:33 & 34.
Margie| 12.17.10 @ 4:04PM
Orion,
No one "justified" the tears because there is no need to justify them.
Someone spoke of the EXAMPLE of Jesus' crying, as an EXAMPLE. Get it? Jesus IS the ultimate EXAMPLE of what a real man ought to be like, and it is not "disgusting" to present this.
What is disgusting though, is your lack of sanity and extremely EMOTIONAL display of feigned "embarrassment".
jeebus yikes| 12.17.10 @ 9:36AM
You had me most of the post until you compared his tears to the tears of JESUS.
That ain't right.
Stephanie| 12.17.10 @ 10:17AM
I will stand by the new speaker Ken, but the MEN need to keep the tears from in front of the cameras. Time for them to MAN UP for goodness sake!
Stammon| 12.17.10 @ 8:39AM
What would it take to make Palin cry?
What would happen politically if she did?
chimpy| 12.17.10 @ 9:38AM
It would take a week with out a camera in Palin's face to make her cry.
As far as politically? She is over and a disgrace to everyone in Alaska she quit on. We are stuck with Mur COW ski because of that nut because there was no one to oppose her that was worth a damn.
Bob Miller| 12.17.10 @ 8:40AM
He's ready to host a TV talk show.
TV host| 12.17.10 @ 9:39AM
He can join up with Palin and shoot at fenced in animals. That would really make him cry.
crybaby| 12.17.10 @ 9:42AM
Holy moly, I was thinking the same thing. Send him out to Palin's hoppity doppity reality show and toughen him up on the fenced in ranch they are calling the wilderness. Everyone knows they are filming coo coo for coco puffs on a staged hunting ranch. Cell phone pings have no reason to lie.
Stephanie| 12.17.10 @ 10:27AM
Hey crybaby, do you know that to be fact? Or are you just another Palin hater?
Palin for President, 2012
GW| 12.17.10 @ 12:56PM
You prove once again why women shouldn't be allowed to run for office let alone vote.
Dustoff| 12.17.10 @ 10:05AM
Fences in Alaska? Maybe around Palin's yard, because of the peeping tom next door.
That's about it.
Anthony| 12.17.10 @ 11:31AM
Perhaps, if things continue as they are, Gov. Palin's next reality show will be hunting leftists, the "paint ball" version, just to whet our appetites of things to come.
But you guys won't be fenced in, no, you'll get a running start. We believe in sport.
A.M. Mallett| 12.17.10 @ 8:46AM
As the man to be speaker of the House in a few weeks, he better start growing a pair. We have gone long enough without a set of cajones at the podium.
Kittah| 12.17.10 @ 9:43AM
We have gone long enough without a pair of balls in the president seat too.
NavyBrat | 12.17.10 @ 8:48AM
I cry when people close to me die. I cry when I think about missing my Dad. That's about it. For Boehner, I think its ok to cry a little, but he's a LEADER of this nation. People don't like to see their leaders cry at the drop of a hat. I just hope that the guy gets it together. I have to admit, I'm not sure that I wanna see him bawling again.
purpleguy| 12.17.10 @ 12:27PM
You consider him a leader? Really? Wow, doesn't take much to make you follow, does it?
carnot| 12.17.10 @ 4:12PM
you're right! how sad then that he looks strong in comparison to Obama.
Purpleguy| 12.17.10 @ 4:30PM
As if - when Obama was persuading BP to pony up 20 Billion dollars for the Gulf Spill - you're Republicans were apologizing to BP! Really? and you want to know who looks strong? Bunch of whining pansies in the Republican party...
carnot| 12.17.10 @ 6:13PM
yea...he's a real stud! his final answer, if I recall, was they can rely on unemployment compensation. cuz he believes in dignity! and, of course, par for the course, the administration lied about the job killing moratorium.
the first bubba is a jobs killer. the facts are there.
face it...you and Obama have one objective...and it doesn't include the longevity and welfare of this country.
Purpleguy| 12.19.10 @ 1:15PM
So, you are okay with apologizing to BP? You're okay with cutting off unemployment benefits during this recession? You want to follow a guy who starts a crying jag every time he's in front of a camera and reminisces about himself?
Obama has done more to correct this ship of state than any Republican president ever has - well, except Lincoln. He's created more jobs than Bush did in 10 years already. The stock market plunged 60% under GW and we had stagnant growth the entire 8 years. Under Obama, the stock market soared up 30% and is still going. Unemployment and Housing is still not good, but Wall Street and Big Banking were helped by Bush's TARP program and saving of the Auto companies, now weren't they? But you won't hear about that on Fixed Noise or Rush Loudmouth - doesn't fit their agenda. Go check it out, it's fact, don't bother looking for a news story - they all lie or propagandize.
Nick| 12.19.10 @ 6:29PM
Carnot,
Don't argue with Purplejackass, he is not worthy of your time.
He thought sitting Virginia governors could run for re-election, until I schooled him on his ignorance.
He, also, thought John Marshall was the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, until he was shown his stupidity by another typical, well educated AmSpec reader.
He has made numerous other factual errors, which would be too long to list here. Purplejackass is your typical lefty kook.
Chef Schnauzer| 12.17.10 @ 8:52AM
"Look, Mommy - the rino has crocodile tears."
The TAN SNIVELER should cry about throwing principles and values overboard, Sniv (we're close, you see) should cry because he and the other assorted jackasses have sold their own country out. Official Washington is scum and traitorous to the constitution.
Career Soldier| 12.17.10 @ 9:27AM
If he lacks the ability to control his emotions, what's next? Fits of anger, displays of rage, inappropriate laughter, or hysterical ranting from the podium?
I had hoped for some cool headed reason, and calm determined leadership. Instead I fear we'll either get fist fights or group hugs.
skinhead| 12.17.10 @ 9:44AM
Yeah, they might as well kept pelosi if they wanted someone to diplay Fits of anger, rage, inappropriate laughter, or hysterical ranting from the podium.
Purpleguy| 12.17.10 @ 12:29PM
All he needs is the dress - he's better than Pelosi at all of those things... and that's going to be the Speaker of the House? Or head of the Keystone Cops?
carnot| 12.17.10 @ 4:13PM
no way! can't risk Clinton's impulses toward sexual harassment.....a dressing down as it were.
Purpleguy| 12.19.10 @ 1:15PM
Huh?
Ray| 12.17.10 @ 11:31AM
Bingo! We have a winner! Do we really want government "leaders" who can't control his or hers own emotions, especally in times of zero stress? How stressfull is a TV appearance for a politician? It's not stressfull at all, so why was he crying?
Too many laws have been written and passed based solely on emotion and not on reason, and those laws were ultimately harmful to the country as a whole. If you can't lead with reason, you shouldn't lead at all. Emotions have no part in government.
joli| 12.17.10 @ 2:34PM
"Fits of anger, displays of rage, inappropriate laughter, or hysterical ranting from the podium?"
You mean like we've got now?
LarryK| 12.17.10 @ 9:38AM
For crying out loud, slap some tits on him!
Grow a pair John!
pooter scooter| 12.17.10 @ 9:45AM
Slap some tits on him and obama might start paying attention to republicans. He likes men with tits.
Stephanie| 12.17.10 @ 10:30AM
Cher as she slaps Nick Cage in Moonstruck:
SNAP OUT OF IT!!!!!!
Brian Mc| 12.17.10 @ 10:04AM
The unwashed hordes cross the border at their discretion; children can't do percentages coming out of H.S. but they can tell you all about climate change and show you their also-ran trophies; DADT is pounding down the doors of our military while those in power cheer it on; ten per-cent unemployment is the new norm; gasoline is shooting past three, headed for four dollars a gallon while the carbon credit types smile; Darwin has replaced God; a million M-1 Garands are banned from return to the country of their origin by an alien who refuses to show his birth certificate...but, look everybody...tears of compassion prove we care. A little faith in God and alot less faith in Government and the rivers of snuffling would cease.
Purpleguy| 12.17.10 @ 12:34PM
Assuming you are blaming the government for all your woes (and conspicuously leaving out Corporate America that promotes much of what your complaining about) - So, who's been in charge over the last 30 years? and don't forget about State Governments.... It ain't been the Democrats, bud. If you weep for the country, stop voting "R"....
Christopher| 12.17.10 @ 3:53PM
"So, who's been in charge the last 30 years."
You are a typical liberal, don't know how our government works. Nobody is in charge. We have a system of checks and balances, divided government, any of this ring a bell? We had Reagan, Bush 1 and 2, You the clintons and obama. You had the House and Senate most of the time. Bills originate in Congress, remember? We do not live in a dictatorship where the President always gets his way, except the last two years.
the states that are bankrupt have had Dem legislatures controlling the spending.
Purpleguy| 12.18.10 @ 1:48AM
20 years Republican, 10 yrs Democrat. Seems 2 to 1, no? And, did you miss the Reagan revolution? Really? if you really knew anything about our system of government, you would know that political parties can be and is evidently leading to a government downfall. We were warned by George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson at least about the perils of "factions" which translates to our modern political parties.
Checks and balances only work when the branches of government check each other - something that doesn't happen when one party has both Houses of Congress and the Presidency. And, moreover, unless you are blind, a conservative Supreme Court is just as bad as a Liberal Supreme Court, pressing a political agenda, rather than upholding the Constitution. So, go learn something before you attempt to lecture others.
No liberal here, but I don't suffer fools gladly. Not conservative either.. they are both stupid and wrong, hiding behind ideology, as if that makes a living for you and your country. It's the lazy man's way of voting - you don't have to think at all, just listen to your own propagandists. Please, wake up and stop living talking point to talking point. Join the middle, where common sense rules, where principles are fine, just not when they are in conflict with common sense.
Brian Mc| 12.18.10 @ 10:19AM
Hey, P-brain...it's fun being wishy-washy, ain't it? I live and die by the last sentence of my posting and also, this one, "Give me liberty, or give me death!"
Christopher| 12.18.10 @ 12:18PM
Purple, you are a typycal lefty libera. You cannot make logical arguments based on facts, you have to resort to name calling, the lowest form of argument. When you have not logic, no facts, then use name calling. I suppose you now will say "racist" or "rich."
You are correct in one small point, the last two years Congress and the Presidency have been controlled by lefties, so we have no checks and balances, that is why we have 10%
unemployment, and near bankruptcyHaving the presidentcy for 20 years is not the same as having the presidency and congress, do you understand that?
We do not have a liberal or conservativea supreme court, we have four conservative justices and four liberals, Kennedy is the swing vote. Do you understand that?
What was the Reagan Revolution? Can you explain yourself or do you just throw out the MSNBC lines?
And use your real name.
Purpleguy| 12.19.10 @ 1:27PM
I would explain the Reagan Revolution to you, since you are obviously uninformed, but there is no point. David Stockman, Reagan's budget director and architect of the economic program for Reagan, is out and about explaining how it didn't work and was the worst thing for America. G HW Bush was right - Voodoo Economics. Trickle down doesn't work, it trickles up and up ... those are also facts over the last 30 years. Deficits went up hugely under Reagan, Bush I and down under Clinton, up hugely again under Bush II and now going down under Obama ( didn't know that did ya? ) Google that and eat your face!
Nick| 12.19.10 @ 6:28PM
Christopher,
Don't argue with Purplejackass, he is not worthy of your time.
He thought sitting Virginia governors could run for re-election, until I schooled him on his ignorance.
He, also, thought John Marshall was the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, until he was shown his stupidity by another typical, well educated AmSpec reader.
He has made numerous other factual errors, which would be too long to list here. Purplejackass is your typical lefty kook.
Christopher| 12.19.10 @ 8:46PM
Nick, you are obviously correct. I think Purple must have read something for seminar left wing bloggers along the lines of POSTING FOR LEFT WING DUMMIES, where he is encouraged to post on this and other conservative sites. To give some credence and weight to his left wing rants, he says he owns a business and is neither liberal or conservative. He wants to raise taxes to raise the employment. I guess if he really had a business he would raise his prices above his competitors, and ask the government to tax him higher.
W| 12.17.10 @ 4:29PM
Hey, purple, been reading your posts, took about five seconds. You are here to annoy, like a child, you have nothing constructive to offer. Why don't you go to your basement now and have someone turn on the tv so you can watch MSNBC, and you will then have more insults to offer.
Purpleguy| 12.18.10 @ 1:37AM
whatsamatter - can't take any heat? Can't defend your cronies? boohoo....
W| 12.18.10 @ 2:22PM
Purp, we have enough lefties posting nonsense taking up space, you do not add anything, only juvenile insults. Your economic therories are interesting, raise taxes to create jobs. And you claim to read Adam Smith and Rand? Maybe you should have someone read it to you to explain it, Rand is for individualism, self reliance, not the government dole created by hight taxes. Smith is for free markets, not high taxes for a bloated government to dole out money to favored groups. Is this clear for you, bud? or is it ace?
Purpleguy| 12.19.10 @ 1:22PM
Guess you haven't read enough Adam Smith, have you ? Keep reading, you'll get it. He did write more than one book you know. "Wealth of Nations" is only one book.
If you really studied economic facts and history, not theory, you'd see that as taxes rise, incomes rise because labor force is scarcer, unemployment decreases ... you explain it .. it's fact, not academic theory.
Purpleguy| 12.19.10 @ 1:28PM
Are you trying to infringe my free speech rights? Tsk, tsk, the Federalist society will kick you out...
scythe| 12.17.10 @ 10:07AM
It's really pathetic. Think about all those decades of men being told to get in tough with their inner chick and now behold the product. Truly mortifying to behold. The phrase man up! keeps being thrown around. Just exactly what does that mean anymore?
Melvin| 12.17.10 @ 10:18AM
It used to be called, "Open your trouser and reach down to see if you have a pair."
Peter McGrath| 12.17.10 @ 10:09AM
Whiny sniffling just won't cut it when the hand-to-hand combat starts next month. The Repubs in the House, led by Boehner, are supposed to start goring the Left's Sacred Cows, starting with the imbecilic monstrosity of Obamacare. The reaction - from the media, academia, and the Lib minions - will be ferocious.
Let's all hope that, between now and then, Boehner grows some stones and learns how to throw some vicious Karate chops. That's what it's going to take, not sobs and kleenex.
TURK| 12.17.10 @ 10:14AM
The perfect illustration of the wisdom of the article written by Flynn is the comparison of Muskie, the candidate for Pres. crying(it ruined him), and this nonsense with Boehner. Simply put earlier, the Country has been 'chickafied, after years of the 'feminazis and political correctness. We are pathetic. From the blond on the football field shoving a microphone in a coaches face thereby making him answer stupid questions to the celebration of females in the combat military, how can we be surprised when a member of our scum class sheds tears? Crocodile or clintonian!
Derek Leaberry| 12.17.10 @ 10:15AM
I don't think 2011 will turn out too well. Not only has Boehner caved to Obama on the tax/unemployment benefits bill(he should have held it hostage until Reid stopped his rogue lameduck session) and showing that he can be manipulated by Obama and the Democrats, Boehner has emotional problems. Laurence Olivier never cried as well as Boehner. I find Mr. Tears very strange.
With leaders like Boehner and McConnell and the likelihood of Romney as the presidential candidate, I can see Obama reelected in 2012.
Paul from SA| 12.17.10 @ 10:16AM
How pathetic. It's ok for a man to cry in public, but only for the right reasons, say the death of a family member or your dog. But when a man cries over spilled milk, he loses his self-respect.
Ken (Old Texican)| 12.17.10 @ 10:17AM
Here we go, folks.
It WAS, pretty predictable wasn't it ? The Soros trolls are out in spades already. Have you all noticed all of the new screen-names this morning?
Yep, Mr. Boehner is going to be targeted and ridiculed, just like Sarah Palin above... and forever.
Just for fun let me tell you guys what these little urban basement dwellers do not know. Caribou are very similar to hunt as antelope. They live for the most part out on open plains. They can see and detect danger a LONG way away. Smile, they just keep quietly moving away from you Ummm unless you do what we did one time. We tried to flank 'em in two Jeeps...at high speed.
They just ran into a small ravine and trotted out of sight...and again out of range.
Sarah made a nice shot, on a rest aim as one should if possible....to get an instant kill with minimal suffering on the part of the animal.
Believe me when I tell you, with the camera crew tagging along...it was a LONG shot.
Melvin| 12.17.10 @ 10:32AM
First off Ken, I hope the hell your analysis makes me eat my words. Through life I haven't acquired a taste for crow, even though I've ate plenty of it. I sincerely hope your correct.
What the hell did Mr. Boehner expect when he went and did that stunt? How long has the man been in the business, he knows better. Of course the Democrats and the Soros bunch were just laying in wait for him to do something like that, it was a given, he and the rest of the Republican Leadership knew that.
Unfortunately in this game of mortal combat that we are in, there is no room for miscues or missteps.
When he becomes Speaker of the House, Damn straight I'll support him and will fight tooth and nail to support him, but Mr. Boehner needs to realize if he wants the troops to rise up and be motivated he needs to show no weakness and sure as hell no mercy.
The Liberal Democrat Facsists need to be destroyed, drawn, quartered, and their ashes be condemned to the deep .
Stephanie| 12.17.10 @ 10:35AM
She's a crack shot and I love her! O'Reilly asked her last night if she thought of herself as a feminist. ?????? Now, what kind of question is that?
chonkatta| 12.17.10 @ 10:56AM
Shes not a femisit, she is a political prostitute and an opportunist. Her show is failing just like her campaign. Now go fence in some caraboo or chase them down with a jeep with your homo buddy.
kachonka| 12.17.10 @ 10:55AM
You admitted it yourself, you had to use two jeeps to chase them down because they are evasive. So here comes Palin with a camera crew and shoots one. By your own words ewither you suck that bad to use two jeeps, or Palin made a shot at an evasive animal that was fenced in with no ability to EVADE.
Eat your words douche. You cannot have it both ways.
Ray| 12.17.10 @ 11:35AM
"Yep, Mr. Boehner is going to be targeted and ridiculed..."
If the man can't control his emotions in a ZERO STRESS situation like a TV appearance, he SHOULD be ridiculed, and relieved of his office to boot. We, as a country, can't afford to elect leaders who succumb to emotion in non-stressful situations.
Purpleguy| 12.17.10 @ 12:41PM
Who really cares? It's hardly preparation for political office, now is it? Perhaps she should read a book or take a class in US History ... maybe then she might know what the Bush Doctrine is. Hell, I don't even like the guy and I know what it is ...
carnot| 12.17.10 @ 4:15PM
true dat! and maybe Obama would benefit from same and learn how many States there are in the dis-Union!
Purpleguy| 12.18.10 @ 1:50AM
So, the subject is Boehner and Palin and you throw Obama in the mix, why? He's as bad as the others, so that makes it okay for them to be idiots? Is that your point? Sad, very sad... why don't you just say "Oh, yeah! " like the 5 yr old mind you have wants to.
Dear Mr Boehner| 12.17.10 @ 10:35AM
Take the total budgets (money spent to date since founding) adjusted for inflation of each of the following departments, read their founding missions statements aloud before Congress; as in "The Department Of Energy, started 42 years ago, Cost to date - 388 Billion 645 Million Dollars to becoming energy independent. Results. . . speak for themselves - nothing. I move to zero the budget for this department in the next fiscal period - Who Opposes?" Energy, HUD, Interior, Ag, etc. For the Education Dept offer to exchange their annual budget of the entire dept directly to parents as vouchers instead! Let them justify all the wanton waste - beat them over the head day and night, night and day! 30% - 40 % or more of the so-called mandated budget can be cut - zeroed out entirely and guess what? Life will go on, better and stronger then before.
Nunya| 12.17.10 @ 11:52AM
You are absolutely correct. We could eliminate most of the alphabet-soup agencies that have been created over the past 80 years, and we all would be better off.
Christopher| 12.17.10 @ 10:37AM
So Boehner had some tears in recounting his life storyy. Big Deal. He has been a very effective congressman, and will be an effective Speaker. Let us concentrate on the issues. After all, we all have probably been crying the last two years watching Obama, Pelosi, Reid, Biden, Rangel, etc. Now we may have tears of joy.
loulou| 12.17.10 @ 10:45AM
What makes you think he will be an effective Speaker? Effective for whom? He is weak and wobbly and is crying only for himself because by golly, HE'S going to be Speaker!
We have to ease this guy out of leadership. He just wants to be loved and is showing his soft side. That is not what we need right now.
Christopher| 12.17.10 @ 11:31AM
loulou, He will be speaker. We do not need a civil war now, give him a chance, we have enough people to fight, we do not need to fight among ourserves over silly issues of crying. Look at his conduct in the past, he has been effective, this is a good indication he will be effective in the future. Save you energy for the Democrats, not for our team.
Ray| 12.17.10 @ 12:00PM
So, we should just accept what the Republicans' have chosen for us without dissent and opposition? How is that ANY different than what the Democrats have been saying for the last 2 years?
Christopher| 12.17.10 @ 12:11PM
Well, Ray, try responsible dissent and opposition. Stick to the issues, if he doesn't do his job, then call your congressman. Give the guy a chance, if he does his job, he can cry all day, who cares.
Ken Royall| 12.17.10 @ 10:38AM
I don't give a crap if they all cry as long as they do what is right. If they succeed in stopping liberals and actually cut spending they can bawl all day long. Enough of the self-flagellation, don't liberals trash us enough?
Nancy in NC| 12.17.10 @ 2:30PM
Amen!!!!
Margie| 12.17.10 @ 2:46PM
Seconded.
loulou| 12.17.10 @ 10:48AM
I find Boehner's inability to control his boo-hooing embarassing. Kind of like GHW Bush barfing on the Japanese official. Embarassisng. Where's the dignity?
Ken (Old Texican)| 12.17.10 @ 10:58AM
loulou,
If you were on camera 24/7 would YOU look always dignified?
Get a life! Quit bellyaching, and start your first letter of "atta-boy" if the guy does something right.
Geesh!
For instance,.........How fat ARE YOU...REALLY?
See. It is easy to throw "question" rocks from behind your computer.
kachonka| 12.17.10 @ 11:00AM
What does a camera have to do with it? They guy is a sissie. I am surprised his tanning makeup didn't run. Watch when he comes out of the closet or gets caught in the bathroom stalls naked with other men. That is what repubes do.
MarkR| 12.17.10 @ 11:56AM
"The man is a sissie"- oh yea! Its Jr. High 2010. I am sure he got where he is being a sissie. By the way what do you do for a living? I know!You are in a basement in your underwear at mom's house- got it about right?!
Ray| 12.17.10 @ 11:47AM
"If you were on camera 24/7 would YOU look always dignified?"
Since it is a politician's expectation to be in front of the public, then YES, you should at least TRY to look dignified.
You seem to be avoiding the obvious: the man isn't in control of his own emotions, even in a low stress situation. That is not something that makes you an effective leader. It is an indication of little strength of character. Is that who you want leading the Republican's?
I am reminded of the spectacle that our own Congress displayed when a small airplane strayed over restricted airspace. Our own elected officials RAN AWAY in fear instead of waiting to find out if they were in any real danger, an action which occurred simply because we have forgotten that strength of charter include the ability to control one's emotions and act accordingly to the situation at hand.
darcy| 12.18.10 @ 3:09AM
I tend to agree with you, Ray, and some others here who feel less than comforted knowing that Mr. Boehner, for all the world to see, veered to the emotional side rather than the rational side during the interview.
The fact of the matter is that we have mortal, that's right, mortal enemies staring us down, sizing us up, and all but putting daggers to us in their efforts to wrest from under us the last vestiges of our freedoms.
My own grandson, born this year, is $45,000 in debt as his portion of our national debt. That, my friends, is slavery.
We need men of steel, and iron resolve, who will show the face of fierce determination and not our soft underbelly, the tender spot that these malignant Marxist creatures will use to manipulate and exploit to their benefit.
The MSM (Marxist State Media) will portray Boehner in a bad light no matter what he does; better that our adversaries understand our resolve to defeat them than for there to be any doubt as to our belief in the rightness of our cause and our absolute determination to prevail over them.
pootskins| 12.17.10 @ 10:58AM
Bush barfing on the chink was a well planned biological warfare tactic. Plus, who wouldn't barf around a chink. You ever get close to one that is not Americanized? Yeah, drive by a dead skunk and get that smell in your car for a half hour.
You'll puke.
GW| 12.17.10 @ 1:00PM
Too funny.
GW| 12.17.10 @ 1:00PM
Too funny.
martin j smith| 12.17.10 @ 11:05AM
As long as Boehner does the job of pushing back against Socialism, he can cry all he wants. I wouldn't blame him one tear. In fact dealing with These regressive its about all to stop one from having a nervous breakdown really. They are truly both sick and determined.
Gregg Hightower| 12.17.10 @ 11:13AM
More importantly, the next few months will reveal if Mr Boehner stands with the majority of the people who are tax paying law abiding middle class hoping to better themselves and the lives of their children or if he's just another RINO who's part of the Parasite Top working with the Parasite Bottom against us. We will be watching.
Boomerbabe| 12.17.10 @ 11:14AM
If he does a good job as Speaker, he should consider giving the press interviews to someone else more in control of his/her emotions. There are plenty of good communicators in the Republican caucus. That would give me more confidence in his desire to really run the House - and not grandstand in front of the cameras. BTW, the only time my dad ever cried in public was when he first saw my mom in her coffin after 61 years of marriage. He viewed her alone, and when he came to get us, he was crying because she looked so beautiful. That, to me, was a reason to cry.
superlib| 12.17.10 @ 11:27AM
Your mom looked beautiful dead and it made him cry for the first time? She must have been a republican. They all look beautiful in coffins.
Tim the Enchanter| 12.17.10 @ 11:47AM
Wanker
carnot| 12.17.10 @ 12:23PM
kinda thought that was your position on the troops serving in SWA.
LJane| 12.17.10 @ 11:29AM
I have always cried at the drop of a hat. It is difficult and embarrassing, but not a crime. Give us a break.
Ray| 12.17.10 @ 11:38AM
Well, since you're not an elected official, you'll get that break. But if you DO become an elected official, you better get control of your emotions.
LJane| 12.17.10 @ 11:53AM
I am still one of the strongest, bravest people around. Crying is like sweating, offensive to many, but no key to character.
Ray| 12.17.10 @ 12:03PM
"I am still one of the strongest, bravest people around."
Spoken like a true narcissist, which, by the way, is not an indication of high strength of character.
In cause you don't understand it, control over one's own emotion is the biggest defining aspect of strength of character. It is THE key, not the exception.
Margie| 12.17.10 @ 2:24PM
Just wondering who gave you the definition of "true strength of character?"
True strength of character has nothing to do with emotion. It has everything to do with morality though, and practicing good judgment with good action.
I do believe you've been wrongly taught.
LJane| 12.17.10 @ 9:01PM
Instadiagnosis! And free, too!
KyMouse| 12.17.10 @ 11:33AM
One of the most famous images of an American man crying was the one of Navy CPO Graham Jackson playing the accordian and crying as the body of President Franklin D. Roosevelt was carried by. Photographer Ed Clark took the famous photo for LIFE magazine, and it is still touching today. You can find it online.
I used to see Mr. Jackson at the Pittypat's Porch retaurant in Atlanta, when I was student in the early 1970s. He played the organ, including a long medley about the Civil War. I talked with him a few times -- a very nice man.
Dai Alanye | 12.17.10 @ 11:51AM
I can only admire all you big tough-talking non-emotional he-men who only cry when your toy poodles die. And I wish I had the psychic powers that allow you to predict the performance of our new speaker before he's taken office. Most of us, sad to say, must wait until some facts come in before jumping to a conclusion.
With regard to manly emotion, let me remind you that the greatest fighting general America produced during WW II, George Patton, was himself a bit emotional, but always managed to take the fight to the enemy. Perhaps we ought to see how Boehner performs in action before condemning his personal style.
MarkR| 12.17.10 @ 11:52AM
Uh-So what. It would be a loss of control if he behaved differently because of emotion- its not a problem except for those uncomfortable with their own emotions. Not exactly my style- but my style aint the criteria. Another thing- repression is usually fear and fear dont make the man. Now if its used to manipulate-thats another issue- but by and large I could care less- it doesnt affect me one way or another.
Ken (Old Texican)| 12.17.10 @ 11:54AM
Well folks,
The twerps have gotten after me now. Heh.
Uh, hey twerp, We TRIED to catch the antelope in jeeps. Out of fun and an experiment mostly.
No luck.
Go eat your veggies like a good boy. You are simply embarrasing yourself here with your ignorance.
You PROVE to me that Sarah shot a corralled animal and I will apologise most profusely. Uh, a huffpo link won't do it.
Dai Alanye | 12.17.10 @ 11:59AM
Just took a quick peek at Daniel Flynn's blog. Interestingly, it's mostly whining and self-promotion. Too emotional for me, I'm afraid.
Grzmlyk| 12.17.10 @ 12:05PM
I totally agree that, with Glenn Beck, it's shtick. Lucrative shtick.
Beck is the male, politically aware version of Oprah.
Now I agree with much of what Beck says. But I become suspicious when mawkishness becomes the highest expression of the self.
So something ain't right there. Somehow, I always feel somehow used after watching Beck (and I simply cannot abide the execrable, cowardly O'Reilly).
As for the crying issue in general, I say that it's understandable - and forgivable - on occasion. There are times when it's all one can do. But the point is, tears should be resisted, not drummed up.
And not resisted in the ostentatious, theatrical, Glenn Beck way that gives you time to hit the "record" button while he works himself up.
I mean really resisted. No man should want to cry, so when it happens, it should be a highly unusual occurrence that elicits shock - not a response of, "oh my god, there he goes again."
As for Boehner: His blatant blubbering borders on bathos.
GW| 12.17.10 @ 1:10PM
Since we're discussing Beck, let me add this. His show has become a parody of itself, continually sensationalizing the affairs of the world while drifting toward conspiracy-land. Once a sarcastic, rational, semi-entertaining radio host, his Fox show has made him into the Dr. Phil of conservative politics, stressing broad platitudes about America returning to its "faith" without much specifics on how to actually do so.
Yesterday, Judge Napolitano filled in for Beck, and the first 15 minute segment was one of the best cable news segments on the economy I have seen. After a good interview with Ron Paul, Napolitano and three guests had a sort of rapid-fire discussion about the devastation Federal spending has wrought on the economy.
Is it bad when I enjoy the fill-in above the host? If it were Beck, he would be waxing-idiotic with his chalkboard, confusing the hell out of everyone.
Grzmlyk| 12.17.10 @ 4:08PM
I gotta agree, GW. I think a lot of what Beck says is valid, but increasingly, his messianic complex is messing with him; I agree with him that we're screwed, I just don't sign on to the black helicopter stuff or unctious genuflecting as the answer.
And his emotional exhibitionism REALLY annoys me. Frankly, I never liked Beck's radio show, never watched him on CNN and only occassionally watch him on Fox.
Clearly he's filling a niche, but he went off the deep end mighty quick ( think he's always been unhinged, actually); he will be a short-lived phenomenon, I believe, that will burn itself out.
I mean, compare his demagoguery and self-serving pseudo-mininstry to the supurb, unaffected rationality of the late William F. Buckley. And there's always something of the carnival barker in Beck - I can never shake the impression that it's all a revival show.
We do need someone to corral the rank-and-file conservatives out there, but I fear there will be a tipping point - and we're very close if we haven't already passed it - where Beck becomes detrimental to conservativism.
Steve in Pittsburgh| 12.17.10 @ 12:12PM
Nothing wrong with crying...under certain circumstances.
But Boehner cries a little too much.
So, maybe we need a different speaker?
Christopher| 12.17.10 @ 7:18PM
Go Steelers.
what area of pgh?
Virginia| 12.17.10 @ 12:35PM
Judging by this article and the posts on this site crying is a Spectator sport. Just an observation.
Franco| 12.17.10 @ 12:35PM
Golf is so gay.
Steve A| 12.17.10 @ 2:04PM
Franco, Any sport that gives you an excuse to drink beer prior to 10:00 Am can't be all bad.
DTCOfAZ| 12.17.10 @ 12:38PM
Well.. For a freaking two years, we've been dealing with the angry and bully Obama/Pelosi/Reid.. so having Boehner's tear now may help us calm down a little bit.
Just look at the angry face of Obama on the television with his fingers pointing along with his speeches made me sick in my stomack. I'd rather see the tears. Tears made people feel humble.
Get over it you lib-bastards! See the weakness of the human being from tearing is way much better than see the weakness of the human being through the fire and angry of the devils.
Pick your mama pelosi and your used-to-walk-on-water obama in-chief home with you on Christmas. They may light up your families joys with the devil forks over the holidays.
Purpleguy| 12.17.10 @ 12:47PM
I for one, Im glad the R's got the House... it will ensure Obama's re-election. Let's see the R's create jobs ... my goodness, it's been over a month since the election - where are the jobs, Mr. B?
Jobs ARE created by the Rich - by trying to avoid taxes, not from getting tax cuts. Y'all have it backwards. Raise the taxes, the jobs will come back. It has always been, and will always be... chasing tax dodges creates companies, jobs, and deductions for the rich ! been there, done that, if you haven't, don't comment.
Margie| 12.17.10 @ 1:39PM
I think you and "GW" ought to start your own party. Call it the WTF party. (Weirdo's Trashing Freedom).
Steve A| 12.17.10 @ 2:20PM
Hey Purple, Perhaps you should clue Obama in on your genius economic theory as he must surely be a huge downer for your sure fire tax increase job engine. PS: Own a business, 6 employees, you are a comlete moron if you think jacking my taxes is going to cause me to hire somebody.
Purpleguy| 12.17.10 @ 2:58PM
You ain't rich, bud, that's why ... you have no real clue do ya?
Occam's Tool| 12.17.10 @ 4:10PM
I ran my own practice for 7 years, Purpleguy, and qualified as "Rich" by Obama standards most of those years. Jacking up my taxes would not have made me hire more staff, dumbbell. You, obviously, have never run a business.
W| 12.17.10 @ 4:36PM
Tool, purple can barely turn on his tv to watch MSNBC . Run a business? He probably does not have a job, if he believes raising taxes creates jobs then he either works for IRS or is on welfare
Purpleguy| 12.18.10 @ 1:59AM
Neither of you are the rich I mean. If you were, you wouldn't be so damn dumb. If you are really rich, you don't have to worry about being fed, clothed, housed or anything else. But you do worry about making more money. And tax cuts ain't it, dumbheads. If taxes are your be all and end all, you prove you ain't and never were rich. Think about ditzoids. Interest rates are near zero, where would you stash a pile of cash? You don't - you invest in something that will make you money and save on taxes to make you more money ... and that = a business, with employees, doors, windows, inventory, whatever. All tax writeoffs dweebs.
Go read Adam Smith and Ayn Rand - you might learn something about making money.
And - yes, I have run a business - 3 as a matter of fact ... failed at one, sold another and still have the 3rd.
Get out from behind Fox Noise and think for a change. If you need to get a paycheck or make a salary from your business - YOU AIN"T RICH ! period. You obviously know nothing.
Ever wonder why Bill Gates, Warren Buffet - 2 of the wealthiest men the world has ever seen are not Republicans? I'll bet you really don't know, do you? uninformed "washed" masses... sad, very sad.
Margie| 12.18.10 @ 10:50AM
LOL. So to the purple perpetraitor rich equals dumb!
Wow. How smart!
The rest of his post wasn't worth reading. I'm too smart.
W| 12.18.10 @ 12:37PM
Purp, if you really ran a business then you would not say the stupid, idiotic nonsense you post here to annoy. From your posts, the only business you could possibly run is clipping coupons. I suggest you actually run a business, borrow money and deal with banks, governments, taxes, and then get back to us.
Gates and Buffet are the super rich, they are anomolies. They probably have a guilty conscience, like rich liberals, and feel better by saying things that appeal to dopes like you. Notice that Gates and Buffet create trusts to control the spending, they do not trust the government like you.
And posting at 1:30, late frid earlysat? get a life
Purpleguy| 12.19.10 @ 1:39PM
"Gates and Buffet are the super rich, they are anomolies. " - and who do you think the Estate Tax changes benefit - the mom and pop shop down the street? And who are the top 2% of the income ladder? Teachers, Firemen, Nurses, Butchers, Bakers and CandleStick Makers? So let's help them, and screw the rest, including y'all, right? That makes even more sense, doesn't it?
But they are not Irrevocable Trusts, now are they? haha
"I suggest you actually run a business, borrow money and deal with banks, governments, taxes, and then get back to us." Been there, done that. Oh, except for borrow money - didn't need to, and banks work for me, not the other way around - but that's just me I guess. You fools still believe you'll have a $10+ million Estate to pass on, don't ya?
Oh, and thanks for worrying about my social life, but I'm full up, you can't join. You don't make enough money ...
W| 12.19.10 @ 2:13PM
Purple, glad to see you are posting and not watching MSNBC where you learned your economics.
In addition to being a rude bore repeating your nonsense, nobody believes you ran a business successfully. If you did you would not make the idiotic statements that an increase in tax rates will cause employement to increase, unless you work for the IRS.
How do you know whether they are revocable or irrrevocable trusts, now you throw out legal jargon like you throw out economic jargon, without understanding it.
Post under the name you were using before you became purple. keep the left wing drivel coming, we all need to be reminded how stupid you lefties are in economics. What "business" did you run?
Nick| 12.19.10 @ 6:27PM
W,
Don't argue with Purplejackass, he is not worthy of your time.
He thought sitting Virginia governors could run for re-election, until I schooled him on his ignorance.
He, also, thought John Marshall was the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, until he was shown his stupidity by another typical, well educated AmSpec reader.
He has made numerous other factual errors, which would be too long to list here. Purplejackass is your typical lefty kook.
Nancy in NC| 12.17.10 @ 2:38PM
To state the obvious, you, purpleguy, are an idiot.
The new Congress hasn't even been sworn in yet. And history has always shown that higher taxes result in less income. (Listen to obama lately?)
I have been there and have done it, so I do care to comment, even though I know it's a waste of time to argue with a Marxist idiot.
Purpleguy| 12.19.10 @ 1:46PM
Another non-rich that is compelled to comment from their lame experience ....
Really? Not sworn in yet? Are you sure? How do you know. John Boner can cry you a river Im sure.
I thought jobs would rain from heaven the moment the Republicans won the House. Trillions of dollars would flood the employment market - all those trillions that Corporate America is holding on to... But maybe with Obama's signing of the Unemployment extension for 2 million unemployed, the Child care extension, Middle Class tax cuts for 98% of the people and Payroll Tax 2% reduction for all, Business tax deductions, including 100% writeoff of new equipment, (oh and the Estate Tax for 3600 individual families, and the Wealthy tax cut for 6 million more) - maybe Obama will create even more jobs than he has so far (more than GW Bush in 8 years I might add)
Ralph Novy| 12.18.10 @ 9:44PM
You've got it right side up, Purpleguy, unlike most of the gullible bozos around HERE.
It's ludicrous and appalling that we have to re-argue the progressive-tax rationale after all these years (100).
Purpleguy| 12.19.10 @ 1:50PM
Thanks - sometimes I feel like a lone voice in the wilderness. But I wish they could be a little bit more competition and debate - not talking points, innuendo and using their belief systems as if they were the facts. You can believe anything you want, but when the bald-faced facts stare you in the face, you must let go.
Trouble is, these people have been lied to so long they believe it IS fact. Hell, they don't have to believe me - how about Reagan's Budget Director, or Alan Greenspan, or Ben Bernanke? I'm sure any and all of them know more about economics of the US then anyone on here will ever know.
Margie| 12.17.10 @ 12:50PM
My reaction to this author's article was: And you're writing an entire article on this? Then I thought, how much you wanna make a bet this author is no conservative AND that he hates Boehner?
Would I be right?
Typical, typical Liberal blather.
They'd rather bash a Republican and tear him to bits than go after our REAL enemy~ the Socialist Democrats.
And all the little holier-than-thou little so-called conservatives eat it for lunch and bask in the sunlight.
May God bless the new Speaker of the House and I am praying for him, that he gets the job done that he was sent to do. I believe he is going to give it his best shot. So should we all, hmm?
GW| 12.17.10 @ 1:19PM
And my reaction to Margie was this: And you're writing an entire comment on the author writing about Boehner's crying? Then it occurred to me, "Margie" is actually a closet-Marxist posing as a conservative so that she may undermine her political opposition.
Would I be right?
Of course no one could disprove this. Whatever Margie says, I could claim her true intentions are to make everyone who posts on AmSpec appear to be a water carrier for the Republicans. After all, *true* conservatives must always bash Obama and say inane things like "where's the birth certificate" and must never criticize the GOP royalty who are our overlords and protectors.
After all, one cannot be holy unless he criticizes a man for crying, because Mr. Flynn wrote what he did so that he feels better about himself--not because Boehner is a pansy.
We need to rid the Marxists from our ranks, and I think we should start with you Marg.
Margie| 12.17.10 @ 1:33PM
Bravo GW! You've just proven to be the perfect example of my post.
What are you, a Ron Paul or a Paleo-Con artist type? Third partier loon?
Right.. I'm a Marxist because I speak positively about the Speaker of the House. Wow.
Sorry but you will never be able to "rid" me of your ranks dear sir. My vote will always cancel out yours, thank God! Now go and cry in your beer over it.
Occam's Tool| 12.17.10 @ 4:05PM
"Closet marxist for my Margie?" That's like calling me an Arafat supporter. GW, you don't know Jack.
Margie| 12.17.10 @ 4:31PM
Thanks, OT. GW's a Paul-bot. It explains everything. See his above post.
They consider us Marxists, traitors, Neo-cons and the whole kit and caboodle.
Oh, and I forgot, Israel-Firsters.
Oy!
Feh!
carnot| 12.17.10 @ 4:23PM
ummm....Margie....going after the Social Democrats includes not providing them the bullets to fight back. you may not care or like it....but half or less of the game is substance and the other half or greater is tactics and appearances. Boehner should know how an unsympathetic media is going to twist personal attributes like this to begin building an image of a politician unfit to lead....fair or unfair...right or wrong...that is what is going to happen. well.....don't give them the ammunition! it's all about time and place. he needs to be savvier about this as he moves even closer to the flame.
Margie| 12.17.10 @ 5:05PM
Well carnot, maybe you can keep Speaker Boehner in your prayers about the issue. I'm going to.
"What we pray for is your improvement." 2 Cor. 13:9.
martin j smith| 12.17.10 @ 1:48PM
If Boehner does his job and pushes back when heis supposed to then he can cry all he wants as fr as I am concerned. he can say that he is crying in behalf of all those that now have to live with conservative ideas. How sad !!!!!!!!!!!
Margie| 12.17.10 @ 1:50PM
LOL. Great post, martin j smith!
Funeral Guy | 12.17.10 @ 1:50PM
I've cried in public twice. Delivering my father's eulogy and delivering my mother's eulogy.
Let's make that the benchmark.
Margie| 12.17.10 @ 1:52PM
Well funeral guy, not everyone is as blessed as you are.
carnot| 12.17.10 @ 4:26PM
*amn! that was uncalled for.
Margie| 12.17.10 @ 4:36PM
What do you mean?
If you meant that to me, let me be clear that it was meant towards the emotions being able to be controlled. Some are blessed with the ability, others of us are not.
And the showing of emotions does not mark a man as weak, in God's eyes.
While I can agree with you that a leader should try and keep them in check as much as possible, I disagree with USING it to lambaste him.
I do not believe that emotions are something we can control. They come when they do, and sometimes it is hard to control them.
Hope that helps.
carnot| 12.17.10 @ 7:54PM
Margie...the poster describes two deaths in his family and you respond "not everyone is as blessed as you are"...
cmon now.....if it struck a sour note I would have ignored the comment
Margie| 12.17.10 @ 9:10PM
Carnot,
Now I know that you are a vile person. You purposely have misrepresented what I've said. You are from this time forward persona non grata!
Mazzuchelli| 12.17.10 @ 1:50PM
I'm only slightly uncomfortable with the shows of emotion. Confidence in Boehner remains unshaken. I don't like giving the media more material than they already make up but they'll find other stuff to exaggerate anyway.
This emotional reaction is not so easily controlled as some folks think. My Father and Grandfather, two hard-boiled stoics if ever there were, had problems with tearing up in their sixties. As a woman, I'm starting to have difficulties at a younger age. Maudlin commercials are a particular annoyance. There is something of a cure that I refer to as 'happy pills' but that's another post.
In the end, close ranks, refrain from internal criticism except on core issues, we all move forward.
Margie| 12.17.10 @ 2:03PM
"In the end, close ranks, refrain from internal criticism except on core issues, we all move forward."
I think yours is a great post, and especially the above last sentence. Unfortunately there are some whose sole purpose is to destroy the Republican party instead of strengthen it. These will be the trolls who call conservatives Marxists. These are the Ron Paul cultists and the Anarchist Libertarians and the Paleo-Con artists. No one is conservative to them, except their own.
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." (Edmund Burke).
Sadly, we have the enemy within.
carnot| 12.17.10 @ 4:31PM
someone like me reacting to quasi fascista Obamaists is no more going to subordinate his principles to a wayward Republican party than to them. the goal is to shape the Republicans....if need be....to get the job done...not to pick up a banner and march in the parade of followers.
Margie| 12.17.10 @ 4:41PM
I agree with the goal, and no one's saying to march in the parade.. I march in a parade though. The one of God gave us the greatest nation on the face of the Earth, and I want it to stay that way.
So, strengthen the only party we have to that end. And there's nothing wrong with being patriotic. It doesn't mean we're traitors and the like to conservatism.
Our leaders aren't perfect, and God knows we aren't either.
We do the best with what we have.
I say we build up and not tear down.. our leaders, especially over something like this.
Deborah D | 12.18.10 @ 5:54AM
Amen, Margie! Build up -- not tear down. Love your fighting spirit!
Margie| 12.18.10 @ 10:48AM
Deborah D,
Thanks, and I yours.. I believe we're on the same side. Everyone knows you're one of AmSpec's best.
Mattled| 12.17.10 @ 2:34PM
I think Dennis Miller said it best:
What is he, Tammy Fay Boehner?
e cowan| 12.17.10 @ 2:39PM
Is excessive crying a sign of some sort of emotional problem?
DEinTN| 12.17.10 @ 3:25PM
sometimes, but mosty it indicates actual caring about something. You can tell the difference in the way the tears appear. At least someone with an ounce of common sense can.
dw| 12.17.10 @ 2:44PM
Hard to understand criticism of someone who genuinely cares. He wants to fight to save the American Way, where each child can have a chance to thrive in freedom, and the sycophants among us come out like predators surrounding a new born calf.
Is it better to behave like obama with his robotic posture as he destroys that dream or is it better to know someone who is trying to defeat the socialist dictator actually cares about the dream he is defending.
Deborah D | 12.18.10 @ 5:57AM
Thank you, dw. Too much has been made of all of this. I agree -- killer Obama robots are much scarier than determined men who get emotional as they see the hill they must climb.
Oldefarte| 12.17.10 @ 2:48PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xt-WgQibgJ4
Oldefarte| 12.17.10 @ 2:51PM
youtube.com/watch?v=xt-WgQibgJ4
The One Who Runs Like a Duck| 12.17.10 @ 2:55PM
We took a shellacking, Purpleguy. Look what the cat drug in. When the summer of recovery, the Chevy Volt and wind farms needed your help, you disappeared. Now that dadt is up for a vote, here you are trying to get the rest of the country to bend over for you and your friends. I wish you would be enthusiastic about other Democratic programs. Because you weren't there when I needed you I had to propose Bush tax cuts for the rich, rendition, maintaining Gitmo, perpetual war in Afghanistan and Iraq. I hate the holidays. No golf and all that time with Michelle and the brats. Michelle is all over junk food and smoking. What's that smell she asks me. Have you taken a look at your backside in the mirror, little miss french fry I respond. Oh yea I love the holidays. Cap and trade, baby.
RON| 12.17.10 @ 2:56PM
A TEAR FOR HELPLESS ABORTED CHILDREN OF AMERICA .....SHAME ON YOU AMERICA ....
Margie| 12.17.10 @ 2:58PM
Sarah Palin:
"I respect John Boehner because he has worn his feelings on his sleeve on things that are so important to him," she said in an interview Friday on "Good Morning America." I give him that pass too."
How about we look at the man for who he is, rather than his emotions:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsZ7nU35QWk
Deborah D | 12.18.10 @ 6:06AM
Great video. Thanks for posting, Margie.
Margie| 12.18.10 @ 10:45AM
You're welcome, good lady.
Oldefarte| 12.17.10 @ 2:58PM
youtube.com/watch?v=8mKpOKK5S_U
Oldefarte| 12.17.10 @ 3:04PM
Grown men who have witnessed violence [9/11/01, war, Fort Hood,etc] have deservedly balled their eyes out. Many of us want to join Boehner in crying from having to witness the political [and economic] destruction taking place since 11/4/08!!!!!!
Occam's Tool| 12.17.10 @ 4:07PM
I'm always tearing up---but my nose is always stuffed up because it's flinking -20 here.
I had a job as a psychiatrist in Fort Hood lined up (and had accepted it) before I took my other one in Minnesota. I would have been a colleague of The Maniac. I may have cried on that day as I felt the Angel of Death go by.
RCV| 12.17.10 @ 11:22PM
Wow, that must have been a freaking scary day for you. Be well, stay warm, and have a happy new year, sir.
Purpleguy| 12.18.10 @ 2:03AM
Not on camera, dude - that's the difference. he's supposed to be a polished professional politician and TV personality, not a hard-working first responder or military man. If he's not, what's he doing in a leadership role? Is he the best they can do?
Deborah D | 12.18.10 @ 6:12AM
Polished professional -- come on, he's only recently been in the spotlight.
How about -- "let me eat my waffle" or "the Cambridge police acted stupidly" or "you'd think they'd say thank you!"...you think that's better than tearing up on camera? Showing your bitter partisanship and testiness is much worse than showing an honest emotion.
Purpleguy| 12.19.10 @ 1:54PM
We're talking about Boner now, dearie, let's not change the subject.
Are you supporting your guy by saying the other guy is worse? Really? that's the best support you can give?
Honest emotion? turning into a blubbering fool on camera is honest emotion? he needs to man up just like the rest of the whiny do-nothing Republicans.
Margie| 12.19.10 @ 6:22PM
Then tell Obama to stop throwing a baseball like a widdle boy and then we can talk.
DGinTN| 12.17.10 @ 3:23PM
What is the problem with honest tears? It IS part of being human and it does convey peoples true feelings. Glenn Beck, as you accuse, does not fake his tears. Only someone that does not consistently watch him would doubt the sincerity of his tears. You can decry mens tears as wimpy or whatever term you may apply, but for me, I would much rather see real tears from men - at least then I can assess their sincerity and truthfulness. Get over it.
GBinPA| 12.17.10 @ 3:29PM
We Americans don't need politician to tell us how we should feel. They can cry...or not cry as long as they vote right.
Hank Williams | 12.17.10 @ 4:10PM
The classic liberal and traditional conservative
http://confederateunderground......ional.html
Dan| 12.17.10 @ 4:59PM
The guy hasn't even taken over the post of majority leader and the press, both liberal and conservative, are already tearing him down. I look forward to conservative leadership from him and I don't give a damn if he is emotional and cries. Obama, Pelosi and Reid don't cry....would you rather they continue in leadership positions?
mames| 12.17.10 @ 7:19PM
He has stated he has an illness that causes this and makes him appear to be an alcoholic - what is this illness? He appears extremely unstable and does this all the time over nothing. Get him out of the leadership role now and put someone like Bachman in there instead.
Oldefarte| 12.17.10 @ 7:21PM
Pilosi can't cry.....her plastic surgeon removed her tear ducts during one of her numerous facelifts. She consequently does have the ability to automatically smile from ear to ear, similar to Nicholson's protrayal of.....THE JOKER!!!!
LJane| 12.17.10 @ 8:36PM
Hey, I know! Let's all peck him to death!
Wexford| 12.17.10 @ 8:38PM
This article is BS: JESUS CRIED! What's so wrong with crying. Get a heart Dan. Maybe you like a cold-hearted witch like Pelosi. I'll take Boehner any day. How about write about drugs, or the wars we're fighting, or how our money is worthless. You're article is a waste of words, like most BS written on the Internet today from so-called conservative writers.
Caroline| 12.17.10 @ 11:28PM
For pity sakes, I've never seen so much discussion on such a trivial issue. Why don't some of you contributors here spend more of your time and discourse on the really serious issues of the day?
Johnj Boehner's crying pales into insignificance.
in a dither| 12.18.10 @ 2:24AM
Everyone seems in quite a dither over John Boehner's tears. At least they are genuine. They seem to be emotionally connected to his concern for the future of children in our country. In a deeper sense than what is going to be offered in the school cafeteria!
Perhaps Daniel Flynn has never had anything occur in his life sufficient to bring him to tears, or perhaps he is just the bravest, stiff-upper-and lower lip on the planet. Or he could be just another hit and run "journalist", bent on destruction.
John Boehner was one of twelve children, brought up in a two bedroom, 1 bathroom home - the only child in his family to go to college.
What motivated this man? Not an older brother. Probably not his father. Why can't we give him credit for his accomplishents, rather than cut huim to ribbons before he has even taken the gavel, over a quiver of his chin a quavering voice, a tear or two.
Nerves, muscles and lachrymal glands don't ask our permission to go into action. Can Mr. Flynn prevent a lump in his throat? No, he can't.
Anymore than he can apparently control having his mouth run over criticizing John Boehner. It is just his nature.
According to what I have read, Boehner began working in his dad's bar at age 8 . Sweeping out a bar while other kids are out riding their bikes must conjure up fond childhood memories.
Ted Kennedy came from a large family, too, but he did not have to help his daddy in the bootlegging business - their fortune was already made.
According to the few facts available -( I don't believe Boehner has written a book entitled, "My Life and Hard Times: Waiting For the Bathroom Behind Eleven Siblings" ) - - it took Boehener seven years to complete college because he worked his way through - the only child in his family to accomplish that.
His congressional seat was not bought for him. He worked in a plastics company, rising to president of the firm before finally joining the ranks of lawmakers who have coasted in on some flimsy war record, as John Kerry.
As we, and Daniel Flynn, have no idea what hardships any child in the circumstances Boehner had to have grown up in - it might be a good idea not to use terms like pansy and wussy.
He can cry me a river, if when the time comes, he stands up to the Democrat doyenne Nancy Pelosi, who could not coax a tear out of her botoxed eyelids if she tried.
An emotional response is not an "emotional problem". Calling it that puts Mr. Flynn on the same intellectual level as Joy Behar and Whoopi Goldberg.
Deborah D | 12.18.10 @ 6:28AM
Bravo, In a Dither!!! No truer words have been written on this site in past few days. Thank you!!!
As the number 7 child of 8 -- living in close proximity to others is inspiring for some and inhibiting for others. Extroverts are in their element. Introverts just look for a place to be quiet!! (I was the latter). It shapes a person -- who knows how it shaped Boehner, but I love that he paid his mortgage off in 15 years because he doesn't like being in debt -- debt scares him. Good. That's what we need in a leader because our national debt and deficit are scaring the crapola out of me.
dither| 12.18.10 @ 3:01AM
Most accurate description I ever heard of GOLF was
"tiddly winks on grass" - I believe it was Florence King. A hole in one is a pure accident. Like finding a four leaf clover. I believe I said that
JadedByPolitics| 12.18.10 @ 8:04AM
Quite like football, I personally do not like crying in my politicians. It is indeed unseemly, Speaker Boehner did that crap right before voting for the 700B bank bailout with Americans tax dollars. I hated it then and I don't like it anymore now. I seriously question his ability to control himself!
Ned the Red| 12.18.10 @ 9:13AM
My daughter and granddaughter live with me due to divorce. When they first moved here my little granddaughter would cry quite easily over the slightest reasons. Sometimes it wasn't just a little cry, but a horrible sounding wail. The injury or perceived injury usually amounted to nothing.
I walk my three little dogs every morning and it wasn't long before she wanted to go with me. In this endeavor she is tough and very determined. She never complains about the weather or the distance we go. She loves being part of it.
One part of our walk is on a highway, a two lane road that is not busy; on this road I emphasized that she stay near me off the side of the road so we wouldn’t get run over by a car.
After a few walks she would occasionally fall down and this would be followed with the tears and wailing. I would tell her to knock it off, get her settled down, and of quickly make sure she wasn't really hurt. I would then spend the next half mile or so explaining to her that you do not need to cry for every little hurt. Sometimes you have to and there is nothing wrong with that, but it should only be for the most unbearable circumstances and should be private if possible. I also taught not to be ashamed of this type of crying, I think our system demands it, but she can't cry every time she falls down.
We walked a little ways farther and I could tell the gears in her head were spinning. Finally she stopped and asked, "Grandpa, if I fall down, and then a car comes and runs me over, can I cry then?” I told her only if bones are sticking out. This girl will make a fine Marine someday.
WendyG| 12.18.10 @ 11:21AM
I totally agree. Enough already with the crying!
Eric Damon| 12.18.10 @ 11:30AM
All of this because the guy cried when the GOP took back the House effectively making him Speaker and in an interview on 60 Minutes? What do either of those situations have to do with how he will lead in the House? Wasn't it John Boehner who was pushing his House GOP colleagues to stand against earmarks? Wasn't it John Boehner who did his damnedest to at least slow down the Pelosi House with a very small minority? Wasn't it John Boehner who was being attacked by the media and the White House for everything from having a tan to championing the extension of the Bush era tax rates? And not a tear was shed in the course of any of that, but many of you are acting like he is unfit as a leader because he has cried publicly. That is ridiculous!
I consider myself as much a man as anyone, and I am not ashamed to cry. I cried at Thanksgiving because we had all of our family in one place for at least that day and we each had the opportunity to tell each other how much we appreciated each other and loved one another. Did that make me unmanly or weak? I cried when my wife of 15 years announced to me that she wanted a divorce and I moved out of our home, leaving my kids there. Does that make me a wimp?
I do not understand for the life of me why a man expressing genuine emotion is so frowned upon by conservatives here. I would rather have a man like John Boehner as the Speaker, a man with honest emotions and the courage to express them, than to have an overly intellectual cold fish like Obama in charge. And I would much rather be governed by people who have emotions than a bunch of emotional cripples who believe that there is something wrong with a man occasionally crying about his profound awe of the heights he has risen to when compared to where he started out.
Margie| 12.18.10 @ 11:45AM
Mr. Damon,
Well spoken. IMNSHO (in my not-so-humble-opinion), and I've been saying this here for a couple of years~ there are conservatives who call themselves conservatives.. but they rip those of us apart who say anything positive about men like the new Speaker. They consider him a RINO, and not good enough.
What I've found just from posting here is that it's like going to a political college of sorts. There is a faction of so called conservatism that borders on Anarchy.. the Libertarianism of today. They are anti-war, anti-Israel, and anti-God. Many young people are joining them, sadly.
Only those of their own ilk need apply. And then you have the so called Paleo-conservatives who are much the same..
Both of these factions think they're the only "true conservatives."
You will see this when they refer to me (and anyone who dares to confront them), as a Marxist, a "Traitor to Conservatism". an Israel-Firster, and a Neo-Con.
They won't do this as much with others because not too many stand up to them. Try it sometime~ and see what you get!
So really, it isn't a matter of John Boehner's tears, it's about what he stands for that they don't like. It doesn't agree with their ideology!
Albert| 12.18.10 @ 3:22PM
Politicians "weep" simply because they take themselves FAR TOO SERIOUSLY!!! (Except Bill Clinton who can turn it on and off like a faucet, to suit the number of TV cameras present.) Yo! Boehner! Grow up! You are NOT THAT IMPORTANT! You don't have that much power. It is far past the time we need to send adults to Washington. and tell the little babies to go home to Mommie.
Ralph Novy| 12.18.10 @ 9:48PM
Flynn doesn't even have the basic ability to detect that Boehner's tears are crocodilian.
Useless article.
C.J. Cheetham| 12.19.10 @ 1:22AM
Fantastic commentary. When I saw Boehner bawling on election night, I was concerned. He was bawling because he was so excited and proud about HIMSELF. That is disturbing. I have no doubt he will compromise himself like a champ over the next 2 years.
Bawling, blubbering wussies NEVER stand up to the left nor the media.
Boehner needs to either GROW UP and stop with all the crying - or stand aside and let a real man like Mike Pence lead the effort.
Osamas Pajamas| 12.19.10 @ 2:06AM
Relax. Those are tears of joy. OhBummer has screwed the pooch. He's not out of business yet, but he's headed in the right direction. Yee haa. Sniffle, sniffle. Maybe he does need a boner, however...
GavInTucson| 12.19.10 @ 2:42AM
Seeing a grown man choked up every once in a while isn't a big deal. Seeing a grown man choked up and in tears at nearly every appearance on camera in a month is another.
John, I love this country as much as you do. The rags-to-riches story isn't a new thing. It's the very fabric that weaves this country together. Unlike most of the rest of the world, an individual isn't born and locked into a certain class.
The non-parasites willing to get off of their arses and work hard can achieve anything. You serve as a case in point. Stop the blubbering. It's bad enough I have to watch a President do it on a weekly basis in the form of whining.
Man up. The leftist I-want-to-be-a-government-owned-slaves don't (yet) run this country.
Purpleguy| 12.19.10 @ 1:56PM
The government works for us, omg, it is us, or did you miss that part in history class?
simon templar| 12.20.10 @ 8:39PM
Is the government working for us, Purple Guy? Where have you been for the last century? BTW, the goverment does not work for us..I think the constitution starts with WE, the PEOPLE.....!
Its called self government but I am sure you did not get that concept in your state public education experience. So, do you think We are running the show down in Washington or rather an elite aristocracy controlled essentially by corporatism?
Mel| 12.19.10 @ 4:47AM
Before this election, I vaguely thought of John Boehner as a Nixonian dark background figure who would do anything to win.
To advance that purpose, his handlers have told him to go full Oprah.
WGMOW| 12.19.10 @ 8:29AM
Wussy is NOT the new manly. MANLY is the new manly. Real women (read, not feminists, not those who live on the govenment, not victims, and not those pseudo-whores who sell out for alimony and child support payments) are bloody well sick and tired of sensitive men, hipsters, and manginas. Mr. Boehner needs to grown a set and be a man.
Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 12.19.10 @ 10:16AM
It's part of the chickification process of destroying manhood, without offering an alternative to replace manhood. In essence we're turning Japapinka.
By the way, I trust crying politicians about as much as I trust smiling used car salesmen.
somnolence| 12.19.10 @ 12:07PM
There is film footage of General Patton shedding tears at one of the death camps when it was liberated, which to me, is a testament to the humanity of the man, aside from the tough guy image(although, gosh, he was a man of many contradictions and convictions). Bill Bennett and his brother Bob didn't have it very easy growing up in a household run by a single mom, and I don't recall Bennett ever shedding a tear in public. I'm not as appalled at Boehner shedding a few tears since his formative background is so tied in with his adult emotional background. Mitch McConnell crying like a baby over Judd Gregg the other day disturbs me more, or McCain weeping over Russ Feingold-----PLEAAASE!
Yosemeti Sam| 12.19.10 @ 4:26PM
" For Crying Out Loud ...."
And of all carefully chosen Leftoid swamp grounds - on CBS skews yet!
PCP Smoker| 12.19.10 @ 4:49PM
Right on. Thanks for trashing Beck. He is a creep.
RRA| 12.20.10 @ 12:34AM
If the President of the USA did this, we would mock him quicker than a mockingbird.
So let's not lose some slack here, huh? I mean Jesus...I sure hope he hasn't seen OLD YELLER yet.
PCP Smoker - Beck isn't a creep as much as a clown, a very good one that some people mistake for a prophet. Difference between him and another opinionated, TV "news" personality in Stephen Colbert is this: Mr. Colbert is putting on an act, and he knows it. I believe Mr. Beck believes everything he says.
Weary of tear trashing| 12.20.10 @ 2:13PM
Perhaps we can broaden the subject a bit. How does Mr. Flynn look on blushing? Is that a sign of a person's immature, emotional inability to control embarrassment? Because a blusher cannot control blushing.
How about helpless, tears-in-your eyes laughter at something truly funny? Personally I think a person who can maintain a stone-face while reading a New Yorker cartoon is in need of serious therapy.
If Mr. Flynn has the self-control to find nothing worthy of tears, nothing mortifyingly embarrassing, and nothing worth a belly laugh, does that mean the rest of society is out of control and should just sober up?
Flynn has a book, INTELLECTUAL MORONS - could that be autobiographical?
general summerall| 12.20.10 @ 7:39PM
Back in the 70s Alec Karras got a lot of milage out of "big guys Do cry." Hubert Humphry cried at weddings and other occasions. I have cried watching Old Yeller, and Charlie Brown's Christmas, and while watching Reagan's funeral on C-Span, and when Earnhardt got killed. When Annette passes on I will probably turn on the faucets. The mean old general whose name I'm using broke down and bawled during the battle in the Argonne. The Speaker of the House is third in line to the Potus, so he/she is two heart beats away from having to become the Meanest SOB in the Valley USA. An iron soul is maybe necessary.
Simon Templar| 12.20.10 @ 8:45PM
I would not focus too much on his crying but rather on his effectiveness to stop the outright destruction of this country by the elites and their left wing cohorts. While were arguing about the validity or non validity of tears..they are ransacking the Republic and pushing it over the cliff!
REB| 12.21.10 @ 12:44AM
Aww come on...liberals and PETA types cry and whine all the time and nobody minds(at least sissy liberals dont) then when someone shows a bit of emotion( on the so called conservative side ) they run off at the mouth about it and mock!
Seeing what commie basturds have done to my America in the lat 100 years or so makes me want to well up too,but I wont for now,till I can cry tears of joy as the last commie in America is eliminated! I dont care if this guy or anyone cries all day every day as long as he/she helps return us to our roots and restore the republic!
Dont like it...then go cry about it,just not to me!
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