The Crying Game / John Boehner on 60 Minutes

[telemann.livejournal.com]

60 Minutes had an segment on John Boehner Sunday evening. Many on the left are making a big deal of how much he cries (calling him Weeper-of-the-House), suggesting that if Speaker Pelosi had been as emotional, the right wingers would have had a field day with it. Leslie Stahl also noticed the frequency of Boehner's crying, and was honestly taken aback by it and asked him about it. Despite his reputation as being a rich guy who loves to play golf with lobbyists, Boehner's personal life-story is a traditional American success story, the 2nd oldest of 12 children (!), devout Roman Catholic (went to daily Mass), and from a family that were Kennedy Democrats, and Boehner worked as a janitor for 7 years while going to college. It's a nice piece and certainly gives you a lot of insights to the man. I would highly recommend it, I learned a lot about him. Apparently Boehner and Ted Kennedy were the best of friends and Boehner thought highly of him.

Comments

[pattyoplenty.livejournal.com]

Hmm...facts I didn't know. Thanks for sharing, although I do think he needs to tone down the water works just a tad.

[reality-hammer.livejournal.com]

There's a difference between shedding a tear because you are overcome with positive emotions and crying out of fear/anger/frustration.

He's not my favorite politician but not because he sheds a tear every now and then.

I should also add that Ohio seems to have a larger than normal share of politicians who are a bit weepy. :P

[ddstory.livejournal.com]

Men who cry are sweet. Period.

I also like his orange face. I remember Jon Stewart joking that the Orange minority finally has its representative in power. :)

[dreadfulpenny81.livejournal.com]

Crying is a natural, emotional response and criticizing someone for crying is just plain gutless.

[mylaptopisevil.livejournal.com]

I like Boehner because he allows conservatives to do mental acrobatics that suddenly justify behavior normally portrayed by their party as weak and feminine actions which in turn translate to poor leadership skills.

[mijopo.livejournal.com]

yeah, yeah, crying is great and sensitive and all that. But come on, the GOP speaker of the house breaks down crying at the general mention of children hospitals and Leslie Stahl thinks he needs to toughen up ...

proof in the pudding

[mylaptopisevil.livejournal.com]

When Hillary cried, she was either weak as a politician or cheap and insincere. But now? Crying is emotional honesty and a sign of a leader who cares.

"'It's not easy, it’s not easy, and I couldn't do it if I just didn't passionately believe it was the right thing to do,' she said. 'I have so many opportunities for this country. I don't want to see us all fall back,' she said, her voice breaking in the last phrase. 'This is very personal for me,' she said to supportive applause from the small gathering, at which she'd been discussing policy around a table for an hour. 'It's not just political, it's not just public -- I see what's happening. We have to reverse it.'" So she teared up out there à la Ed Muskie. Will it hurt? Will it help? A sedate event where a question of how she gets her hair done on a daily basis is what gets reported. A female asked that question. They call me the sexist. You don't cry in politics just like you don't cry in baseball. Did you see the Democrat debate on Saturday night? You want to hear Mrs. Clinton lose it? She lost her temper. If she had an ashtray, she might have thrown it.

(Rush Limbaugh (http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_010708/content/01125110.guest.html.guest.html))

Sometimes, it's usual to have a heart of stone. I don't believe it was genuine. I think no Clinton cries without calculating first. And I think this if it was genuine it was entirely solipsistic and narcissistic. It is all about her. Why is she crying for the country? Is Barack Obama not going to be liberal enough for her? Is Barack Obama not going to appoint the kinds of people she wants to the Supreme Court? Is Barack Obama not a stronger candidate in the general election than her? She's crying for herself, and I don't even believe it is genuine. I think it is entirely calculated.

(William Kristol (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,321025,00.html))

I don't buy the hype of the tears. I don't think you should, either. Apparently, Hillary Clinton isn't just running for president, but she's also making a run for the best actress nomination. And here's how I got there. Believe me, I know what it's like to get caught off guard and break down occasionally. I mean, I cry on this freaking show like every 10 minutes, so don't get me wrong here. I get it. And I appreciate somebody who can cry. But I'm a big sissy in a purple shirt, and I'm not running for the leader of the free world. You know what I'm saying?

(Glenn Beck (http://mediamatters.org/research/200801090005))

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

Works for Glenn "Bircher" Beck, so no reason it wouldn't work for this assclown. The Right likes its men as crybaby whiners.

[meus-ovatio.livejournal.com]

*sets his whiskey down*

Talk to me when he runs out of tears.

[xforge.livejournal.com]

Choked up over a couple million little kids going without health insurance or a decent school lunch: one thing

Choked up because a few dozen billionaires who don't even WANT tax cuts might not get them: another thing entirely

[retrofire.livejournal.com]

To me when he cries he is like a cartoon character, an orange smurf. When he cries it makes me wonder if he is also a bed wetter, not that there would be anything wrong with that.

[harry-beast.livejournal.com]

I don't think it's unreasonable for people to expect leaders to be strong and to inspire confidence. Excessive and indiscriminate crying undermines the guy's credibility, and he should get a grip on it.

[il-mio-gufo.livejournal.com]

I'm sure going to miss Pelosi