John Boehner Tries Not To Cry During First Address With House Majority (VIDEO)

John Boehner's emotions nearly got the best of him late Tuesday night, as he addressed news that the GOP had taken majority control of the House of Representatives with a quivered lip, a quavering voice and perhaps a few tears.

"Listen, I hold these values dear because I've lived them. I've spent my whole life chasing the American Dream," Boehner said during his address, struggling to keep it together.

The crowd then began chanting "USA, USA," encouraging the Minority Leader to finish.

"I started out mopping floors, waiting tables, and tending bar at my dad's tavern. I put myself through school working every rotten job there was and night shift I can find. And I poured my heart and soul into running a small business," Boehner continued, his voice trembling. "And when I saw how out-of-touch Washington had become with the core values of this great nation, I put my name forward and ran for office."

Perhaps it shouldn't be a surprise that the emotional moment gave the man who is likely to become the next Speaker of the House the sniffles, especially considering his propensity for crying.

The Washington Post recently reported on a poignant moment in Boehner's career, when he was ousted from his GOP leadership position in the late 1990s:

He kept a brave face over glasses of red wine, until Republican Rep. Tom Latham of Iowa rose to toast his best friend. That's when Boehner, who is prone to tears (it drives him crazy, but he can't help it), lost it.

"Everybody in the whole room cried," he said.

But that wasn't a newsflash for anyone who's followed John Boehner's tenure in Washington. Whether speaking on the House floor or receiving an award, it's no secret that the man who would be Speaker is predisposed to showing off the waterworks.

WATCH:

Comments

[Brian Soto]

12:28 AM on 12/19/2010

The American dream of ethnocentrism, stratification and wealth aggrandizement, stealing from the poor to give to the rich... It just makes you feel so warm and tingly... *sobs*

[Michelle Rene Cronk]

09:07 PM on 12/19/2010

Right on as usual Brian.

[Wombaticus]

11:01 PM on 12/18/2010

He is about to take possession of one of the most important positions of power in the world. And the best thing that anyone can say is that he might not cry. I guess thats better than focusing on all the hurting and dying people his policies ignore every day, although I bet they cry too.

[jjgg5]

05:16 PM on 12/17/2010

Another liquid lunch?

[Balzy26]

10:41 AM on 12/17/2010

hahahaha I thought the republicans were supposed to be the "tuff guys"

[leoluminary]

04:29 PM on 12/15/2010

"poor me...poor me.....pour me another drink"

[TamerAir]

12:30 PM on 12/14/2010

what a pathetic phony politician, feeling sorry for himself but not for others

[susiesiouxsie]

11:34 AM on 12/14/2010

""Listen, I hold these values dear because I've lived them. I've spent my whole life"...

yes, you're wonderful principles that include being ruthless....big old cry baby....Jeeze!

[Leeann Herring]

09:30 PM on 12/13/2010

Wow Johnny are your parents proud you have killed the american middle class? Do your tears equal guilt?

[Beth Heinrich]

05:40 PM on 12/13/2010

There are thousands of people out there with the same kind of story. Many of them overcame worse odds than Mr Boehner ever dreamed of. He did seem to be able to turn the tears on and off during that speech. I would like to introduce him to a man struggling to support his daughter in unemployment that is about to run out or woman who has no health insurance and a chronically ill child. The tears seem to flow easily for this man with a very well paying job and the best health insurance in the country.

[Sandman911]

09:49 AM on 11/23/2010

Kudos to Boehner, going from waiting tables to Speaker of the House.!!
Perfect example of the benefits of a freemarket Republic, the ability through
hard work to rise up from poverty to success, Kudos Sir.

[emma richmond]

03:43 AM on 11/23/2010

This is when he's drunk, but this is who they want as a speaker of the House, they are headed off the Cliff at full speed.

[thepoliticalcat]

02:55 AM on 11/23/2010

Somebody needs to tell Johnnyboy to lay off the b0oze. That's the real cause behind those easy tears. Gadz, this wimp cries more than my favourite baby girl ever did, and she had an excuse. Johnnyboy, just because yer dad owned a bar doesn't mean you have to keep hittin' the bottle, dood. Give it a rest.

[doneflyin]

12:09 AM on 11/23/2010

Ed Schultz put it succinctly: "Bar fly tears."

[ebanks84]

11:27 PM on 11/22/2010

Then he's going to be crying like a baby then if he's listening to Keith Olbermann tonight. A whistle blower, Wendell Potter, is about to come on that will tell all on the repubs who tried to stop Obamacare. He's blowing the insurance industry medical field out of the water with his new book and apologizing to Michael Moore for trying to stop his movie SICKO, which he now admits was absolutely true.

It looks like the TRUTH is finally catching up to the lies that went around the world before the truth could get its shoes on.

You go Wendell and spill all those beans :). It's coming up after the commercial.

[Sandman911]

09:50 AM on 11/23/2010

LOL ! Even Moore admits he took liberties with the truth in Sicko. Moore is a great capitalist !!!

[ebanks84]

10:29 AM on 11/23/2010

Who isn't in this country besides the poor?

[MrsLee]

05:59 PM on 11/22/2010

It is in the repubs best interest to make sure the state of America remains in the tank throughout Obama's presidency.. Once 2012 arrives, they will position themselves as the saviors of America and take back the whitehouse...

Whatever Obama's going to do he needs to do it now !!