John Boehner '60 Minutes' Interview: Future Speaker Moved By 'American Dream' (VIDEO)

With the clock running out on the Democratic majority in the House, "60 Minutes" took some time to look at what makes incoming Republican Speaker John Boehner tick.

Poised to become second in the order of Presidential succession, Boehner came from humble beginnings. The second oldest of twelve siblings, he grew up in a small home with a single bathroom and started working in a bar owned by his dad at around 10 years old.

Boehner met his wife, Deborah, while emptying her trash as he worked to pay for college. "He was a janitor on the night shift when I met him," she recalled.

Now, "I'm a regular guy with a big job," he told CBS's Lesley Stahl.

The interview spends some time examining "the sob heard 'round the world" from Boehner's speech after last month's midterm elections.

"I think you probably found out by now, I'm a pretty emotional guy," he reflected. "There's just some things that trigger real emotions. I was trying to talk about the fact that I've been chasing the American Dream my whole career." Boehner started to well up again.

The future Speaker had trouble speaking at other points in the interview, too. "I don't take myself very seriously, but I take what I do very seriously," he said before choking up another time. "Making sure that these kids have a shot at the American Dream like I did is important."

Stahl tried to comfort him: "I want to hold your hand!"

In an additional web segment, Stahl said that being in touch with his emotions is "central" to the GOP leader. "It's full-bore crying. It's not just little tears. It's really crying and he does it a lot." She predicts that people will like him as a result.

It may be most surprising to learn that Boehner's family were Kennedy democrats, and that the future speaker describes himself as "really good friends" with the late Sen. Ted Kennedy.

But despite a couple good omens for bipartisanship, Boehner opens the interview by focusing on the differences he has with President Barack Obama. When asked about Republican approaches that have disrespected the president, Boehner shot back that Obama showed disrespect in the other direction by referring to the GOP as "hostage takers" during the battle over extending the Bush tax cuts.

And while expressing an interest in "common ground," Boehner refused to entertain the idea of compromise. "I reject the word," he said. Elsewhere in the interview, Boehner added, "I made it clear I am not gonna compromise on my principles, nor am I gonna compromise the will of the American people."

WATCH THE MAIN "60 MINUTES" INTERVIEW:

WATCH THE ADDITIONAL SEGMENT ON BOEHNER'S CRYING:

Comments

[ThankGodhesgone]

11:26 PM on 01/05/2011

If he cries at his 'inauguration', just imagine his total meltdown when he has to hand the gavel back to the dems in 2012.

[Ernie Vega]

07:06 AM on 01/06/2011

He will have Cantor do it. If we're still doing that by then.

This country is headed toward a point of conflict. I sincerely hope it does not come to that but Republicans and Tea Party people and policies intend to , and may go too far. If they do, there will be unrest this summer. If this happens what comes next is anybody's guess.

[liltrix]

09:58 PM on 01/05/2011

Where's the jobs Mr. Dreamer?

[shrinktalkingheads]

09:35 PM on 01/05/2011

How fake the theater of tears when this is your voting record:

Voted NO on prohibiting job discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Voted NO on enforcing against anti-gay hate crimes.
Voted NO on maintaining right of habeas corpus in Death Penalty Appeals.
Voted NO on enforcing limits on CO2 global warming pollution.
Voted NO on tax incentives for energy production and conservation.
Voted NO on tax incentives for renewable energy.
Voted NO on investing in homegrown biofuel.
Voted NO on criminalizing oil cartels like OPEC.
Voted NO on keeping moratorium on drilling for oil offshore.
Voted NO on regulating tobacco as a drug.
Voted NO on expanding the Children's Health Insurance Program, but at the same time, Voted YES on funding for health providers who don't provide abortion info.
Voted NO on restricting employer interference in union organizing.
Voted NO on increasing minimum wage to $7.25.
Voted NO on paying for AMT relief by closing offshore business loopholes.
Voted NO on extending AMT exemptions to avoid hitting middle-income. (your tax under AMT rules may be higher than your tax under regular tax rules.)
Voted YES on allowing telephone monopolies to offer Internet access.

[jaeger1234]

02:19 AM on 01/06/2011

looks like a solid voting record to me

[beartrack]

09:29 PM on 01/05/2011

This guy is going to be way over his head. This will be fun watching him try to herd those Tea Bagger cats in the house. The 112th Congress will prove to be the least productive in history. Nothing is going to get done. That is except the Repubs will be shown to be the corporate criminals they are. The hope is that the voters will see that too in 2012.

[EmbarrassedInAZ]

07:30 PM on 12/15/2010

Ok, now we know where he came from and that he cries when he talks about it. However where is the empathy for those who struggle to feed their families and keep a roof over their heads? The thought of this man being third in line to the Presidency is the scariest thought today…not for the crying but for the total lack of empathy!

[motherofsix]

06:24 PM on 12/15/2010

I invite him to come to Defiance,Ohio and tell my grandchildren that the American Dream is that its alright for their mother to die just because she was born autonamic disfunction (NCS) and their father has to stay with her because if she passes out to make sure she doesn't hurt herself if she falls. That it is alright that because they have been made poor because of this illness they can't work and are forced to get the state medical card and the only dentist in NW Ohio made her teeth rot from the inside out and their is not an oral surgeon in a 3 county area that treats the poor with respect or will take them at all. Her almost dying was completely avoidable if she had had decent treatment from the beginning. She would not have had to go to the ER at least 3 times. She is still not out of danger, we are waiting till the 29th of this month to see an oral surgeon that will take care of her. I have known of one person that died from a similar problem (heart/teeth). And don't think having insurance can guarantee anything better- I fought BC/BS of Ohio for two years to pay the bill for her older brother's open heart surgery 20 years ago. Put his tears where is mouth is, look my family in the face and tell them they do not deserve LIFE, LIBERTY and the Pursuit of HAPPINESS.

[thepostalfeminist]

02:31 PM on 12/15/2010

The problem with Boehner and other bootstrap champions of the American Dream is that winning big is like winning the lottery. For every one that makes it, millions of hard working American's don't make it. Intelligent, hard working people miss out on scholarships. Experienced and dedicated people miss out on the promotion. Clever business people get caught in the crossfire of economic fluctuations.

The biggest problem with the successful 'American Dreamers' is that they forget that they the fortunate few! When they win, they think it's because they did it on their own, forgetting the others left behind. What's wrong with getting to the top and then opening up the doors for others. What's wrong with waking up to the reality that doors of opportunity need to be opened wider.... more education, more jobs, more support for the hard working Americans who are dreaming that they will be able to put food on the table, pay the mortgage or rent, and maybe celebrate the holidays.

Stop crying about your beliefs and values and get out there and do something for the people who need your help.

[ShamanX]

12:58 PM on 12/15/2010

More people need to wake up to the fact that the American Dream is a massive lie. Its a propaganda tool used to shroud the truth in a red white and blue fuzzy blanket.

This joker and his peers are peddling an almost infinitely vast smoke-and-mirrors act to keep the eye of the American people off the fact that they're being fleeced and policed by banks and corporations into a second rate society with a rabid fear of anything outside the boundaries of vapid mediocrity.

"The owners of this country know the truth... It's called the American Dream... Because you have to be asleep to believe it." — George Carlin

[Gumby69]

12:17 PM on 12/15/2010

Considering he came from such poverty, to now being at the behest of corporations' bidding methinks he's forgotten where he was from.

[PharmaCan]

11:41 AM on 12/15/2010

All the crying is typical of an alcoholic. It's hard to fathom that some drunk will be instrumental in charting the course for America for at least the next two years, let alone that he is second in line for the Presidency.

[Peter Wu]

11:27 AM on 12/15/2010

I think he has forgotten his humble beginnings since neither he, nor any other GOP congressman seem to have any compassion for those who are out of work and struggling to make ends meet. They held the unemployed hostage so that the rich could get extended tax cuts, making sure the wealthiest 1% could pursue the American Dream.

[mataylor16]

10:52 AM on 12/15/2010

I guess an emotionally unstable leader in the political class is fitting for a mentally unstable constituency.

[TomJoad1965]

10:44 AM on 12/15/2010

If John Wayne was alive, he'd "female dog" slap him.

[michael429]

10:21 AM on 12/15/2010

Boehner has the same personality traits as Nixon...but i don't think he is as smart or ambitious....

[SAnn]

09:44 AM on 12/15/2010

What a hypocrite! If Boehner cared anything about the future of our kids, he would not be forcing tax cuts for the richest 2% of this country by holding up unemployment benefits and tax breaks for the the other 98% when he knows we will have to borrow more money from foreign countries to pay for them. with these fake crying jags.

[fredpa]

01:49 PM on 12/15/2010

Yep.

[rMatey]

08:29 PM on 12/15/2010

Exactly right.