Barney Frank: Of Thee I Zing

As you know by now, longtime Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank will be retiring from the House of Representatives, opting to forego a post-redistricting reelection run next year for a career in writing and public policy advocacy. He'll leave behind a long legacy of legislating, obviously, but he'll also leave an equally impressive legacy of quips and zingers, which he deployed at will to ridicule reporters, belittle political opponents and, on one memorable occasion, compare the LaRouchie version of Ani DiFranco to a "dining room table."

Our own Ryan Grim remembers how he "bore the brunt of more tirades than he can count -- many of them deserved, no doubt, and all of them enjoyable, but only in hindsight." The ability to enjoy being cut down by Frank in hindsight is something that others have found difficult to master. Karl Rove, for one, sounded off on Frank's retirement by saying the Democratic legislator "is incapable of feeling shame, regret or a sense of personal responsibility." (As Alex Balk observes, Rove probably practiced that line in front of a mirror.)

Our own Ben Craw provides the definitive highlight reel of Barney Frank cold-stickin' it to people. Enjoy (in hindsight at the very least)!

Video produced by Ben Craw.

PREVIOUSLY, on the HUFFINGTON POST: Chewed Out By Barney Frank: Reporters Remember

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Comments

[Jeremy Frasier]

05:22 PM on 11/30/2011

Man I am going to miss Barney, he was such a fighter. More importantly, he fought with the facts on his side, and not some talking point opinion. The clip with the woman at the town hall and the 'what planet are you from' was the best. Barney had no patience for ignorance, which I can really appreciate.

[Robert Breedlove]

07:39 AM on 11/30/2011

Barney will be missed, thankfully we will still have Al Franken!

[Josh Marx]

02:06 AM on 11/30/2011

Damn, just when we need people like him most.

[ClassicalGas]

12:55 AM on 11/30/2011

I would welcome more Democrats who have the brass to tell it the way Barney Frank has.

[oldpol2]

01:07 AM on 11/30/2011

Atta way to go CG! Sure gonna miss Barney Frank!

[ClassicalGas]

01:08 AM on 11/30/2011

You know it, oldpol!

[teachone]

12:32 AM on 11/30/2011

GO BARNEY!!!! He knows how to call a spade a spade, does not back down to the republicans/teaparty, is willing to take the side of what is right,ethical, moral, even when all are against his views and most importantly, does back to others, what they do to him!!! He has integrity and tremendous courage, not afraid to stand alone for what is right!! He is an excellent public servant. I will miss him!!

[LMPE]

12:04 AM on 11/30/2011

When "60 Minutes" interviewed Barney Frank, he affirmed that he has no plans to ever run for president, saying something like "I'm an openly gay Jew. I would never win in about half the country."

[vnomad]

11:48 PM on 11/29/2011

Salut!

[cincinnati]

11:28 PM on 11/29/2011

Thanks Barney !

but we do need fresh faces and thinking in Congress,
in both parties.....and Republicans that know the
word
COMPROMISE and DECENCY !

[flossophy]

11:25 PM on 11/29/2011

History will not be kind to Mr. Frank.

[ideasmatter]

11:27 PM on 11/29/2011

Do you have an argument? Or just "authority"?

[Rus Viking]

11:53 PM on 11/29/2011

Well.....Life hasn't been very kind to him, why would History?

[mech126]

11:14 PM on 11/29/2011

He will be missed....

[robbor]

11:24 PM on 11/29/2011

very

[butdoyou]

10:54 PM on 11/29/2011

"Like arguing with a dining room table" I loved it. one of my favorite sayings...=)

[Brigette]

10:52 PM on 11/29/2011

"On what planet do you spend most of your time?" LOL

[gguy]

11:09 PM on 11/29/2011

You might want to poll the closeted, self-hating Republican congressmen about that.

[iyalode5]

11:09 PM on 11/29/2011

It's already been done. I heard on Faux news that Herman Cain has switched sides and is running a "Male prostitution brothel" out of the back of his car and that is why he's quitting the race. And if he's not up to the job, there are several closet cases on the republican side who would be glad to betray their wives (How many times has this happened) and get caught perving in airport restrooms etc. Oh, and don't forget Mitt i'm a pitcher not a catcher Romney. It's commonly reported and I have substantial proof that Mormonism is a beard for the most radical of homosexuals!! Where is my proof and fact checking?? NOWHERE (except for the closet case bit) just like yours!

[pfeld]

10:41 PM on 11/29/2011

We love Barney Frank and mourn his retirement.

[ConservativeChampion]

10:35 PM on 11/29/2011

How many Democrats have had their careers ended by obama?

[mech126]

10:44 PM on 11/29/2011

OBAMA 2012, A SURE WIN........

[HiramWdwsn]

10:48 PM on 11/29/2011

Dumb question considering what happened in 2008 to Republicans...Did it ever occur to you that some people wanna have a life after serving the Gov't for a while?