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Andy Ostroy

Andy Ostroy

Posted: December 13, 2010 03:07 PM

Is John Boehner a Crybaby?

What's Your Reaction:

2010-12-13-Boehner.jpg


What's with John Boehner and all the crying? It seems the Republican Party's new Speaker of the House can't seem to talk about anything these days without an uncontrollable emotional outburst. He's an unhinged sobbing mess whether he's on the House floor arguing a bill; talking about his childhood during a victory speech; or reacting to his wife's praise during Sunday night's 60 Minutes interview. Jeez, the guy cries more than my 6-year-old daughter.

Now don't get me wrong. I'm all for men showing their emotions, and crying is a big part of that. I actually have a lot of respect for Boehner and his obvious comfort in expressing himself this way. He's clearly secure enough with himself and his masculinity, and he should be considered a terrific role model for young boys who need to know it's okay to show their emotions and cry.

But when it comes to Boehner, what should be noted is the free pass Democrats have given him for these emotional outbursts. Can you imagine if he were a liberal? Can you imagine how the Republican attack machine would mock and denigrate him and besmirch his character? How they'd portray him as a sissy and weakling, unsuitable to handle the intense pressures and stress of one of the most important, powerful jobs in Washington? Too emotional and fragile to be second in the line of succession for the presidency? You can be sure the attacks would be vicious and relentless.

Just remember how the GOP media thugs attacked and questioned John Kerry's war record during the 2004 election. Or the nonsense earlier this year about how Harry Reid and other Democrats need to "man up." In a political landscape where the rhetoric and vitriol spews incessantly and the smears over one's masculinity is about as common as a Tea Party attack on "big government," you can bet that the homophobic vituperation and character-assassination of Boehner would be certain if he sat on the other side of the aisle.

 

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04:09 PM on 01/02/2011
Remember when Edmond Muskie cried when campaigning for president. That ended his presidential run. The Right wingers said no one should be allowed to govern that is so emotionally unstable. Same old double standard.

I don't mind men crying either, but he is always crying about his own personal story. To bad he has no emotions for people who are in similar circumstances to his past.
12:09 PM on 12/15/2010
John Boehner's crying is annoying. At Easter, you bake a big ham and it seems like a good idea. By the fourth day you're staring at the thing in the refrigerator just wishing it would go away. John Boehner is a toasty, golden brown ham that I'm just tired of looking at. He cries about his American dream and wanting children to have the same while blocking healthcare and unemployment benefits. Maybe he's crying about the thought that David Lesar might not achieve his American dream.
08:17 PM on 12/14/2010
Something ain't right.
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Suzybelle
I am a white elderly woman
11:47 AM on 12/14/2010
Well, he is now known as WEEPER OF THE HOUSE
11:15 AM on 12/14/2010
The massive liberal media conspiracy orchestrated by George Soros is the obvious reason for the lack of ridicule and denigration. They WANT Blubbering Boener as the face of the Republicant House.
03:39 AM on 12/14/2010
Your blog posting makes the assumption that if Mr. Boehner were a Democrat he would be attacked, besmirched, hit with homophobic vituperation, etc. Reading the comments below, it looks as if he gets that treatment anyway. They must all feel really masculine when they pick on him for showing emotion for his country and the American Dream. I think if Obama was half as impassioned about his love of the country, instead of he and his family constantly ‘dissing’ it, he would be more greatly respected, especially in the Gulf States where his lack of concern still stings.

Kai
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Andy Ostroy
07:53 AM on 12/14/2010
Kai, there's a huge difference between a small sect of either party dissing someone and a massive media campaign. You don;t hear a peep on TV, the radio, print press, online attacking Boehner for his crying. There may be coverage of it, which is simply the media's job to report, but outside of mainstream news orgs you don;t have a nasty attack campaign...the likes of which would for sure occur if Hannity, Limbaugh etc had the opportunity to attack a Dem.

As for Obama, that you question his patriotism and love of country proves my point. Show a few tears? You'd skewer him.
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11:42 PM on 12/13/2010
The must be some crocodile in his ancestry.........
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jbvbwysu
I actually read the article before I comment on it
11:22 PM on 12/13/2010
John Boehner cries:

1.) Out of frustration
2.) As a ploy for sympathy
3.) As a means of deflection (i.e. away from his own inability to make a cogent argument)
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Kara Kramer
11:06 PM on 12/13/2010
Forget the conservative attack machine, can you imagine how the liberal attack machine would go for him?
President Obama hasn't done half as much and he's shredded from all sides!
Seriously though, in Boehner's defense, I know someone who thinks that the reason he keeps crying so much?
It's because now he's speaker he's realised he's going to have to govern, and he's got no ideas!
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Andy Ostroy
07:54 AM on 12/14/2010
There's a big difference between criticizing a president over his policies and attacking him for crying. The left would not do the latter.

I agree with you about Boehner.
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MajorKong
If the pilot's good, see, I mean if he's reeeally
09:18 PM on 12/13/2010
If Boehner were a Democrat the conservative media machine would have already made "crybaby" stick so hard he would never be able to distance himself from it.
08:52 PM on 12/13/2010
He's in the maudlin progression of alcoholism.
It's not unusual for them to go through a kind of manic depressive state as denial of alcoholism becomes impossible to deny and self pity alternates with denial.
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08:14 PM on 12/13/2010
he's an alligator in tears
Hookedonfashion
You can't judge a book by its cover, or its name.
07:59 PM on 12/13/2010
I think he is unsuitable for the job, and, yes, he is a crybaby.
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pasc
Willfully Ignorant: The New Normal.
07:41 PM on 12/13/2010
(sigh)

It just doesn't matter, does it?

We can point out the hypocrises, the half-truths, the misleading, and the bald-faced lies until we're blue in the face...

And none of these revelations will make the slightest bit of difference to anyone.
07:59 PM on 12/13/2010
That's correct, because nobody believes it.
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Jay Wilson
07:20 PM on 12/13/2010
Can you imagine is President Obama, or Nancy Pelosi did this much public crying? They'd be crucified.
Media = Hypocrites.
07:29 PM on 12/13/2010
Exactly, the quivering lip and all.