The rise, fall and rise of John Boehner

[onehandle]

File Photo:



Just before Thanksgiving 1998, John A. Boehner hit bottom. The Ohio congressman, once a comer in the Republican Party, was unceremoniously removed from his post in the House leadership. Boehner's colleagues had a win-at-all-costs mind-set; he saw no point in antagonizing the Democratic minority just because he had the power to do so.

That night, Boehner commiserated with his closest friends at Sam and Harry's steakhouse in downtown Washington. 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.

Twelve years later, Boehner, 60, is on the verge of completing a remarkable political comeback. He is now the minority leader, and if Republicans win control of the House in next week's midterm elections, he will almost certainly become speaker.

His rise is partly the result of a tireless fundraising operation that has poured money into fellow Republicans' campaigns, and partly a reward for his willingness to fashion himself into the uncompromising leader of the opposition to President Obama.

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Great. A vampire just in time for Halloween.

[rurallib]

2. I was going with Zombie

whatever - the color says he is something unnatural.

[sunwyn]

3. I just don't understand how people in my district keep voting for this guy.

[onehandle]

4. People like him win because there is an impression that his power allows him to do more.

What they don't get is that it's not them who are getting the benefits.

People are morons.

[FSogol]

5. An orange conduit to funnel money from corporations to courrupt GOP politiicans

Tireless should never be used for Boehner since he is one of the laziest Congressmen in US History. Subtract his bar time, golf time from his 20 hour "work" week and you'll wonder where the time goes. Boehner is the type of scum who is ruining this country. The last time he was leader, congress only worked 4 days a week, leaving early on Thursday. He is incapable of addressing any problem other than how to stay in power. People who vote for him are Rubes, people who give him checks are traitors, and this article from today's Washington Post was obviously a valentine from the GOP.

[HopeHoops]

6. Bob Dole palmed him some "little blue pills" - that explains everything.