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Should Politicians Cry About Their Own Achievements?

    • Would you berate an athlete who just won the world series or super bowl for crying? This election is a lot more important. I grew up in Brooklyn in the 50′s and I subscribe to the Big Boys don’t cry doctrine, but I am proud to have a leader who cries rather than one who lies. Which is what most politicians do.

    • I don’t think he intended to get emotional. This illustrates one of the major differences between the USA and Europe. In Europe, people’s private and public lives are much more blurred so there is less privacy and sense of individuality. Americans have a much stronger sense of individuality and privacy. So when someone accomplishes something great, like becoming Speaker of the House, it is much more an individual accomplishment, and therefore something that tends to generate strong emotions. If you fail in Europe, it’s not too bad. If you fail in the USA, it can get really bad.

    • Hi ,



      Thanks for your time!

      Allen Faber
      V.P. sales
      Dare To Dream Stable Racing Partnerships

    • Sorry, I am a citizen of the United States and I cannot agree with NYer. I found it disconcerting! If he had broken down while thanking all the people who helped him, who supported him, it would have shown his gratitude and humility. Obviously, these are not high on his list of priorities…he is a man who is clearly the center of his universe!!

    • Obviously I don’t know this for certain, only Boehner does, but based on his facial expressions, the embarrassed look from being unable to control his emotions and the awkward attempts at stifling the water works I would venture the tears were genuine.

      My question is, was Boehner crying about his personal accomplishments, or did the idea of his past as it relates to that of the average American sadden him. Did it remind him of why he went to Washington in the first place? Was he finished with his speech or did he simply cut it short, was it an attempt at saving further embarrassment, considering the entire nation was watching, including the left wing media pundits (who graciously spared him THAT night) Not to mention it would have been a pretty uninspiring conclusion to the days events. This was the biggest speech of his life…do you really think he was going to end it with the same trite story he has told a million times. Clearly his intention was not to cry, but instead connect his pre political life and his current position in the House, then make some trite observation about feeling the pain of the proletariat.

      I am not suggesting Boehner does not have a huge ego. He is a politician, it only makes sense to assume that he does. However, Mr Boehner does not seem to possess false humility or that delusional sense of personal grandeur others in Washington do. He carries himself in a way that suggests he is supremely, inherently aware of his personal character deficiencies and has accepted them. (huge in my book)

      So my guess is he did not become choked up while revisiting the memories his personal accomplishments, instead Mr Boehner was choked up when connecting his former struggles to that of the average American. Perhaps he was humbled by the importance and magnitude of his new position, perhaps those memories from his past hardships cemented his obligation to the growing majority of disenfranchised Americans.

    • Maybe we can chug on over to mamby pamby land and and get you aome self confidence, you jack wagon.

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