Pass the tissues, please

What’s your take on presumptive House Speaker John Boehner’s tearful victory speech Tuesday night, after it was clear Republicans had picked up enough seats to control the chamber starting in January? Boehner, derided for his perpetual tan and Washington insider-ism, broke down at several points as he described his pursuit of the American dream. Boehner’s personal story is a classic tear-jerker: huge family, working all hours in his dad’s tavern, putting himself through school — just about everything except scrawling his sums on the blade of a shovel by firelight. OK, the shovel bit was gratuitously cynical. Seriously, although Boehner’s known around Washington as a chronic sobber, regularly choking himself up during big floor speeches, Tuesday’s display looked like the real deal. The Boehner speakership has yet to unfold, but it looks like he’ll be a stark contrast to President Obama’s clinical, professorial manner.

Thank you for joining our conversation on ScissorTales. We encourage your discussion but ask that you stay within the bounds of our commenting and posting policy.