Boehner Bursts Into Tears at Fiscal
Cliff Press Briefing
Washington (AP) -- Speaker of the House John
Boehner, apparently overcome with frustration at the pace of “Fiscal Cliff”
negotiations, burst into tears at a press briefing this afternoon. When asked repeatedly to characterize the
progress of the talks, Boehner wavered, and then began sobbing, saying “It’s
just not fair! Every other time the
President did what I wanted him to, but this time I just don’t think he's going to!”
Public
tears are nothing new to the Speaker. He
has been known to wear his emotions on his sleeve, often sniffling when
referencing his hardscrabble upbringing or expressing his love for the country. But never before has he slipped when discussing
policy or politics.
The crying
jag was brought on by a seemingly innocuous question by Kelly O’Donnell of NBC,
after a series of related questions from the White House press corps. “Mr. Speaker, how would you describe the tone
of the discussions so far, the tenor of them if you will?” At that point, clearly emotional, the
Speaker’s lip quivered before the floodgates opened, as the phalanx of
congressional Republicans behind him began to shift uncomfortably and exchange
worried glances.
The Speaker
pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his cheeks and appeared to recover quickly. He launched into another critique of
President Obama but then faltered again.
“The President has wasted another week with his refusal to….ah….his
refusal to…I mean, he just isn’t doing what I want him to do!” At this point the Speaker broke down entirely
as House Majority Leader Eric Cantor stepped forward, closely followed by
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
Cantor grasped the Speaker and then appeared to give him a quick shove
in the direction of McConnell, who took the Speaker by the shoulders and guided
him away from the podium, patting his back.
“Speaker
Boehner is right in…ah….concept,” Cantor declared. “We stand united in opposition to President
Obama’s one-sided approach to the fiscal cliff negotiations.” Cantor then nodded curtly to the press and
jerked his thumb to the congressional delegation in an apparent directive to
leave, as the press shouted questions that went unanswered as the congressmen
shuffled off hurriedly.
Shortly
thereafter, the Speaker’s office issued a terse statement. “Our position on the fiscal talks is
unchanged.”
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