Last Wednesday, John Boehner let the tears flow hard both before and during his speech as he became the new Speaker of the House. This is not the first time we have seen Boehner cry; in fact, almost every interview or press conference I have seen, he gets choked up at some point. As a disclaimer, I’d like to say that so far I do like John Boehner (minus the crying).
I have somewhat conflicting feelings about John Boehner’s public display of emotion, but I believe the cons outweigh the pros. As far as pros go, I think it is very bold to cry in front of the entire nation. His supporters claim that this quality makes him “real.” I would also like to think Boehner is overwhelmingly flattered by his new position. Maybe his tears show how honored he is, how much he understands the importance of his job and the responsibility he has now and that they reflect a genuine attitude.
However, I think that Boehner has painted a bright red target on his chest that says “crybaby.” As much as I would like for the nation to believe in his sincerity and take his emotions to heart, it is not going to happen. His overly emotional demeanor is now a trademark of the speaker, and television personalities like Jimmy Fallon have taken full advantage of it. In one of his sketches, for example, Fallon portrayed an overly emotional Boehner who could not discuss the “Tron” movie or say his own name without crying. It was hilarious, but things like that make it hard for people who would only see something like Jimmy Fallon to take Boehner seriously.
I believe powerful speeches and actions can be made that will stir the hearts of many without a huge display of personal emotion from the speaker. I think in a position such as Speaker of the House, one must be bold and intentional. He or she needs to provide an image of strength and security — one that says “yes, I do care deeply about this, but I’ve got my emotions under control.”  And if the tears come once in a while, so be it — just not every time one gets up to speak.
I would also like to point out the awkwardness of crying in public. Think about the tension that is created; recall the feeling when no one else in the room is crying, or is even close to crying, and that one person starts getting choked up. Everyone shifts uncomfortably in chairs and hopes for a distraction to get that person to stop. I’m not trying to say what our representatives (or anyone else in Boehner’s presence) feel when he begins to cry, but my mental image is everyone mildly cringing and darting eyes at each other, thinking, “oh boy, here it comes … I hope it’s over soon …”
Perhaps all this will pass. As he begins his job, the nation can focus on Boehner as the new Speaker and not be concerned with whether or not he cries. Hopefully, Boehner can control his emotions and help lead our nation without the label of “crier” — but it is going to be difficult to get past that quickly.
Mary Chase Breedlove is a sophomore majoring in communication. She can be contacted at [email protected].