I have been pondering a post putting forward a conviction that is gradually crystallizing that John Boehner may well become a great Speaker of the House, exceeding the accomplishments of his most recent predecessors and securing the reputation as a transformational figure in American politics, a legislator who fulfills the Reagan legacy, a leader who, because of his temperament, completes what Newt Gingrich began (but because of his temperament could not complete).

This piece would focus more on that temperament than his ideology.  The notion first started coming into focus when I read portions of his September 30 AEI speech.  Even a piece by Michael Barone where the sage pundit opined that “Boehner is not likely to become as prominent a figure as Gingrich or Pelosi” helped this idea grow.  Barone contended that the “GOP freshmen will hold Boehner to his big promises”.  Indeed, the incoming Speaker has included two, South Carolina’s Tim Scott and South Dakota’s Kristi Noem in the GOP leadership for the 112th Congress.

That he turns to the incoming freshman suggests he’s aware of the ideas which helped them secure their victories.

The latest news to increase my confidence in my fellow Ohio native comes via the indispensable Jennifer Rubin.  In his “first press conference as the GOP’s officially favored choice for Speaker“, Boehner offered this on Obamacare’s prospects in the 112th Congress:

We think that Obamacare ruined the best healthcare in the country, we believe it will bankrupt our nation, we believe it needs to be repealed and replaced with commonsense reforms to bring down the cost of health insurance and you’ll see us move quickly enough . . . .

Could there be a more succinct formulation of the problems of Republican opposition to the Democrats’ legislative overhaul?   Boehner coupled this articulation of opposition with a promise of action.  This is not exactly what he needs to say on the issue at this time.  Once he becomes Speaker, we’ll need to see more specifics.

He does seem to be aware of the task ahead of him.

Remember what a crybaby the unhappy Barney Frank was in victory, unable to graciously acknowledge his opponent’s spirited, but, alas, unsuccessful campaign?  Well, as crass as the mean-spirited man from Massachusetts was in victory, his similarly septuagenarian party leader, outgoing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, is graceless in defeat.

Via JammieWearingFool, comes her commentary on her successor’s tears.

Incoming Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said incoming Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) is “known to cry.”

“You know what? He is known to cry. He cries sometimes when we’re having a debate on bills. If I cry, it’s about the personal loss of a friend or something like that. But when it comes to politics — no, I don’t cry. I would never think of crying about any loss of an office, because that’s always a possibility, and if you’re professional, then you deal with it professionally,” Pelosi (D-Calif.) told the New York Times magazine.

She noted: ”I have deep emotions about the American people. If I were to cry for anything, I would cry for them and the policies that they’re about to face.”

How rich is this comment.  Couldn’t she just acknowledge the humanity of the man and many of us cry at emotionally challenging — or uplifting — moments?  Why does she have to use the occasion to try to lecture her partisan adversary on her superior temperament.  Well, if she she really believes what she says, she doesn’t lead by example.  Later in the post, JWF asks, “As to her claim she never cries over politics, how does she explain this performance?”  Yep, he’s got video of Pelosi crying over politics.

And her nastiness is on full display in her comment on the tears she claims she would shed.

Yup, he’s got the San Francisco Democrat demonstrating, by her own standard, some very unprofessional behavior.