What’s wrong with incoming Speaker of the House John Boehner’s emotional transparency ? Nothing according to CNN’s Anderson Cooper.
On the December 14 broadcast of Cooper’s “AC 360” program, Cooper took on the objections from the women of “The View,” who with the exception of Elisabeth Hasselbeck disapproved on Boehner’s habit of crying.
“Our honor goes tonight to ‘The View’ ladies, who let me make clear, I’m a big fan of, but I was surprised and disappointed to learn that they apparently don’t like to see a grown man cry, or at least not a grown Republican politician cry,” Cooper said. “The co-hosts were talking about soon-to-be House Speaker John Boehner’s propensity to get kind of choked up, most recently on ‘60 Minutes.’”
According to Cooper, there is an idea that people want to see more sensitive politicians, which he argued is the role Boehner is playing.
“So he got emotional, a little teary,” Cooper continued. “I think maybe I even heard a snort in there. But aren’t people always saying they want politicians to be more real? And aren’t men always being told now that we’re supposed to be more sensitive, more vulnerable, willing to show emotions?”
He also claimed that contrary to “The View” co-host Barbara Walters’ point of view, a politician can be professional and sentimental at the same time.
“Joy Behar dubbed John Boehner Weeper of the House,” he said. “Barbara Walters said if Nancy Pelosi cried so much, she’d be called weak, which is probably true actually. Pelosi has said she doesn’t cry about politics because you have to be a professional. But can you be professional and sentimental at the same time? I’m one of the most uptight people around, believe me, but I’ve been known to shed a tear from time to time. Sure, I, you know, try to keep it limited to a darkened theater while watching ‘Bambi.’”
He told viewers they should break the double standard when it comes to men and women and how they show their emotions.
“But let’s give John Boehner a break and let’s not perpetuate a double standard,” Cooper said. “Ladies of ‘The View,’ just let the man cry already. And if you want to shed a tear because you’re on tonight’s ‘RidicuList,’ go right ahead. We’ll love you all the more for it.”
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