Take Barney Frank. Please.
Barney Frank has to be the biggest sourpuss in Congress. The liberal representative from Massachusetts has made an art form out of ripping out his ear piece and abruptly ending an interview. This testy feller could pick a fight in a phone booth.
So Frank would be the last person you'd expect, in commenting on the debt ceiling deal, to break out a classic line from comedian Henny Youngman. Yet that's exactly what Barney did on Morning Joe today, in explaining why he was supporting a bill that contains much he doesn't like.
View video after the jump.
JOE SCARBOROUGH: Let me start with you, Barney, because we just had [Tea Party-friendly Republican congressman] Connie Mack on. He said he's not going to vote for this bill, and my question was, why would [House Dem Whip] Steny Hoyer whip Democratic votes if Democrats are having to vote for a bill that seems to be more Republican in its framework.
After some filler about how the bill will somehow force the US out of Iraq and Afghanistan, Barney came to his comedic conclusion.
BARNEY FRANK: One of my favorite philosophers of the 20th-century was the great Henny Youngman. And he had one very great line. "How's your wife? Compared to what?" And I think that's the central maxim that is driving people.
Question: could a Republican have gotten away with quoting that Youngman classic, or would he have been accused of sexism, objectifying women, etc.?
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Comments
Sourpuss indeed
Submitted by jon_torlin on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 9:12am.
Interesting choice of words given the guy talks like Sylvester the Cat most of the time.
I wouldn't have accused the late great Henny Youngman as a philosopher but I guess to a liberal, there could and would be stranger things.
I have to wonder though, that question bears repeating, why WOULD the dems vote for something they didn't like? Seems like there's something hidden that we're not seeing in the public eye.
-Jon
As much as they don't like
Submitted by Mark Finkelstein on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 9:32am.
As much as they don't like the bill, I think Dems have come to the conclusion that they and Pres. Obama will be blamed for the consequences if they let it die.
Say what?
Submitted by jon_torlin on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 9:47am.
These are the same people that rammed the health care legislation through without regard to consequence of any kind, and now suddenly they are concerned about consequences?
This is why I'm suspicious about this whole thing, hell, they even went so far to say the TEA party Congressmen won and are in control of Washington, even though they are in the minority even in their own party. I'd be ecstatic if that were true, but I'm attempting to look at the bigger picture and I'm not seeing it.
You could say this is a trust issue, but then again, how trustworthy have the Dems been these days?
-Jon
Obviously Mark, you're not reading my newspaper . .
Submitted by Gary Hall on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 1:25pm.
. . The LA Times.
Nothing gets blamed on Obama - in this discussion, nor the previous issues.
If the D's were to let the bill die, oppose it, then, it would be because they came to their senses and were looking out for us - protecting us against the radical right . . . bla bla bla.
Yikes!
(;~> gary
It's obvious why the Dems endorse this deal ...
Submitted by NL207 on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 5:03pm.
They get $2.4 Trillion more on their credit card. This is enough to cover the projected deficits for approximately 18 months. A little math says that puts the deadline for the next debt limit debate around Ground Hog day 2013, safely AFTER the 2012 election.
This deal is a HUGE fail for the Republican Leadership.
Kicked the Can
Submitted by desert3030 on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 11:19am.
One more time Harry, Obama, and the dark side, kicked the can down the street. This isn't even good window dressing. Maybe we will get a budget ..what do you say Harry? We should begin a campaign of voting everyone out with more than two terms.
Barney, hasn't been the same since he can't make a few bucks at his apartment. Needs pocket money is gone.
Barney, How Is YOUR Wife??
Submitted by Motormouth KOS on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 2:10pm.
Oh, that's right. You don't have one. You have a "life partner".
Bully for you.
Do you see the moral equivalence between your hyping Fannie/Freddie, this economic collapse, and socialism?
Nahhh, I didn't think so. You're too busy fattening yourself on the taxpayer's largesse.
Here's a recommendation: tie your life partner around your neck and jump into the Charles River.
The Obamination... A crisis leading to a catastrophe..(please donate to MRC)
Why does anyone pay any attention to this ...
Submitted by NL207 on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 2:15pm.
sputtering heterophobe?
Oye Ve!
Submitted by djwolf12 on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 7:58pm.
Barney not only screws it up, but he does BADLY!!!! Henny Youngman was in Goodfellas and said, Thank You, TAKE MY WIFE, PLEASE! As usual, Barney Frank doesn't know what he is talking about
Youngman was a stand-up comedian for decades
Submitted by Galvanic on Tue, 08/02/2011 - 10:49am.
I'm old enough to remember Youngman long before "Goodfellas". He had thousands of jokes, including the one Frank quoted.
Every time this odious man
Submitted by Slyrr on Mon, 08/01/2011 - 8:31pm.
Every time this odious man speaks, he sounds like he's fighting to say every word through a mouthful of cotton balls. He splutters, splatters and spits to the point where I think they should throw him out of office and give him a new job on the Capitol lawn as a sprinkler.
He can quote old comedians all he wants though, I don't care. The REAL joke is on us, the people, for letting this foul excuse of a leader continue to tread the halls of power.