As Chris Cilizza points out in The Washington Post, “the White House has become very interested in House Minority Leader John Boehner of late.” In a speech last week in Boehner’s home state of Ohio, President Obama mentioned Boehner an incredible eight times. Over the weekend, White House surrogates drew attention to an article in The New York Times detailing Boehner’s numerous close relationships with lobbyists. Starting tomorrow, Boehner will be the target of a DNC cable TV ad campaign that accuses him of being unconcerned about creating middle class jobs. “Will it work?” asks Cilizza.
Not immediately, says Cilizza, mostly because most people don’t have any idea who he is. But Cilizza sees some long term gains for the Democrats. Focusing on Boehner takes the focus off the Dems, which will help them. Also, defining Boehner now will help if he does become Speaker next January.
All this overlooks the way in which emphasizing Boehner could be effective: if once or twice, some Democratic spokesperson gets up, and “accidentally” mispronounces Boehner’s name–which he pronounces BAY-ner–as Boner. As in BOH-ner.
It wouldn’t have to be done but once or twice, and then the internet and youtube will work their magic. Soon everybody in America will know who he is, and almost everyone will get a good giggle, except Boehner, who will get steamed and embarrassed and fall victim to the anxieties he has been suppressing since he was 12. Sure, it’s kind of an immature thing to do, but it would be lethally effective. America may tolerate a black Muslim Indonesian as president, but it will never accept a boner as speaker.