Mr. Speaker… need a tissue? It was clearly an emotional meeting for Speaker of the House, John Boehner, who was caught bursting into tears on live television while standing beside Pope Francis on Capitol Hill, on Thursday, Sept. 24.
CNN got footage of Boehner’s waterworks as he stood beside the pontiff attempting to maintain his composure. Eventually and unsurprisingly, he lost it. The now-viral video shows the Republican leader scrunching his face, then looking up to the heavens with his intense blue eyes as he tries (with great fervor!) to blink back tears.
Pull it together, John Boehner http://t.co/RSlhbfydGi pic.twitter.com/2OVsLBInLP
— Kate Sommers-Dawes (@TheRealKSD) September 24, 2015
At last, the devout Catholic was unable to hold back the waterworks, and let himself feel all the feels. Luckily, Boehner, 65, had a handkerchief on hand.
The often emotional Speaker later teared up again during the Pope’s historic address before a joint session of Congress. While the Pope discussed political, economic, and social issues plaguing the world, Boehner — again overcome with emotion — pulled his handkerchief from his inside pocket and casually wiped away his tears.
Vice President Joe Biden, meanwhile, was able to keep it together and expertly beamed in the background with a slight smile on his face.
.@SpeakerBoehner‘s reaction at the beginning of @Pontifex’s address to Congress #PopeInDC pic.twitter.com/XpTiAYwnMm
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) September 24, 2015
