I’ll Tell You How, But It’ll Cost You

Quote:  "Nobody knows more about reforming this place than I do." Rep. John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) in the Washington Post.

Figure of Speech:  unintentional irony.

Boehner wants to fill Tom DeLay’s big shiny shoes as House majority leader.  He's well qualified; Boehner knows reform like the back of his bank statement.  This guy once handed out tobacco-lobby checks to colleagues—on the House floor.  His quote constitutes a figure of speech that's rampant in politics today, the unintended irony. It reverses irony's usual double meaning by making the speaker the clueless brunt of his own joke.

We would like to propose an eponym in his honor: the boehner (BO ner), the figure of unintended irony. (For more great unconscious irony, check out this blog.)

Snappy Answer:  "Your knowledge is worth a fortune."

Comments

[Dr. Bubbles]

So is the boehner a subtype of boner, or is 'boner' an informal term that is finally formalized with the 'boehner'?

[Figaro]

Let's make it easy, Doc. "Boehner" and "Boner" are alternative spellings of the same dubious figure. We prefer the simpler spelling.

Fig.