John Boehner hangs out with Randall Terry

The incoming speaker makes time for a radical zealot who celebrates domestic terrorism

Published November 30, 2010 5:04PM (EST)

John Boehner and Randall Terry
John Boehner and Randall Terry

Randall Terry is a psychopath, an antiabortion zealot who endorses domestic terror and compares coldblooded murderers to heroic abolitionists. He's also a ridiculous character whose true calling is self-promotion, by any means necessary.

He long ago went from prominent figure in the raging abortion debate to desperate self-parody. He renounced his gay son, left his wife for a campaign volunteer, and sought a reality television show. If it weren't for YouTube, no one would've even noticed his inflammatory statements about the murder of Dr. George Tiller. In short, Randall Terry's not only an extremist nutcase, he's also old news.

But now that the Republicans are back, this faded celebrity is mounting a comeback. Terry's most recent e-mail blast featured a photo of the radical Catholic cleric sitting down with incoming Speaker John Boehner himself. "With Boehner's chief of staff, after the election," the caption read. (Terry also presented the incoming speaker with a fetus doll resting on some sort of "decree.")

This is the sort of person the speaker is making time for now? Am I just forgetting about the time Nancy Pelosi had coffee with the leadership of the Workers World Party? Winking to the zealots is one (disgusting) thing, but actually taking a meeting with a fanatic like Randall Terry is beyond the pale.


By Alex Pareene

Alex Pareene writes about politics for Salon and is the author of "The Rude Guide to Mitt." Email him at apareene@salon.com and follow him on Twitter @pareene

MORE FROM Alex Pareene


Related Topics ------------------------------------------

2010 Elections Abortion John Boehner R-ohio