Washington (CNN) – John Boccieri shouldn't be happy.
The first term Congressman from Ohio lost his re-election effort two weeks ago, running a campaign that emphasized his support for Democratic initiatives like health care reform, cap and trade, and the stimulus bill.
But as he emerged from a private meeting with other House Democrats on Tuesday, the first forum with Speaker Nancy Pelosi since the elections, Boccieri looked surprisingly pleased.
Characterizing the meeting as "an after actions report," the Air Force reservist said his party's poor showing was mainly due to the bad economy.
And despite the barrage of campaign ads linking him to Pelosi, he does not blame her for his defeat.
"What I'm taking away from this is that it is the economy. Folks are still unhappy and uneasy about the economic anxiety out there, and they are going to take it out on the people who are in charge," he said. "All you had to do was take a name out of it, it could have been any member of our caucus, and if they were speaker it would have been the same thing."
"Republicans, to their credit, were very simple in their message; it became about Nancy Pelosi and not about working class issues. It was very hard issue to get past in the national election."
After Congress wraps up its lame duck session in December, Boccieri says he will return to Alliance, Ohio, where he lives with his wife and five children, the youngest born just days before the election.
As he talks about the future, a smile appears on his face.
"I get to go back home and change some diapers and help my wife out. With five kids at home, that's where I'm going to find my feet."
From CNN Politics
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the Air Force reservist said his party's poor showing was mainly due to the bad economy.
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Yes, and that was a large part of it but don't you idiots think YOU and your FAILED POLICIES that a majority of Americans REJECT has something to do with it as well?
Do you think a trillion dollar drunken spending spree that failed to create jobs had anything to do with it?
Do you think cramming Obozocare down the throats of the American people after they told you not to, has something to do with it?
Do you think running up $5 TRILLION in debt in a few years has nothing to do with it?
If so, it is a good thing you were thrown out, because you are clueless. The rest of your clueless DemocRATS will join you in the unemployment line in 2012 if they don't get a clue and get it FAST.
The first term Congressman from Ohio lost his re-election effort two weeks ago, running a campaign that emphasized his support for Democratic initiatives like health care reform, cap and trade, and the stimulus bill.
But as he emerged from a private meeting with other House Democrats on Tuesday, the first forum with Speaker Nancy Pelosi since the elections, Boccieri looked surprisingly pleased
You were apart of the most productive congress in recent history. You made tough decisions during the toughest of times. You did what you thought was right.
Well done thou good and faithful servant.
John will be back in 2012 when President Obama's re-election bid swells the number of Democratic voters and other new contiuencies such as young people.
OBAMA CUT MY TAXES
The Democrats need to OWN the $250K or income tax cut and they will win ! Don't let the Republicans outspin you on this one like you did on Healthcare Reform.
Boccieri, you are a winner and no one can ever take that away from you and you are spot on about Republicans and their message because it will burn them.
I salute you Rep. Boccieri for standing by your values. I agree 100% with you that Speaker Pelosi was NOT the reason for your defeat. The economy is struggling and republicans spreaded their lies and misinformation to the uneducated Teatards of America. Thank you for standing up for democratic values. We need more people like you in Congress who have a pair and won't back down on the accomplishments that we've done.
I'm glad he loves his kids. I'm sorry he's wanting them to have a horrible future of debt, horrid government-managed medical care, and the rest of the nightmare his party supported.
He is my man.
It is a shame that this guy was not re-elected. Sounds like he has some smarts!
It wasn't about the "bad" economy for me. It was the fact that the Democratic run government was ramming their agenda down our throats and they expected us to swallow it.
He should tink about running again when the Republicans get voted out next time.
What a class act. Good luck to you sir.
With his background he'd be a perfect Poster Child for the Repubs.; except he wasn't raised to think only of himself & "his" people, screw the rest.
A true democrat liberal, he knows how to spend the money that I work hard for better than I do. He wants to give it to the poor undereducated class the NEA has created and the union bosses. So happy he is gone.
You have got to be kidding me. This guy is in full-blown DENIAL. It's the Economy? How about its a rejection of the Socialist-Statist agenda that Pelosi, Reid and Obama have brought to the nation. How about its the American people standing up and saying "HELL NO" to the Democrat agenda of the past 2 years. How about it's that the Democrat controlled Congress CRASHED the economy leading into the 2008 elections, and then STALLED it for the past 2 years by focusing on moving a socialist agenda rather than on tried-and-true job creation policies (Keynesian economics is a JOKE, and a BAD joke at that).
No, Rep. Boccieri, you didn't lose because of the Economy. You lost because you supported an agenda that the American people TOLD YOU LOUDLY AND CLEARLY THEY DIDN'T WANT. We're glad you're gone, and we Conservatives are looking forward to putting even MORE of your liberal colleagues out of Congress in 2012, along with the President.
It's the Economy Stupid..!! Not Health Care Reform, Cap & Trade and a Stimulus Bill for the Unions.
We need people in Washington who "Get It" Jobs,Jobs,Jobs not waste,waste waste....I voted democrat all my life
and I've never been so disappointed in Pres. Obama as I am this year. won't voting for him in two years.
Great Guy with a great perspective. Stay positive John, the good will eventually triumph. Your on the good.
He is probably very, very happy to be out of the House. Anyway, being at home with a bunch of screaming, hard to control children is probably no different from congress.
Wow. Finally a politician who speaks from his heart.
another clueless democrat.......go home and take care of your family. Pelosi, go to France and help them out.
Hey pal, it's not the economy but how the idiots in the Democrat Party attempted to deal with it. Their miserable failure was their downfall.
I like this guy. I have no clue as to his ideological viewpoint, but it seems his focus is where they should be – looking forward.
John Boccieri should be very happy, because he actually cares about people and not all about big buisness like the Republicans!!!!!!!!!
A gentleman with true integrity and depth.
He lost his job doing what he felt was right for the people and is not whining about it!
What a decent person he is. He did not sell his soul to the devil to win.
Sounds like a rational person who would have been a good person to have in Congress working for the middle class in Ohio and all across the US. Now the self-absorbed Republicans will be able to further their efforts to promote corporate dominance of our country.