Patrick McHenry as Billy Zabka

Patrick McHenry, the 31 year-old right-wing attack dog who's the front man for anything the Republic Party wants to put out that's outrageous, is kind of a fascinating figure. Whether it's ambition, or a true belief in wingnuttery, he's willing to put himself out in front as the alternately smug and persecuted face of the GOP. He reminds me a lot of Billy Zabka.



McHenry



Zabka

Zabka was the designated bad guy in 80s movies from The Karate Kid to Just One of the Guys to Back To School. He had the flipped-back preppy blond haircut, the smug look of self-satisfaction, and the attitude and style you love to hate. And he was willing to typecast himself into that role, so much so that once the 80s ended, so did his career.

That's McHenry. He doesn't mind being hated, doesn't mind making himself look ridiculous. In fact, this Washington Monthly article nails it perfectly:

No political movement can survive on talking points alone. It requires an endless succession of faces, flesh and bone, elected officials willing to impose their smiling mugs in front of the camera even when the talking points are ridiculous. In the nine months since he came to Washington, McHenry has cultivated a role as a kind of fraternity pledge for the House leadership, willing to do the dirty work on behalf of crusades that the rest of his caucus will no longer touch. He was still pumping Social-Security privatization this summer, months after the GOP leadership had given up on the bill. He was still attacking Terri Schiavo's husband after other Republicans, with an eye toward opinion polls, clammed up. And in June, he was summoned by the cable networks to defend Karl Rove after it began to appear likely that the president's chief strategist had identified Valerie Plame as a CIA agent while talking to reporters.

McHenry is perhaps the most successful and precocious of the endless string of those guys, the youngish Republican representatives who show up on cable television to defend the indefensible.

This has continued in the 110th Congress. He started by embarking on a two-day whine-a-thon about minority rights, which is embarrassing, given how the Republicans treated Congress like they were crowned emperor.

Then he was taken behind the woodshed by Barney Frank while trying to make a point about American Samoa (which has been amply covered on this site).



I would appropriate this to when Keith Gordon zings Zabka in Back To School:

Chas: [limping off the diving board] I have got a really bad cramp. I've been having really bad cramps all week.
Jason Melon: It's probably menstrual.
Chas: Screw you, Melon!

Then we saw McHenry claiming that contracting in Iraq is the Clinton Administration's fault at a Government Reform Committee hearing (I wish I could find video of this, but I covered it here), and calling the whole hearing a partisan show trial. Rep. Waxman responded by saying "You can't just look under every rock for partisanship, and I suggest the Congressman return under his rock." This pissed McHenry off more, and he made his little Zabka face when saying "I am offended that you would tell me to crawl under a rock!" You get the mentality here.

This is no different than when Zabka gets the business in this memorable scene:

Rick: [Rick gets on the table in the high school cafeteria to make an announcement] "Ah, excuse me, could I have your attention please!", your attention. Every day at lunch, we get a very special treat from a very special guy, a guy who has dedicated his life to building his body, pushing his muscles to the limits of human endurance,why you ask?, why?, well to be strong enough to lift tables and spill food, Greg Tolan!

[Everyone starts clapping]

Rick: Let's take a moment to find out a liitle bit about the man behind the mess,Greg, May I call you Greg?, Now tell us greg how you got into spilling food?, were a messy baby?, did you hate your strained peas?, Well you know how most psychologists tell us that guys get into bodybuilding to compensate for a lack of IQ, or a small weinie, which is it Greg?, well those of us in Greg's gym class certainly know the the answer to that one.

Greg Tolan: I'm going to beat the shit out of you Morehouse!

Rick: Isn't he great, muscles and a sense of humor, well let's thank Greg for the lunch time thrills and spills he's given us, OK EVERYBODY GET UP!, GRAB AN END OF YOUR TABLE!,

[the kids in the cafeteria go to an end of their table]

Rick: A trubute to you Greg, LIFT!

[Everybody in the cafeteria lift their table and spilling food]

Then TODAY, he got slammed by Rep. Bart Gordon and Rep. Barney Frank, who pretty much calls him a midget here, no?



I mean, by the end of that, can't you see McHenry going up to Frank and telling him "you win" like Zabka to Daniel-san at the end of the All-Valley Karate Tournament?

McHenry really is a fascinating figure. He seems to think he's going to be Majority Leader someday, and he apparently has cultivated some good inside sources. But he comes off perpetually looking like a clown, a square, an 80s teen movie villain come to life. I really want to check birth records to see if he's related to Zabka. The resemblance is uncanny.

Cheney: Sweep the leg.
[McHenry stares at him in shock]
Cheney: Do you have a problem with that?
McHenry: No, Sensei.
Cheney: No mercy.