Barney Frank in action

Barney Frank gained a reputation in Congress for his sharp wit and biting tongue. Below are a few examples of the Newton representative's skills in debate.

The health care debate

In 2010, when an audience member at a health care Town Hall in Andover compared President Obama to Adolf Hitler, Frank retorted "On what planet do you spend most of your time?"

Victory speech in 2010

After fending off a tough reelection challenge in 2010, Frank lambasted Republicans in his victory speech, saying most of their campaigns were "beneath the dignity of a democracy." Frank also said the Democratic sweep of US House seats in Massachusetts proved the "complete political irrelevance" of the Boston Herald.

Speaking at Harvard

In a 2009 speech at the Kennedy School of Government, Frank chided a student who asked him how much responsibility he should have for the financial collapse.

Frank vs. Bill O'Reilly

Barney Frank verbally sparred with Fox News personality Bill O'Reilly in a 2008 interview, telling an angry O'Reilly "your stupidity gets in the way of rational discussion."

Frank vs. Stephen Colbert

Frank didn't take kindly to a 2005 interview with Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert, in which Colbert made veiled references to Frank's homosexuality and poked fun at his weight. Frank told Colbert "ignorance does not offend me" during the interview, and later said Colbert was "two Stooges short of a good routine."