The Dean Martin of politics?

“Just look who’s winning our primaries,” says Frank Luntz, a GOP strategist who helped launch Gingrich’s rise. “Boehner will have some very ornery folks to deal with. He’ll be under horrific pressure from the right.” For now, his young and more confrontational No. 2, Rep. Eric Cantor of Virginia, has promised not to challenge Boehner for the top job. That won’t last. Cantor is as hungry as a Russian soldier at the Battle of Stalingrad. But no one on the right—the establishment, the Tea Party—should look past Boehner’s ability. He was drawn to politics by a resentment of the powers that be. He’s a survivor of intraparty struggle after intraparty struggle. He’s a get-along guy known for making those around him look good (he has pledged to let junior members, even Tea Partiers, introduce their own amendments). And if you didn’t know all of this, then, well, maybe that Deano impression really is spot on.