When John Boehner, the Ohio congressman who became speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives a year ago and just won another term, took office, much was made of his intense emotions, and the fact that he wasn’t afraid to shed a tear or two. The way things are going in his own party, the poor fellow couldn’t be blamed for crying him a river.

Taking office, Boehner was a tanned and smooth Dean Martin sort of guy. But the tan’s faded a bit these days, and too many long negotiations with the tea party Republicans in the House have given him more of a fretting, haggard look. (Dino never seemed to be worried.)

After all, the tea party folks and his own majority leader, Rep. Eric Cantor of Virginia, turned their backs on him as he tried to make a fiscal cliff deal with the White House, and there are more negotiations coming on financial issues. Now Republicans from the Northeast, including the sharp-tongued Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey, have been knocking Boehner around pretty well over what they feel is a lagging effort to help Hurricane Sandy victims. The help was approved, but a little late they thought.

Oh, and the Democrats? They’re putting tacks in the speaker’s chair at every opportunity, as Boehner has made life as unpleasant as possible for President Obama. Still, when your former friends turn into enemies, and your enemies are still your enemies, and the guy you figured would be evicted from the White House just signed a new lease, it’s enough to make a fellow wonder, “Doesn’t everybody love somebody sometime?”