Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Hillary's Cry: O New Hampshire! New Hampshire!

What are we to make of Hillary Clinton's tears? Or was it just a swelling of emotion? Was she just just exhausted, or was she weeping over her beloved nation, in way similar to our Lord's weeping over Jerusalem (with obvious differences, of course)? Or is she crying because she sees the West Wing of the White House slipping forever out of reach?


You can watch the video here with an accompanying Newsweek story.


Senator Clinton appears to be speaking candidly and from the heart, but nothing of which I am aware in her long public life leads us to believe that she ever--especially at this crucial juncture--drops her guard and lapses into an emotional moment of candor. Everything is calculated, including her "soft and vulnerable woman" episodes. See my previous post, "Hillary Clinton - A Woman of Convenience," where I explore this at greater length with the help of Maureen Down, Peggy Noonan, and Judith Warner.


Furthermore, this comes in the context of a much larger campaign to "humanize" Hillary Clinton and "soften" her image. Look at how soft, quiet spoken and personal she is presented in this video, "Make It Happen." I first noticed this "Hillary is a Human Being" public relations effort when I started getting emails offering me the chance to "hang out" with her over lunch and stuff. It's a hoot, really. Go to "I Get Invited to the Clintons'," "Hillary's Luncheon Lottery," and "Alone With Bill? Interesting Prize." Then there was that whole "Hillary's Birthday--write her a note and send her money" appeal, also by emails from Bill.


And we're to take these tears seriously? Call me hard, but this woman has a history.

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