Cry Like a Man, Hillary!

Hillary Clinton bursts into tears, stunned at her own Herculean ability to keep campaigning. Edwards comes out cockswinging:

I think what we need in a commander-in-chief is strength and resolve, and presidential campaigns are tough business, but being president of the United States is also tough business.

Successful male politicians, of course, never cry. Here's George W displaying a stunning lack of resolve. Here's his dad falling apart over Jeb. Here's the other Clinton conveniently welling up as he spots a camera. Romney cries; brags about crying here. 

Comments

Episiarch | January 7, 2008, 5:29pm | #

Stop being so sensitive. Are you having your period or something?

James | January 7, 2008, 5:33pm | #

I am not a Hillary supporter but the media seems to really enjoy taking her down, its a little bit sick. I'm still feeling a bit annoyed by what they did to Dean in 2004.

Bingo | January 7, 2008, 5:34pm | #

Stop being so sensitive. Are you having your period or something?

lol

Jamie Kelly | January 7, 2008, 5:38pm | #

Not to worry. Politician tears are easily blotted away with fabric from the Constitution.

Edward | January 7, 2008, 5:41pm | #

Ron Paul is tough. He didn't even cry when he found that some secular atheist had removed all the references to God from the Constitution. He sat down and wrote boldly that they are there anyway. That's what the Ron paul Revolution is all about--seeing what isn't there!

Kerry Howley | January 7, 2008, 5:41pm | #

Episiarch wins this (and possibly every other) thread.

h-dawg | January 7, 2008, 5:44pm | #

Didn't Hillary's people warn her that the folks in Manchester don't take too warmly to crying pols.

P Brooks | January 7, 2008, 5:46pm | #

There are many delicate and expensive servos which could be damaged by those tears.

Cesar | January 7, 2008, 5:48pm | #

I am not a Hillary supporter but the media seems to really enjoy taking her down, its a little bit sick.

I'm not. I fucking hate dynasties.

Warren | January 7, 2008, 5:49pm | #

I mean, as a woman, I know how hard it is to get out of the house and get ready. Who does your hair?" Clinton chuckled, made a few jokes about how she "has help" on certain days

"Voters just aren't the same today,"
I hear ev'ry pundit say
They just don't appreciate that you get tired
They're so hard to satisfy. You must tranquilise their minds
So go running for the shelter of the campaign's little helper
And four help you through the night, help to minimise your plight.

Doctor,plese, some more of these
Outside the door, she took four more
What a drag it is at the polls.

Anthony | January 7, 2008, 5:51pm | #

worst case: the 'tears' were scripted in an attempt to use the fact that she is a woman as an advantage to gain sympathy

not as bad case: she was sincere. however, i really am not looking forward to Mama Clinton dictating how all 260 million of us should live. Sometimes the scariest people of all are those who truly have the best intentions.

crimethink | January 7, 2008, 5:52pm | #

I'm not. I fucking hate dynasties.

I wouldn't mind a Paul dynasty. Our next 4 presidents: Ron Paul, Rand Paul, Rothbard Paul, and Rousseau Paul.

Coarsetad | January 7, 2008, 5:54pm | #

... and Ru Paul!

Gilbert Martin | January 7, 2008, 5:54pm | #

"I think what we need in a commander-in-chief is strength and resolve, and presidential campaigns are tough business, but being president of the United States is also tough business."

A good reason to keep the Breck Girl out of the oval office.

joe | January 7, 2008, 5:58pm | #

I don't understand how those people manage to keep it together as well as they do. Ever read about what it's like to live on the road during a campaign?

Mr. Nice Guy | January 7, 2008, 6:00pm | #

"I am not a Hillary supporter but the media seems to really enjoy taking her down, its a little bit sick."

You mean the Liberal Mainstream Media? They are secretly plannin the HRC campaign aren't they? Yes, there is all this rabid biting at her, but who cares about that, evidence is for those weak kneed liberals who refuse to just call it like they sees it!

Mr. Nice Guy | January 7, 2008, 6:01pm | #

If I had to campaign for office I would drink a great deal of alcohol.

Wait, I already do that...

Danwgre | January 7, 2008, 6:02pm | #

Your right, Joe.

All that make-up, bright lights, fans, wigs.... RuPaul must be continuously exhausted!

Jim Bob | January 7, 2008, 6:06pm | #

I will respect her if she defeats Fedor Emelianenko (a friend who does martial arts sent me this link because, well, because it's pretty damn nuts).

Pro Libertate | January 7, 2008, 6:09pm | #

And Adrian Paul. His campaign slogan? "There can be only one!"

Egosumabbas | January 7, 2008, 6:17pm | #

*welling up* I feel your pain.

...

*grope*

Ventifact | January 7, 2008, 6:22pm | #

A Paul dynasty would be plenty bad. People tend to be libertarians or liberty-minded only when they are not the establishment. Like how upper-middle-class liberals are surprised by pro-gun-rights poor (nonwhite) liberals.

joe | January 7, 2008, 6:24pm | #

Minorities, especially poor ones, support gun control by a considerably higher margins than the public at large. Really bad example.

Ventifact | January 7, 2008, 6:25pm | #

By the way, great post Miss Howley. It's becoming apparent to me, partially by monitoring my own reactions to "Hillary" (who for various reasons colloquially does not get to have a last name like other candidates) how psychologically difficult it is for most folks to see H-Clint as another candidate among peers, without being put off because of gender.

CNN posted a study awhile back (which I couldn't find) indicating that both men and women perceive anger from a male authority figure with respect, while they perceive female authority figures to be acting inappropriately if they "loose their cool" and display anger. That's just an example among many on the subject indicating, for example, that both men and women don't even actually notice when women get angry as reliably as they notice male anger. I don't like Mrs. Clinton's politics or history, but I don't like indulging myself in misogyny by conflating objective faults of a politician with sexist psychological habits.

This might be a decent time to mention for anyone on reason's staff who notices or cares that Cathy Young was the reason I started caring about this publication.

Vent | January 7, 2008, 6:25pm | #

joe -- support?

GILMORE | January 7, 2008, 6:25pm | #

I saw that clip on the news hour just now.

I found it totally calculated and staged to appeal to the "pathetic" (read: emotive instead of appeal to reason or authority)... which (not being like sexist or nothing) tends to swing well with her middle aged female constituency.

"im going to so cry if I lose new hampshire! Dont you remember how it felt when YOU lost the vote for prom queen? When you didnt get promoted instead of that jerk down the hall? When your husband was caught freaking interns half your age with a cigar tube? LETS GET THOSE BASTARDS AND THEN WELL ALL HUG AND CHUG WHITE WINE YOU GO GIRL!!!

I mean, that might read as a horribly cynical and unfair and sexist POV, but call me nuts for knowing that Hillary doesnt weep on TV at this stage in the game for no good reason

She and her consultants had thought they'd had this in the bag since the beginning. those are tears of fear and resentment. Not things you admire in the commander in chief.

God, I will be sick if I hear one more:

"It's about CHANGE!
.....HOPE!
(doer! not talker!)
.....BUZZ WORD#3!
(children)
.....CHANGE! CHANGE! HOPE FOR CHANGE!
(also,terrorists)
But I believe in change!
(mortgage bailout)
AND delivering Hope!
(mexican boogymen)
BELIEVING POSITIVE!
(children, children, children)
FOR MORE CHANGE THAN THE OTHER CHANGING CHANGERS PROMISING FALSE CHANGE!
ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGRGRGRGGGRGRG

What bothers me most about the run for the Lowest Common Denominator in political speech these days is that it reveals less about the candidates than the fact that treating the voting public like kindergarteners/retards is the accepted best-practice.

Steven Douglas and Abe Lincoln's graves now registering on richter scale from speeding, spontaneous corpse self-rotation

Vent | January 7, 2008, 6:25pm | #

uhh, I mean do you have evidence I might see ("support")?

joe | January 7, 2008, 6:28pm | #

Not handy. I'd try "poll gun control african-american" in google.

crimethink | January 7, 2008, 6:31pm | #

joe,

That's just the false consciousness talking.

GILMORE | January 7, 2008, 6:33pm | #

I don't like indulging myself in misogyny by conflating objective faults of a politician with sexist psychological habits.

Well, i dont LIKE indulging, but there's this thing about calling a spade a spade...

I mean for shits sake, if any male candidate got all weepy he'd be dropped from consideration out of sheer self-respectability. Hilary can get away with it because 'well, its not the same'.

I dont know of any presidential flashes of anger in recent times that have earned points for anybody. CNN be damned... maybe thats the case. But it says little about the self composure we should naturally expect from people campaigning for the highest offices of the country.

Vent | January 7, 2008, 6:36pm | #

sorry I don't really research other posters' points...

joe | January 7, 2008, 6:37pm | #

I mean for shits sake, if any male candidate got all weepy he'd be dropped from consideration out of sheer self-respectability.

I guess you didn't notice the multiple links Kerry provided of successful male politicians who got tears in their eyes like Clinton did.

And, more important, you missed the media stories covering those episodes and declaring that Dubya, his dad, Bill Clinton, and Mitt Romney were all "dropped from consideration."

Oh, wait, nevermind. There were no stories in the media about those episodes. But remember, the press is going easier on Hillary over this.

joe | January 7, 2008, 6:37pm | #

Then don't ask about evidence if you don't care about it, Vent.

crimethink | January 7, 2008, 6:38pm | #

GILMORE,

It appears Kerry has come up with a few counterexamples of big boys crying all the way to the White House...

Ventifact | January 7, 2008, 6:41pm | #

I care, but I won't believe you if you don't show some evidence. I can claim all sorts of things, but you're not gonna believe them unless I can prove them, right?

joe | January 7, 2008, 6:42pm | #

Then don't believe me.

Don't make me no nevermind. I've seen plenty of polling. If I was making a point, I'd want to know whether the example I was using was correct.

GILMORE | January 7, 2008, 6:43pm | #

Oh, im not casting the thing as isolated = im pointing out that most often candidates will whip up the tears only for the most base and cynical reasons. It's yukky all round. I was attributing less barrier-to-entry for HRC as opposed to ... well her husband could get away with it too. Dude could get away with a lot as we well know.

*consider all my comments produced by instictive disgust with the whole campaigning froth that dominates the 'news'

joe | January 7, 2008, 6:45pm | #

If Hillary Clinton had been standing next to Benazir Bhutto and been decapitated, there would people in this country whose reaction woudl be "Yeah, right!"

Vent | January 7, 2008, 6:46pm | #

Not to get weird, but you probably do care if we believe you or you would just speak aloud to yourself.

You might also take a moment to retrace things and notice I never said minorities support gun rights more than non-minorities. I said some minority people do like gun rights, and that still surprises some liberals. My point is openly anecdotal, you are asserting nation-wide trends.

Timanonymous | January 7, 2008, 6:47pm | #

What the hell is wrong with you people?! I don't want a damned crying president. What will the world think?

Vent | January 7, 2008, 6:48pm | #

Further analysis reveals I was in fact asserting a broader trend, though implicitly. My mistake.

J sub D | January 7, 2008, 6:49pm | #

What the hell is wrong with you people?! I don't want a damned crying president. What will the world think?

That it's an improvement over the puking one?

joe | January 7, 2008, 6:52pm | #

Naw, my bad. You were asseting a broader trend, but about liberals, not minorities. Let's call it a tie.

Brandybuck | January 7, 2008, 7:00pm | #

I guess you didn't notice the multiple links Kerry provided of successful male politicians who got tears in their eyes like Clinton did.

But none of those successful male politicians were crying because they were under pressure. I feel dirty typing this, but I agree with the Edwards. If she can't handle the campaign trail, she's going to implode from the demands of the presidency.

There are lots of things it's okay for a candidate to cry about, but "it's too hard" is not one of them!

whiskey | January 7, 2008, 7:03pm | #

Regarding False Hope:

So this morning, Obama says "Is Dr. King standing on the steps at the Lincoln Memorial, looking out on the steps and saying, 'Sorry folks, false hope, the dream will die, it can't be done?'"

Clinton, this afternoon?"Dr. King's dream began to be realized when President Johnson passed the Civil Rights Act," Clinton said. "It took a president to get it done."

Given that the elected president wasn't able to get it done, and was pretty much going to blow it off, and Johnson basically managed to get it passed by appealing to a still-shocked Congress with the memory of the dead president, Clinton's next book should be It Takes A Bullet.

King's dream began to be realized when people exercised civil disobedience, arranged boycotts, and forced the issue. People took action. This would confirm the contrast between Clinton's "I am ready to be president" and Obama's "You made it happen, you made this possible."

joe | January 7, 2008, 7:07pm | #

I hear you, Brandybuck. On the other hand, she didn't "break down and cry." If she had, and couldn't go on, I'd agree with you.

But she didn't. She kept going, and corralled her emotions to make her speech even more effective.

Her eyes welled. Her voice trembled. Her eyes got red. If she'd gotten irrationally angry and started pounding the podium and yelling as she finished her speech (a more typically male response to welling-up emotions), the story would be about how passionate and real she was. If she was a dude.

GILMORE | January 7, 2008, 7:19pm | #

joe | January 7, 2008, 7:07pm | #
...But she didn't. She kept going, and corralled her emotions to make her speech even more effective.

Why does it sound like you're James Lipton or something? :)

I dont get it - you're impressed because it was a *well-executed*, stage-managed tear jerker?

Maybe thats what makes my stomach churn...

joe | January 7, 2008, 7:21pm | #

Show us...Mrs. Doubtfire.

Wonderful, wonderful!

I don't think it was stage-managed. I think she's exhausted, depressed, frustrated, and scared.

Joe S. | January 7, 2008, 7:24pm | #

It's not just that she's crying but what she's crying about. When Mitt cries over the decision of his church to allow black people to be in the ministry, that's considered good because his tears are on behalf of others (if you believe him). Likewise when Dubya teared up on Oprah at the memory of his daughters being born, that conveyed the impression that he was a caring father (which doesn't explain the DVD series, When First Daughters Go Wild, does it?). At any rate --

When Hillary cries over her shattered dreams of personal ambition, it is seen as contemptibly self-absorbed. If she had cried at a wedding or funeral, no one would think anything of it, or might even think of her as human (a good thing). But when the only time in memory that she has cried in public is when she doesn't get what she wants, that leaves a bad taste, and it doesn't matter that she's a woman, Edmund Muskie went through the same thing in 1972.

Edward | January 7, 2008, 7:25pm | #

If Ron Paul comes in fifth again, will libertarians cry?

GILMORE | January 7, 2008, 7:27pm | #

When Hillary cries over her shattered dreams of personal ambition, it is seen as contemptibly self-absorbed...

Ok. right. exactly. I think that was my whole point too. Except i didnt bother with the "seen as" part in your last clause. i.e. 'it is contemptable'.

Lost_In_Translation | January 7, 2008, 7:28pm | #

Yeah, I can imagine the stress is hard on Clinton and she's frustrated because she sees the problems so clearly and how we need to solve them. But guess what, I DON'T WANT HER SOLUTIONS!!!!

Ms. Clinton, rarely do any of us really get what we want, so suck it up and campaign and leave the crying bullshit at the trailer door.

I guarantee she had people polling the reaction immediately after.

GILMORE | January 7, 2008, 7:28pm | #

Edward | January 7, 2008, 7:25pm | #
If Ron Paul comes in fifth again, will libertarians cry?

No.

But a lot of people here will, not because of Paul, but because of you.

Has anyone considered edward might actually be donderooooooooo nom de plume? :) Thats unfair i know. But not beyond all possibility.

This is very mean of me . . . . | January 7, 2008, 7:40pm | #

Sing it high! sing it low!

David E. Gallaher | January 7, 2008, 7:41pm | #

When can we get an image of a candidate having an orgasm? That could move us beyond this silly tear fetish.

There should be a ten million dollar Google prize for the first candidate showing him or herself having an orgasm. How far of a stretch would that be from providing full details of previously private encounters with Uncle Sam's IRS?

(And some disciples of the Apostle, Paul, still think elections are driven by ideas.! Some here on H&R even!)

Ruthless

joe | January 7, 2008, 8:04pm | #

When Hillary cries over her shattered dreams of personal ambition, it is seen as contemptibly self-absorbed...

Ever the losing team's dugout after the World Series? Buncha self-absorbed dicks, I guess.

It's so obviously personal with some of you. I just don't get it.

crimethink | January 7, 2008, 8:08pm | #

I think she's exhausted, depressed, frustrated, and scared.

Doesn't it make you want to take her in your arms, hold and protect her forever?

Me neither.

crimethink | January 7, 2008, 8:12pm | #

joe,

It's not personal, it's just the natural response to a person with Hillary's reputation as a scheming manipulator. Like the Boy Who Cried Wolf (no pun intended)...

Lost_In_Translation | January 7, 2008, 8:13pm | #

so now we're comparing the presidential election to an athletic contest? Has it become that trivial?

Convincing people that you're the best leader of free world is now equivalent to mastering a chosen athletic skill?

joe, you should know better than that. This is a job interview and you should never cry in front of your interviewer.

sage | January 7, 2008, 8:21pm | #

If Ron Paul comes in fifth again, will libertarians cry?

I will. And I'll post a video on youtube of it. Because I'll know that we're in for at least four more years of a another statist, petty, would-dictator - no matter who gets the White House.

joe | January 7, 2008, 8:48pm | #

crimethink, I think a lot of it is personal.

But no, it doesn't really want to make me want to take her in my arms in comfort her. It just doesn't make me look at her as weak or crazy, either.

so now we're comparing the presidential election to an athletic contest? Has it become that trivial? No, we're comparing professional athletes to professional politicians, and how they get emotionally wrapped up in their pursuits.

Jack | January 7, 2008, 9:13pm | #

David E. Gallaher: "When can we get an image of a candidate having an orgasm?"

For that I would recommend that you review the work of Italian parliamentarian Ilona "Cicciolina" Staller: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilona_Staller

NP | January 7, 2008, 9:23pm | #

Losing sucks. You don't have to be the biggest Hillary fan (God knows I'm certainly not) to feel at least a bit of sympathy for her.

crimethink | January 7, 2008, 9:37pm | #

Did you know that there is a difference of only one chemical between tears and urine?

crimethink | January 7, 2008, 9:39pm | #

joe,

When the Patriots lose to the Jags, and they're lacrimating on the bench, I'll make fun of them too. THAT will be personal.

Eddy | January 7, 2008, 9:39pm | #

Those were tears??? $5 says it was staged. Boo f-ing hoo, if she wants sympathy she can look in the dictionary between shit and syphilis like the rest of us. Why it's enough to make Thelma and Louise drive off a cliff.

NP | January 7, 2008, 9:45pm | #

You know, this is the only second time I've seen Hillary show an inkling of genuine emotion. The first time was when that nutcase tried to bomb her campaign office about a month ago, and at the conference held later that day she did seem genuinely thankful to the security officers.

RJ | January 7, 2008, 9:56pm | #

Edwards (in the last debate, in arguably his best moment): "And it matters whether it's personal or not, because is if it's either academic or political, when the tough fight comes, you'll walk away from it. You'll do what's political. This fight is deeply personal to me."

Hillary (the next day, while crying): "This is very personal for me. It's not just political. It's not just public."

joe | January 7, 2008, 10:11pm | #

When the Patriots lose to the Jags, and they're lacrimating on the bench, I'll make fun of them too. THAT will be personal

It's difficult to speak in such theoretical terms.

You know what JAG stands for in football?

Just
Another
Guy

Gilbert Martin | January 7, 2008, 11:14pm | #

"I found it totally calculated and staged to appeal to the "pathetic" (read: emotive instead of appeal to reason or authority)... which (not being like sexist or nothing) tends to swing well with her middle aged female constituency."

Of course that's what it was.

It's Hillary Clinton.

It's physically impossible for it be anything other than that.

Cesar | January 7, 2008, 11:22pm | #

Fuck the New England Patriots.

(Yes, I'm still bitter about the Redskins.)

GILMORE | January 7, 2008, 11:26pm | #

NP | January 7, 2008, 9:23pm | #
Losing sucks. You don't have to be the biggest Hillary fan (God knows I'm certainly not) to feel at least a bit of sympathy for her.

Uhh.

But she's STILL GOT ANOTHER DAY TO LOSE?

Meaning, was there some manifest destiny that she should take iowa? We're now in the second primary. She's weeping not for her 'loss', but for the sympathy of her wavering constituents to try and get some motivation through letting them 'feel her pain'.

craven calculated emoting isnt exactly the tears of damaged pride and lost opportunity after losing the an final or something.

I still dont get how people here are describing her display as 'less than sincere', but then also expressing pity. Thats like politics as musical theatre.

GILMORE | January 7, 2008, 11:27pm | #

sorry = "the NCAA final"

GILMORE | January 7, 2008, 11:36pm | #

NP | January 7, 2008, 9:45pm | #
You know, this is the only second time I've seen Hillary show an inkling of genuine emotion

sigh.

'genuine'. Right.

you know, there might be a reason this is only the second time you've been under the delusion the Hilinator might actually have a 'sincerity' chip installed

she's about as spontaneous and emotionally sincere as Vladimir Putin

NP | January 8, 2008, 12:14am | #

GILMORE,

I know that calling Hillary calculated and rehearsed would be a great understatement, but that should tell you that she's been extremely good at shielding her vulnerable side from the public. This afternoon she was less successful than usual, and it was refreshing, for me at any rate, to see that. Call me delusional if you want, but I think I'll reserve my own judgment.

The Johnny Appleseed of Crack | January 8, 2008, 12:34am | #

Hillary welling up with tears right now is like a football player starting to cry because his team is losing at halftime.

The Johnny Appleseed of Crack | January 8, 2008, 12:40am | #

Stop being so sensitive. Are you having your period or something?

Bingo, it is highly offensive to blame a woman's emotions on her menstrual cycle. Besides, she's 60 yrs. old, she dried up years ago.

slick willey | January 8, 2008, 1:40am | #

Aw shucks! T'aint nothing wrong with her that a good bangin' wouldn't fix. Now where did I put that see-gar of mine?

DJC | January 8, 2008, 3:14am | #

"It's a tough business"?

Isn't that something Dr. D told John Stossel in a long-ago interview about pro wrestling?

Dave W. | January 8, 2008, 6:26am | #

I think that poster who mentioned dean wins the thd. After what she did to Dean, this is sweet justice. Don't even get me started on Ron Brown.

stuartl | January 8, 2008, 9:15am | #

Hillary did cry like a man. That man is her husband with his convenient tears.

She is doing badly in the polls, one of the raps against her is that she is icy and people can't relate, and all of sudden the woman who is always totally in control cries in front of the cameras. How convenient.

mike | January 8, 2008, 9:27am | #

I just think it's funny that Edwards, by far the most feminine candidate in the race, is making fun of Hillary, one of the most masculine.

joe | January 8, 2008, 9:34am | #

Edwards is as scum-sucking bottom feeder. I cannot believe he put out that press release.

Wait a second, yes I can. See my first sentence.

Jim Walsh | January 8, 2008, 1:07pm | #

I mean for shits sake, if any male candidate got all weepy he'd be dropped from consideration out of sheer self-respectability.

Somewhere in the great beyond Ed Muskie is laughing his ass off...

Ken Shultz | January 8, 2008, 3:36pm | #

Kerry Howley,

I occasionally win a thread, and when I do, I don't do it like Episiarch did, and it's not your place to award threads anyway.

I'd hate to think I was competing to win that.

Seriously!

...besides, Ruthless won the thread.

Ken Shultz | January 8, 2008, 3:37pm | #

"I mean for shits sake, if any male candidate got all weepy he'd be dropped from consideration out of sheer self-respectability."

It's not just candidates.

Any man who cries on camera is a wussy.

...unless his kid just got blown up or something, in which case he should get to beat the shit out of the photographer.

Dr BLT | January 9, 2008, 1:49pm | #

It's My "Party" and I'll Cry if I Want to!
Hillary parody by Dr BLT as Beverly Hillarybilly
http://www.drblt.net/music/MyParty.mp3