PORTSMOUTH, N.H. — Sen. Hillary Clinton’s uncharacteristic emotional moment on Monday took campaign-weary reporters by surprise.
One minute Clinton, in response to a voter’s question, was talking about who styles her hair, saying some days she has help and other days she does it herself. Those latter days, she joked, are the ones photographers seemed to capture.
Then, her voice started to quaver, and the mob of reporters, jammed into a tiny cafe, many with their heads bowed as they took notes, whipped to attention.
“It’s not easy, and I couldn’t do it if I didn’t passionately believe it was the right thing,” Clinton said, explaining how she keeps campaigning day after day. “This is very personal for me, it’s not just political.”
As she said, “Some of us put ourselves out there and do this against some pretty difficult odds, and we do it, each one of us, because we care about our country,” her voice cracked, her tone grew hushed and her eyes glistened with tears. The room was silent except for her hushed voice.
“But some of us are right, and some of us are wrong. Some of us are ready, and some of us are not. Some of us know what we will do on Day One, and some of us really haven’t thought that through enough.”
“As tired as I am, and I am, and as difficult as it is to keep up what I try to do on the road, like occasionally exercise and try to eat right, it’s tough when the easiest food is pizza, I just believe so strongly in who we are as a nation, so I’m going to do everything I can to make my case and then voters get to decide.”
All this from the former first lady whose demeanor never cracked even as the world learned the most sordid details of her husband’s infidelity with a White House intern.
“Even I wanted to reach out and give her a hug,” said one reporter who has covered former President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton for many years.
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Yeah, Michael, I am serious.
No, I don’t think any politician is above ‘faking it’ but I don’t think Hillary was doing any such thing. I’ve worked my tail off for weeks for something I cared passionately about and know exactly how she felt.
Because I’ve really checked out the candidates, I think I do actually have a pretty good feel for them.
I’ve seen lots and lots of footage of accounts from numerous people in New York City who say that Clinton was the only politician to step in and help themn long after 911 was in the headlines. Whether it was getting at the truth about the toxicity of the air and starting a monitoring program or tetting the funding to provide medical care for first responders who were deathly ill when every other politician looked the other way.
I’ve also seen or read many first-person accounts from people who credit her with stepping in and saving their lives. These stories don’t make the headlines. One account was from a staunch Republican who said that when he desperatly needed help he called every Republican in Congress to no avail. Then he started calling Democrats. Out of the hundreds of people called, he says, Clinton was the only person in Congress who returned the call and helped him without ever asking what his party affiliation was nor caring what State he was from.
They all said the same thing: She really does care.
The ‘phony’ Hillary is the one that tries to be tough. I’m glad people got to see the ‘real’ Hillary for a change.
So, how about giving her a break?
- Posted by Susan Connors“Words are not actions,” Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said Saturday night during a Democratic debate in New Hampshire, as she called for a “reality brake” on her rivals’ rhetoric. “As beautifully presented and passionately felt as they are, they are not action.”
“He believes he’s a game-changer, but I don’t believe the game has changed,” said Rep. Tom Cole (Okla.), chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, dismissing Obama’s transformational pledges as naive. “It’s captivating. It’s intoxicating, but it’s not going to last.”
You would think these politicians would be for change like Obama , and talk the same way , instead of both coming out against Obama , and saying that Washington will never change ………hummmmm. Washington needs real Change , and if these who say it can’t be done maybe don’t want it to change ….hummm, maybe its to their best interest to be polarized rather than bipartisan , so they can keep pulling the tricks they have been …..humm….
Total Public Debt Outstanding; http://www.treasurydirect.gov/NP/NPGatew ay
01/03/1994 US Treasury Debt under Clinton 4,512,315,337,989.71
12/31/1999 5,776,091,314,225.33
- Posted by Tony12/29/2000 US Treasury Debt under Bush 5,662,216,013,697.37
12/31/2007 9,229,172,659,218.31
And the Debt dollars stop at the door of the US Consumer , and the Government , which still is relying on the US Consumer , and the Only beneficiaries from all these years are who ,,, WTO Trade partners , Government Officials , and Financial Organizations , that the Fed keeps pumping dollars back into every time Credit defaults loom , go figure ……..Its time for some new Directions , that pack along with it some real Solutions . Go Get em Barack, hes the only one thats neutral , and won’t be bought off by Big Money . And don’t forget to tell everyone that the idea that Corporate Employees could Integrate their Work to their Home , and cut down the Driving on a weekly basis , and cut the gas consumption by 35% - 45 % in 2008-2010 , cut the Emissions , and Improve the quality of Life , and Profit from it to Boot , there is no reason that this would not work , with Secured Server Systems like today , and the Technologies that Corporate America uses today that could be used at Home to accomplish the same things , it would allow more people to stay home more days out of the work week , and cut the road travel down thus reducing Costs even in healthcare just because of the lower stress on Society . Just think what the money saved by the people that are able to practice this type of work function , the overall benefits would create solvent solutions
Hillary, you hang in there, this one African American man is with you all the way. Don’t get discouraged and stop fighting, that’s what Obama, and Edwards want you to do. Stay in the race until the end.
I see what Edwards and Obama are trying to do, they have been double teaming you in every debate, what a bunch of cowards, to double team a lady.
Edwards and Obama both lack the experience to successfully do the job, some Americans are taking a real risk in voting for these two people, I guess have experience in various political arenas does not matter anymore to become President, but good looks, and fired-up speeches with no substance does.
And what is the media doing this campaign season? Why arent they doing some fact checking on every candidate to discover and report whether or not they are telling people the truth about there political records and agendas to create change in America. Americans deserves the truth about what they are offering and how they are going to accomplish the various ideas they are proposing in great detail to create long-term change.
I believe that Americans as a whole are going to get duped again into electing someone who does not know what they are doing and possibly make things worse, because we are voting on our emotions and feel good speeches, and not on the political agendas being offered, or the difficult challenges that we are facing that must be resolved now. The media can play a better role in ensuring this does not happen again like it did for the last eight years.
Several things in America needs fixing right now, having someone with many years of experience must be realized abd utilized at this time, we don’t need a future President who requires On The Job Training, because good looks or firey speeches are not going to rehabilitate America, experience and hard work will. Go Hillary!
- Posted by Darrell PruntySo Mrs. Clinton has shown how deeply she is convinced that only her ideas can save America. After claiming 30 years (or is it 35)of being at the fore front of change the country remains in such a precarious state that she finds it imperative to breakdown publicly to tell the voters in a democracy how sorry they will be for not coronating her as the DNC candidate.
It has been said that she smiles and laughs on cue, so with her impending humiliation at the ballot box she breaksdown or gets all choked up that only she has a monopoly of affection for her country.
I cannot say that it was not orchestrated for public consumption and all planted as a photo op, except to say that its timing and opportunism beggers belief!
I look forward to witnessing similar emotion backed with contrition next time the bodies of young soldiers who equally loved their country and were sent to die for it in a far and distant land by politicians who cared so much about their country, they did not bother to read their intelligence brief before voting to send those soldiers to die.
Mrs Clinton chokes up not fo her country but for herself. Her inability to come to terms with the fact that she has spectacularly blown the legacy of the fabled Clinton political machinery. And true to form, she accepts no responsibility whatsoever for the debacle. It is all the fault of those voters who have the audacity to hope for what they believe to be better.
- Posted by Ricardo. ChelmsfordIf she thinks the pressure of a campaign is tough what does she think the job of president is all about? Really, I think it’s a thinly veiled attempt to make her appear more human with a caring, sensitive side. Her record (not her husband’s) says something entirely different.
- Posted by MichaelWhat is lacking???
- Posted by chuckAl Gore is the only logical choice and leader of what the future has to hold with experience unprecidented by any choice in the democratic or republican choices. Make all of our voices heard and write in Al Gore as your choice for the democratic ticket.
- Posted by chuckIts time for Hillary to move over and let the real winner of the presidency come to the head of the democratic ticket.
AL GORE FOR PRESIDENT 2008
- Posted by chuckOne moment the entire country is flogging her for not showing any emotion or being “human” enough, and the moment she does show her emotion then everyone is cracking down on her, saying it shows weakness. She is fighting like every other candidate and her having a quavering voice for a few seconds is absolutely no reason to assume that the USA is not ready for a woman president.
- Posted by JenniferI’d never imagine that Senator Clinton would display a momentary vulnerability in public. Perhaps the good senator finally succumbs to a very human fatigue, the strains of slipping poll, enduring countless bad advices from minders, and a diminishing sense of entitlement. She can still win in the big states because she is a fighter.
- Posted by AnnSusan, are you serious, jeez, give me a break.
That was about as fake as it gets. Reminds me of when the good Park Ridge, IL girl suddenly became a NY senate candidate and a Yankee fan.
Do anything to get elected; even trying to shed off her perceived (rightly) cold exterior with a b.s. heart felt “speech”, I think so.
Sad display of fake emotion by Hill.
- Posted by Michaeland NO Hillary - we can’t “have a chat”. Save that for the flower club and ladies auxiliary.
- Posted by slimI think Hillary is very sincere about wanting to President. I’m voting for her.
In the beginning I was going to vote for John Edwards, but the way he attacked Hillary during the debates turned me off, He’s just sucking up to Obama, because if he don’t get the nomination, Obama may consider making him his running mate, In my opinion, Edwards,is fake and need to run on his own merits, not on obama’s coat-tail. Edwards in my opinion is very mean spirited and have no compassion, he could not truly help people in poverty, because it takes compassion to do that, Edwards lacks this true compassion, He’s just another fast talking lawyer trying to snow the public as well, and a opportuntist.
The main reason young women voting for Obama is because they are lusting after him, not because he has a true plan for America, his fast talking is fooling a lot of people, just like bush did in 2000 and 2004. Doing these times in America,We need someone with experience in the White House, not a person who looks, speak, and sound good. Obama is not ready for this post, I’m a young African American, I’m not going along with the crowd just because he’s young and African American. Obama his to offer me more then fired-up speeches in order to get my vote. I believe Hillary is the one who can bring true change for the better in America.
- Posted by Darrell Pruntywhat buch of horsh sh!!! come on man are serious. The wicked witch of the east has too many faces, you got the strong hillary I am so ready on day one, then you got the attack hillary Obama don’t have the experience. Then you got the wife hillary I love Bill Clinton and his interns. Then you got the I’m so tired and weapy eyed Hillary as her voice cracks she says basicaly the same crap, this is a desperate move. And quite frankly if you can’t handle it then how and the heck are you going to be president I don’t think she grasp how complicated and tireing of a job being president is I mean come on we like to show the world that our president is strong because he represents the strongest nation in the world and you are in front of the media telling everyone how sad and tired you are because of some polls that basicaly says nothing come on hillary stop wineing your still looking good in national polls aleast for now. Obama has my Vote! because in the face of doubt he still kept his head up Obama will show the world how strong we will remain.
- Posted by freedom_fighterTo read the headline on Yahoo accompanying this blog piece, you’d think Clinton had a meltdown. “Fading in polls, teary-eyed Clinton vows to fight on” Fading? Really? teary-eyed? Ah… methinks the Press is trying to paint her into a corner as being weak. Independent studies have already shown that Senator Clinton gets an inordinate about of negative reporting, and the way this non-story is being breathlessly reported, I’d say it’s true. Journalists should stop acting like high school girls at the “popular” table in the lunchroom, and start reporting like grown women. I watched the clip of this incident. Senator Clinton was full in control, and she was impassioned. If a male candidate had done the same thing (i.e. Bush) he would have been lauded as being passionate or sensitive. I’m happy to see a candidate that is passionate about the Country and the job. Stop trying to turn her into Pat Schroeder or Ed Muskie and report on important things like why we’re the only industrialized nation that does not provide health care, and how the candidates propose to fix that.
- Posted by Diana TimmonsIf you can’t stand the heat, get the hell out of the kitchen!
- Posted by RodWhat was Hillary Clinton thinking when she chose to run to begin with?? The USA is NOT ready for a woman Pres. and her husband adds to the miserable suggestion. Quickest way for the dems. to loose is elect her…
- Posted by scottsounds like she’s cracking under the pressure.
- Posted by edward allenMs. Wulfhorst,
Here I thought Reuters ran articles from writers with journalistic integrity. My mistake. Reuters has obvioulsy just become the communication tool of the far right.
How dare you write such a nasty, presumptive, and downright wrong article about Hillary Clinton. Moreover, how dare Reuters choose to run such an obviously slanted article?
Why are you not also writing about the failure of George W. Bush to ever have a genuine emotion about the people whom he has so badly harmed while holding his office.
Ms. Wulfhorst, perhaps you are just the kind of woman who one would see in the business world 30 years ago. The kind who never wanted to see another woman achieve something more than she ever could.
I know where you are coming from. Now that I also know where Reuters is really coming from, you can be sure that I will never bother reading any article with your by-line nor will I ever take a Reuters’ news article seriously in the future.
AP, here I come.
Susan Connors
- Posted by Susan ConnorsN. Lauderdale, FL
As a conservative democrat and an avowed I won’t vote for Hillary if she is the only candidate, I thought she was just tired and exhausted an got a little emotional. It does not speak ill of her. Do you think Queen Elizabeth never cried or Queen Victoria never got teary? I would cry too if I had to listen to Bill tell me what I was doing wrong. Hey Bill, go “chat up” a reporter!!
- Posted by Jeff