Hillary Opens Up

Hillary Clinton provided us a narrow window through which people saw very different things. Some thought her “moment” a setup; some found it genuine; some found it egoistic. I found it absolutely genuine, and it clearly contributed to her New Hampshire victory. Which, of course, the pundits—including the loudest, Chris Matthews—missed completely.

The best politicians always take risks. How well they do often depends on how comfortable they are in allowing the audience to pierce the customary veil of political language and attitude, by speaking with candor. Obama is learning how to do that. Hillary’s candor came from frustration and fatigue, not risk-taking, though her supporters [e.g., Howard Wolfson on election night] wished she might have given us such glimpses and honesty months ago.

Maureen Dowd and lots of bloggers thought it was phony. “What was moving her so deeply was her recognition that the country was failing to grasp how much it needs her. In a weirdly narcissistic way, she was crying for us. But it was grimly typical of her that what finally made her break down was the prospect of losing.”

I think that’s a really forced reading. Everyone recognizes how narcissistic all presidential candidates are, in this race and every race. She was not crying but seemed moved by the sense that the “opportunities” were slipping away. Her voice quavers and rises in pitch from the normally strong alto of the campaign: “I see what’s happening and we have to reverse it.”

After the moment, Hillary’s segue into campaign-speak reveals how fully immersed she is in political life. In fact, the moment was about the campaign and her sense of total commitment to it.

Here’s what blogger Fran Scoble had to say about that.

I’ve watched the video several times. I believe Hillary’s emotions are genuine and her loss of composure (or near loss) is real. What is not authentic is her rationale for her emotion. She talks about her “passion” for others briefly, then launches into a short version of her stump speech—all while allegedly trying to regain her composure. This is just the sort of thing that is costing her support. She has no instinct for the moment and she’s running against a man whose instincts are uncanny.

Well, I thought it was simply an overdue humanizing moment, and that’s much of what politics is about these days, like it or not.

[Disclosure: President Clinton praised a book of mine in the ‘90s, and I worked for and with Hillary in the Health Care Wars of ’93-94. At this stage in the campaign, I remain undecided, though I have supported Edwards. Look for another flip-flop soon.]

Comments

[Nick]

Maybe it was both. She seemed to say that we as a country have so much to do as well as saying "This little inexperienced bastard that came out of nowhere is going to take this from me". It struck me that this duality showed just how clearly genuine she was.

[John Goodman]

Interesting point I hadn't thought of, Nick. Thanks.

[Tony Newey]

I agree absolutely with what you said about Hillary. You don't fake the kind of feeling which welled up in her, and I ended up glad she won in New Hampshire. While I've been leaning towards Obama, to me he's beginning to sound a little overly messianical and will need to be a lot more specific on issues for me to continue supporting him.

[jason]

I didn't see her cry but did watch the NH debates. Hillary clearly won NH on her hair and solid delivery; she's deliberate and steady; not a hair astray. Her hair provides a slick, dander-free veneer for the Dems to build their Lesbian Base around. The Dems looks great.

In fact, that hair and those tears will carry her through to victory over the tall BYU Republican (his hair is good, but not great) or little McCain (serious hair problems).

Unless we get a late running show from an uber-strong Independent Republican like Arnold Schwarzenegger (doh, he's Austrian--but his hair is brilliant), or Chuck Hagel (the disillusioned Nebraska farm hair), or more likely, Mr. Bloomberg as an Independent from New York. I will comment on his hair later.

These men would enjoy combing Hillary's hair and politely asking her to pass the Hair Mud. (There will be no Mud Slinging from this word barber's chair.)

Now back to the New Hampshire debate.

Obama looked tired and fallen. Bald. Skinny. Plus his name rhymes with Osama, which will stir up the Idaho installed base to another Skin Rally. Yet he *will* win the Hawaii caucus.

Edwards the White fixated purely on the special interest command (SIM) unit. His hair is so 2004. No plan; and the Kentucky-fried accent sounds perfect for TV. He should star on Boston Legal with Spader and my hair club for men buddy, Shatner.

(Maybe Shat should run? Spader could run the DNC and campaign strategy.)

We need someone for change? How about someone for fixing the squalid financial mess we're in.

I believe I will vote for Mr Bloomberg if he makes a run. I decided this in a McDonalds over a Big Mac, reading Fortune Mag and drinking Diet Coke.

Go America!

Jason