They Lose!
1972 - Senator Edmund Muskie was the favorite to win the 1972 Democratic Presidential nomination. But being the front-runner for over a year proved difficult. During the New Hampshire primary, Muskie choked with anger broke down and cried because of a couple of nasty articles in the "Manchester Union Leader." Admittedly, one of the articles attacked his wife. There was no YouTube or citizen journalist back in 1972 ... so video of the incident is hard to find. But, Muskie lost the nomination because he was considered to be too weak for the presidency.
2008 - Senator Hillary Clinton was the favorite to win the 2008 Democratic Presidential nomination. But being the front-runner for over a year proved difficult. During the New Hampshire primary, Clinton broke down into tears as she talked about the campaign. We have YouTube and citizen journalists in 2008 .... so you can check out the video.
Hillary lost the election with this crying jag. All of her work to be considered the Iron Maiden and her claims to be 'Ready' fall away with this 90-second video because it shows that she is too weak for the presidency.
History repeats itself. I would be interested to hear from Clinton supporters. Are you surprised at her 90-second breakdown on camera?
32 comments:
I think it's desperation (for lack of a better word), not weakness. Honestly I thought it was fake coming from Hillary "Mistress of Masks" Clinton. She's changed personalities and campaign styles so many times over the past year it's absurd. She may feel that what she said is true, but certainly not to the extent of tears. Clintons don't cry, at least not on TV.
I think someone told her it would be a good idea...or maybe she thought it would be a good idea...wherever it came from, she needs to realize that now she is going to be seen as the woman who can't handle the pressure...and if she can't handle the pressure of campaigning, how is she going to handle the pressure of being President every single day? Not a good move, Hill...
Bill was probably in the back screaming at the top of his lungs...and then arranging for someone to hook him up with Obama...
Well, she can kiss the nomination goodbye. The crocodile tears were a big mistake. If I were one of her supporters, that gimmick would cause me to seriously rethink my choice.
You don't buy those tears do you? I know she has had many opportunities to cry for some very serious stuff, but these tears come after the fact that people consider her unlikeable and cold. Emotions have no place in the run for Presidency, just ask Howard Dean; he showed emotion and he was giving a pep speech.
Ladies, Gentlemen,
Msmarvalus is correct....those tears were as scripted as a production of Hamlet.
She's been under pressure to seem more "warm" and "human". Bill can do this with that routine where he bites his upper lip and nods thoughtfully.
Didn't work for Hillary.
But I think if you stick the fork in the oven to check, you'll see that Hillary isn't quite done. (And I don't mean to contradict an excellent post....) But without a miracle tomorrow or later on in South Carolina, you can go ahead and set the table, put some ice in the glasses, and tell the kids to wash their hands.
Stick a fork in the Clintons. They're done.
Woozie - I seem to recall that Bill Clinton was able to bring himself to 'near tears' on some occassions. I have to admit that I initially had sympathy for Hillary Clinton. She may have been tired. However, in almost the very next sentence after her tearful comments ... she attacked Obama. So, you may be right ... it may have been a fake play for emotion from other women in the electorate.
Ms. Marvelous - Her tears will be her downfall. And her growing anger and frustration with Obama will be her downfall.
At the end of the day Hillary was crying for herself. She was hit with the reality that her opportunity to be president is going away. She wasn't crying for the country ... she was crying for herself.
BHC - I wonder if she cried when she learned about Bill Clinton's infidelity?
Ms. Grapevine - It ain't good to be Hillary Clinton if you're being compared to Howard Dean (smile)
Whited Sepulchre - Methinks that she will lose in South Carolina by over 20 points (smile).
I bet she didn't cry when she found out. I have a feeling she was used to his philandering by then.
BHC - Given a choice between the dysfunctional marriage of Bill & Hillary Clinton and the marriage of Barack & Michelle Clinton ... methinks that Barack & Michelle will win out as our choice for the next First Family!
Hey Villager, you know we haven't officially launched that Proud Black Voter site right? Check with Mrs.G, but I believe it's still under construction.
We were going to do the press release next monday.
Ok, I am an Obama supporter and I do not even share the same ethnic background. In my mind, he is the best person to lead our country and my vote will go to him.
Still, don't you think you and the media are exaggerating with the "crying jag" description?
As for whether or not she cried to know her husband was unfaithful, I'm sure that most men/women would cry for that. Those who are unfaithful bear the shame. Don't shake your stick because you are not blame free on that count (as you yourself said on this blog. I'm sure you will delete this post, but I had to say it.
Obama in 2008 and for the next 8 years!
Ok, I am an Obama supporter and I do not even share the same ethnic background. In my mind, he is the best person to lead our country and my vote will go to him.
Still, don't you think you and the media are exaggerating with the "crying jag" description?
As for whether or not she cried to know her husband was unfaithful, I'm sure that most men/women would cry for that. Those who are unfaithful bear the shame. Don't shake your stick because you are not blame free on that count (as you yourself said on this blog). I'm sure you will delete this post, but I had to say it.
Obama in 2008 and for the next 8 years!
One of the side-effects of a long grueling campaign is seeing who "cracks" first. Whether staged "tears" to show her human side or whether the media "over-played" her whimper, the America people have been watching each candidate for signs of weakness. Acknowledge it or not, we have a strange measure in accessing "strength"... nothing personal... just another perception that helps us form our judgment.
I may be a lone voice here, but I expected this to be an issue (not here particularly), but from the media. I am all for Obama Barack, and he is getting my vote. However, if he was not in the race, my vote would be going to Hillary.
I don't particularly like the game of politics. I don't like what I'm seeing. I don't like the tactics that Hillary is now pulling, yet I feel that she is out of desperation. It doesn't make it right or acceptable, it just is what it is. I believe as have been said here that the tears were probably not real and were used after the "likable" thing came out. Afterall, it's politics (I'm still not a fan). Yet, on the other hand, let's just say that the tears were genuine and real. Why does that make her, or anyone, WEAK? Why is it WEAK to show emotions and to show that you are really a human being who has feelings? Why does that make one incapable of running a country?
Perhaps her husband should have cried more while he was in office (I'm sure he wasn't crying during the days of Monica and the unfaithfulness, shame, and hurt he brought to his wife). Perhaps Bush should be crying a river for all of the misery that he has brought to this entire country.
The emotions and tears shows that there is a human being under all of that tough exterior. It doesn't mean that one cannot successfully do a job. It shows that a person cares and is passionate.
Carla
You're not alone Carla...I agree with you. Maybe more real emotion and less false bravado is what we need.
Yobachi - My bad ... I thought that the target was yesterday (Monday). I'll remove the badge from my sidebar.
Anon - My point in the post is that there are eerily similiar historical comparisons between Hillary's emotional breakdown and that of Edmund Muskie many years ago. History tells us that Muskie fell from front-runner to also-ran after the crying incident. He was perceived as being too weak for the office. Will the same thing happen to Hillary Clinton? Those I've talked with say that she never should have been caught crying on video. If she was tired ... she should have rested. Now, it is too late. The next primary is South Carolina. She is likely to lose that state by over 20%. The dynamics changed dramatically in this nomination process from last Thursday (Iowa) to today ... don't you agree?
Anon - You posted twice and neither of them will be deleted by me! (smile)
Eddie - The road is still long for Obama. He has to remain hungry and humble on the rest of the campaign towards the nomination.
Carla - Perhaps you are right ... however, perception is reality ... and Clinton spent many months (years) showing us that she is TOUGH and READY.
Many people talk about the Hillary that they know who is different from the personna that is in the public eye.
For what it's worth ... I would have voted for Hillary Clinton if Barack Obama wasn't running. In fact, it wasn't until reading his first book that I made my decision to support Obama. They are both worthy candidates ... my hope is that whichever one loses will rally around the victor. At all costs, we need to replace Bush and his policies.
I'm about as far as it gets from being a Hillary supporter, and her tears may or may not be real, but your comment struck a chord with me, because tears aren't a sign of weakness.
We could use more tolerance for emotion in this society. It would encourage honesty, and help folks to come away from the usual defensive, poker face posture that keeps them from being real with themselves. Far too many people repress emotion to the detriment of themselves and others.
Emotions come out one way or another. It's best when passion doesn't come out as displaced warfare that could have been released the natural way by woman or man: through the tearducts.
Saul Williams says it best:
'Vulnerability is power'
Peace
~~~~~~~*
PZ
PZ - I notice that I get teary-eyed at the movies much more as I get older. It happens almost anytime that I see a movie with father-child relationship. I'm told that I should bring some kleenix when I go see Will Smith in the Happyness movie (smile).
Hotep Villager !
Greetings from Texas, and thanks for the comments on my site.
With about 52% of the New Hampshire precincts reporting, The Hildabeest is ahead 39% to 37%. That's less than 5,000 votes.
It ain't over. Don't sell your prophetic powers short. If Obama wins that state by even one vote, it's a massive upset.
-Whited Sepulchre
Whatever else Hillary did with those tears, she raised either the love or ire in people. I'm watching the New Hampshire election returns right now, very interesting.
I'll check in tomorrow,
Shelia
Villagers - I imagine that I need to give up my budding career as a political pundit. New Hampshire voters apparently were willing to tell pollsters one thing yesterday ... but, then they went behind the curtain at their voting booth and voted a different way.
Why? Could it be that the emotional, tearful, crocodile tears moment was enough to get women in New Hampshire to come out in droves to vote for their sista gal?
Why? Could it be ol' school politics where white folks simply couldn't pull the ballot handle for a Black candidate?
Why? Could it be that New Hampshire simply loves Bill Clinton so much?
I dunno ... I do know that I'm very disappointed at this particular moment ... Nevada is next...then South Carolina.
Hillary evidently is still up & kicking...
peace, Villager
Shelia - Very disappointing night. Obama gave a good concession speech ... but, I have an empty feeling after this primary ... much different than after the Iowa caucus results came across the screen.
The bad thing is that in a few hours I'll be on NPR News & Notes on the Blogger Roundtable ... and the NH election results are part of the discussion (sigh).
White Sepulchre - The returns are in and Barack Obama lost (sigh)
Jennifer - The link you provided to the Maureen Dowd editorial was right on point. Thank you for sharing it with us!
Villager,
The people who are polled are different from the people who vote.
It's illegal to do entrance polls, so it's not a matter of 'lying' to reporters and doing something else.
And the exit polls also did not ask who people voted for -- only what 'issues' they thought were important.
That's why election polls suck. It doesn't separate the vast amount of armchair crap-talkers from real voters.
SheCodes - The Bradley Effect is real. I understand what you are saying about exit polling. However, there is a whole industry of people in the polling industry. They make their mortgage payments on getting it close to right ... at least within the so-called margin of error.
They were wildly wrong in New Hampshire.
Ah well...it looks like we have a 2-way contest for another few weeks or months.
Hey villager,
I'm not trying to claim that there is no such thing as a Bradley effect... what I am saying is that election polling is based on seriously flawed logic -- and it always was.
Every single election cycle, pundits get 'shocked and amazed' by how incorrect their projections were of election results.
Sorry, but I had to take 4 semesters of statistics in undergrad -- so I pretty much have to laugh when I hear about their 'scientific methods'...
Beyond the sampling problems, there is also the pesky fact that the poll in and of itself affects the vote!
For example, if I am an Obama supporter, and I hear from these 'experts' that he is projected to win by a landslide margin -- and then my boyfriend calls me on election night to go to Appleby's for dinner & I'm starving... what do you think I would do?
SheCodes - Methinks that Appleby's will win (smile)! Thanks for sharing your village voice with me.
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