Tears or Fears

Hillary Clinton got all feklempt yesterday, expressing just how personal her mission to become president is.

I wanted to puke.

Much has been made of that teary-eyed moment, and I think that much should be. There are really only two ways to interpret that moment.

Interpretation 1) Sincerity. I have no doubt that Mrs. Clinton wants to be president really, really, really badly. And I'll bet if she loses she'll cry. I'm quite sure she wouldn't be the first candidate to shed a tear at defeat. Lord knows I'd cry like a baby and curl up in a ball in the corner until my mommy brought be a great big bowl of chocolate ice cream and my bankey.

But you would never see me cry. "Never let 'em see you sweat" is just one notch above "Never let 'em see you blubber." As president Mrs. Clinton would have to preside over some pretty difficult, terrible circumstances, and short of losing her child -- and possibly her husband -- no one would be interested in her tears.

What's worse is that an emotional issue over something so abstract as the possible loss of the New Hampshire primary plays right into every stereotype about a female world leader. She'd have been better off simply getting up from the table and excusing herself to the ladies room.

Interpretation 2) I actually think this is more likely. Hillary Clinton's campaign staffers recognize that her campaign is in trouble and someone looked back through Bill Clinton's greatest media moments and found one where he was wiping away a tear. "We need to humanize Hillary!" I would not be at all surprised if the camera panned outward we'd find Bill under the table pinching Hillary's toes.

Suddenly Hillary appears thoughtful and caring and maternal, worried about all of America, the children she's always wanted and who are just waiting at the Beijing airport of the first Tuesday in November for her to arrive, wipe away our tears and put little pink bows on our heads for Christmas with the Clintons.

With the stakes so high, there is not a moment where a camera is within fifty miles of any candidate that is going to be left to chance. And with the Clintons in particular it's all about spin, image, and public perception.

And yet, Mrs. Clinton has then the nerve to try to scare us with something about a possible attack on the first day of the new administration. It's clear that Mrs. Clinton isn't running on her beliefs or convictions. She's struggling to present an image that she thinks will work.