Hillary Found Her Voice in the Hearts of the People of New Hampshire

Hillary Clinton found her voice amidst the media barrage that tried to make this about the politics of gender, and it backfired. There was something very troubling about the school-yard dynamics that played out in regard to her candidacy. Very specific language was used to describe her words and actions in New Hampshire over the last days. The media wanted gender to still matter. It made great copy.

This is not about Obama's very historic real victory in Iowa or the beauty of Edwards' words at the NH debate. But how much sweeter would the victory be without resorting to shenanigans, and playing the smart woman as abrasive card. We all know what that is code for and it does not serve us well. Only Governor Bill Richardson on that New Hampshire stage did not play that game. Bravo!

It was appropriate for the media to encourage voters to make decisions about the candidates on quality, character, experience and even their personality. But it was not okay for the media to portray a woman as aggressive because she was fighting back or soft because she was showing emotion. There was no Ed Muskie moment. Yuck!

The tabloids portray youth and beauty as the formula for success for women. Please let us step beyond that in our politics to embrace those women who are brave and smart enough to fight their way to the top. It's time to put our finger up into the winds of change, and see how far reaching they really are. The media tied Hillary's likeability to this old, tired paradigm, and it did not serve us well.

People throughout this nation are hungry for real conversations. New Hampshire was the next step in that journey for 2008.

Comments

[michellekraus]

This piece was about the media and the pundits attempts to manipulate on gender, and it failed. Let's stop Hillary bashing for a moment and talk about the issues. We should not be considering a candidate because we are told they are good or bad based on their gender, religion, or their skin color. Rather we should demand a conversation on the issues. There are four terrific candidates in front of us -- let us make choices on their merits, actions and positions. This is one of the most important elections of our generation.

[nolalily]

Hillary found her voice on an unread page of the Karl Rove playbook. Congrats, Hill'.

[Independent voter]

Congatulation Hillary on electing President McCain

[converse]

This is the first time that a candidate has had to run against a two-term president since Wendell Willkie vs. FDR in 1940.

The 22nd amendment, limiting a president to two terms, was enacted to control the enormous power that is developed from eight years as the most powerful person in the world, power that can even reverse a 10-12 point election lead in one day.

[BBackSoon]

I like to think that I am not swayed by the swill fed to me by the MSM so I say this using my brain. There is something that just rubs me the wrong way about Mrs.Clinton. She is so calculating that it makes my skin crawl. I know an election is about saying what needs to be said to win but she is going with shotgun blasts at the moment just hoping something hits the target.

Did you see the Obama Concession speech followed by the Clinton Win speech? I popped in and out on both but was struck by how Clinton mirrored Obama almost point for point. And can someone tell me what the hell "Getting out of Iraq, the right way!" Means?

We have some 200 million people in this country, why are there only two family"s that can be president?

[givemycountryback]

She is so yesterday? Are you insane, how could the first elected WOMAN president in our history be so yesterday? And don't compare her to John McCain, he is nuts and a lot older than Hillary. She is a very intelligent, caring, and yes liberal candidate and I hope she wins. Having said that, I would take ANY of the democtats over ANY of the repugs. There simply is no comparison.

It is time for a change and that means a woman in the white house. She sure couldn't do any worse than that manchild we have had for 7 years who has ruined our country.

[KSH]

If it took Hillary 35 years to find her voice; I really feel bad for her, I really do. All that experience and no voice for 35 years - no she heard what the polls said and they said "you are to stiff, non human, like a robot" - so she cries and all the women come out to vote for her. Hillary is no fool and she has calculated every single move to make it to the White House - she has 2 terms planned out already.

[nuana]

Please...as another writer in Huffington Post pointed out...This is not an issue about women being meted with double standards....please, had it been any other woman who had stood in the elections, it would have been a cakewalk...but this woman is a nonstop smear campaigner.She comes from the phony Cheney/Karl Rove school of manipulative interpersonal communications..She undermined MLK and JFK efforts for heavens' sake...and then there 's the extra baggage of her being in a marriage in which she is for very little but power....fear-mongering, war-mongering...oh what a sleaze deal she personifies...truly a world leader. what a hopeful cheery personality to go with all that too!!!!
Golda Meir, why didn't you have a second coming in America instead of LBJ having a second coming in Hillary Clinton as she says herself.

[nuana]

This is total BS ...She didn't find or jolt any hearts. She launched a last-minute smear campaign.
Here is the report-
"The real reason for the reversal has been reported - it was a last-minute smear mailer by the Clinton campaign. The story: The Illinois Planned Parenthood asked its supporters (including Obama) to vote "present" instead of "no" on a number of anti-choice bills, in order to give cover to moderates so they could also vote "present", thus blocking the bills. The Clintons sent out a last minute mailer (which Obama had no chance to respond to), saying that he had repeatedly refused to stand up against anti-choice bills.
The President of the Illinois Planned Parenthood is livid about these blatant accusations via mail at the last minute"
She is a sleazy Washington lout alright!
I lost every ounce of respect I had for her...manipulating women on a women's issue...How low and seedy can one get??

[marika]

I think she is so so yesterday and that the photo of her and McCain together is just that, just that yesterday. No surprises, the same old formulas, the picture of our contry, no youth, no spring and the sleeze machine ready to go against Obama.

If she wins the general election it will be the most missed opportunity of our time and a sign of the slide down the hill that awaits all power based empires-Bush, Clinton, Bush Clinton, what a dreary future.

[tyko]

Before anyone is allowed to judge Hillary's almost-tears conversation, they should actually WATCH it. There is no doubt she was speaking from the heart with truest sincerity. And what she said is the heartbreaking thing I've been feeling for the last seven years: "I see what's happening - and we have to reverse it".
I don't think anyone will work harder to get things done.

[jackbauer0396]

A typical pro-Clinton doublespeak. Allow me to paraphrase.

"Gender shouldn't matter. Unless you're thinking about voting for her because she's a woman... that matters!!"

"The media wanted gender to still matter. It made great copy.... Please let us step beyond that in our politics to embrace those women who are brave and smart enough to fight their way to the top."

And as for her Muskie moment, which I don't believe for a moment was sincere, how could that possibly be a positive? If it was fake crying, it just shows how calculating she really is. If it was sincere, it shows that she doesn't have the fortitude to be president. You want to talk double standards? You think Barack would have gotten such a positive reaction to crying? Or Edwards?

I submit that if a candidate makes gender an issue in a positive way, it would be safe to assume her opponents will do it in a negative way.

[Lolalabloggera]

Hillary has been subjected to a double standard for weeks. I was delighted to see Chris Matthews turn around with head down and tail between his legs. He's savaged Hillary day after day after day.

Women, especially boomer women, felt dissed and made feel old and useless. I found the "She's so yesterday" headline really insulting.

[Stevelagain]

You are gonna make me cry!

[SCharb]

I'd never thought I'd hear "Hillary Clinton" and "hearts" in the same sentence.