The Bald Truth: Hillary Clinton Gets Real: Comeback Queen Tears up, Connects, Wins N.H.
Hillary Clinton Talks About Tears and Double Standards on MSNBC
By Art Harris, (c) www.artharris.com, all rights reserved
Hillary got real. She’d cried. She connected. She won.
Whether rattled by rejection in Iowa, or emboldened to be herself because she expected to lose again, Sen. Hillary Clinton took a risk and got real enough to beat back the seemingly unstoppable Obama and sail to a New Hampshire Democratic primary victory Tuesday, resurrecting a floundering campaign as The Comeback Queen.
“I listened to you,” she told supporters Tuesday night, beaming as never before, as husband, Bill and daughter, Chelsea, stood nearby, “and I found my voice…Let’s give America the kind of comeback you’ve given me.”
It was a tale of two comebacks, a steal magnolia who found a softer, gentler voice, and war hero John McCain, a former POW who never gave up behind bars in the Hanoi Hilton and never gave up on the stump.
He also shocked pundits to whip GOP challengers and win a party primary no one would have believed possible. “I don’t know what it feels like to be a kid,” said the 71 year old former Navy pilot who was shot down in Vietnam, but he knows “all about comebacks.”
The dual dramas riveted viewers like me watching sudden reversals of political and personal fortune in real time…two long time politicians, Clinton and McCain, savoring the moment, real time political reality with a nation’s future hanging in the balance. It was enough to make viewers forget the writer’s strike and paltry network fare.
First, Elizabeth Edwards hit the hot lights to introduce her husband, yet another senator in the democratic pack who finished a distant third Tuesday night.
Yet the Edwards have certainly earned respect and admiration as a couple that not only came back from losing a 16 year old son in a freak accident, but declared war on cancer that hit Mrs. Edwards mid-campaign.
Now, here was Sen. John Edwards again, once declared a sex symbol by People magazine, beaming and unflappable, declaring he was not quitting and planned to hit Nevada and South Carolina primaries and 48 other states which had yet to cast their ballots for party favs. He was in it for the long haul, he said, bouncing son Jack in his arms.
No one was giving up. Barack Obama preached another stirring speech, saying no one expected him to be anywhere near where he was, an Iowa frontrunner now just a few points back from Hillary, and had no intention of losing faith since “something was happening” in the country and he aimed to ride it out.
Then came Hillary. I watched Bill. If he was stunned over his wife’s loss in Iowa, taking it hard as a referendum on HIS Presidency, as some reported, that subplot was gone, and he appeared humbled and relieved on the dais, hugging Hillary, who also got one from Chelsea. Redemption, if even for a day.
Behind her, Team Hillary’s political advance staff had assembled a brilliant backdrop—smiling, cheering college students—a not so subliminal message that she, too, enjoyed the same grassroots youth support that has catapulted Obama into at least one primary catbird seat.
In the end, turnout in college towns he’d counted on was not enough for Obama to catch up, and he had to settle for a respectable second place, separated by a few thousand votes last time I counted.
Nevada is next, then South Carolina, where 50 per cent of Democratic registered voters are black, and a fascinating showdown looms that features the steel magnolia from Arkansas, the son of a mill worker from North Carolina and a true immigrant’s tale of an African American senator who has managed to brilliantly bridge the usual and predictable racial divide.
High drama is certain to go on, as voters will be watching the New Hillary, who showed she cries and bleeds and feels for Americans who hurt and need help, who polls showed appeared to win much of the Oprah viewers Tuesday, older women, even if Obama had the talk queen in his camp.
How it happened, how she decided to bust out of her cocoon to embrace what people were telling us they didn’t like about her in interviews—“I don’t know who she is”—she’d overcome, at least in New Hampshire.
Whether it was her emotional interview with ABC’s Diane Sawyer, or tearing up to show she cared in one on one moments with women voters, Hillary melted an ice queen image and came out of her fantasy Rose Garden to connect on an emotional level with voters, and that apparently made all the difference.
“You helped remind everyone politics isn’t a game,” she said against a backdrop of cheers. “This campaign is about people making a difference in your lives, about making sure everyone in this country has the opportunity to live up to his or her God given potential…”
She spoke about what has touched her and sounded like she meant it.
“I’ve met families who lost homes in foreclosure, who worked day and night to pay bills (who can’t afford health insurance) “and hope they don’t get sick, young people who can’t afford to go to college to pursue their dream. Too many have been invisible for too long,. Well, you are not invisible to me.”
Even though she needed funds to keep pushing, and the spigot was turned off after Iowa, she still vowed to stand up to big money interests , and New Hampshire voters believed her.
“The oil companies, the drug companies, health insurance companies, predatory student loan companies,” she said. “We’ve had seven years of a President who stood up for them, it’s time we had a President who stood up for all of you!”
It apparently clicked. According to CNN polls, Hillary flipped enough women to her side at the last minute, along with young people and democrats on an economic downslide to win what pollsters said was lost to Obama as recently as Monday.
Talk about surprise endings…That that’s why the Presidential race is shaping up to be the best reality show in town. And the old adage, it ain’t over til it’s over, holds water for another day.
January 9th, 2008 at 3:50 am
[...] Here’s another interesting post I read today by Art Harris [...]
January 9th, 2008 at 3:54 am
Great recap!
I need some of Freida’s hope. I hope that the intent of the speakers actually manifests itself into actions after the final votes are counted.
January 9th, 2008 at 3:58 am
Whatever. I just wish she were referred to in the media as a candidate, a human being instead of a gender.
January 9th, 2008 at 5:33 am
Hollywood/Washington DC…
May I quote you, Art Harris, “…paltry network fare.”
Whomever wins, should cry.
January 9th, 2008 at 7:30 am
[...] The Bald Truth: Hillary Clinton Gets Real: Comeback Queen Tears up, Connects, Wins N.H. [...]
January 9th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
I like Hillary she knows Washington better than anyone else, she is worth your vote if you swing that way, and she will do something for health insurance that no one else has done before. The vote that she is missing is the religious vote so Hillary start going to church meet every single group in the bible belt that is where your strength is going to be. YOu gotta reach those people to win otherwise you will be yesterdays news.
I am not sure about Obama, something is missing with him, now Mccain well hes an ole boy that just might make it because of his conversative image which if yall member if you see the map from the last election when Bush won was mostly blue..? If you want change, vote, otherwise it will remain the same.
January 9th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
IMO NH voters just wanted to show that Iowa does not determine the candidate.It will be a long hard race and hopefully not too many negative comments.After all we all want the same thing CHANGE not the same old thing.This will show some candidates that they can’t just take it easy. Mrs Clinto thought she had Iowa and lost now Obama thought he had NH or at least the polls showed that and he came in second.At least he was not third like HRC was in Iowa.On to the next primary’s
January 9th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
Wow—What a difference makes!
January 9th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
I would cry too if I knew my husband has slept half of the country. The Clintons are so phony and are pathological liars. Anybody but Hillary , or better yet ABC anybody but Clinton
January 9th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
I was never so happy to see the votes in Hillary’s favor last night. I like Obama just fine but I wonder about his lack of experience. The winning ticket in November as far as I’m concerned would be Hillary as President and Barack as Vice President. Could this ever happen? Who knows but I’m glad that Hillary can raise her head up again and go on to another State.
January 9th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
HAIL TO THE NEW COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF … WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH … YOU CRY!! GOD HELP US ALL!
January 9th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
I love watching the elections. I think the American population is reading for a change in the Washington DC government, Congress and Whitehouse. Your election news was very interesting. Thanks
Skooly
January 9th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
“stump”…base (n) or puzzle (v)?
January 9th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
I’m glad Hillary won. Now, her opponents will pounce on her tears and do the same ole, same ole…”women are too emotional” to be in a leadership role. Ho-hum.
lol Politics make want to cry too..
January 9th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
Informative article Art!
“The oil companies, the drug companies, health insurance companies, predatory student loan companies,” she said. “We’ve had seven years of a President who stood up for them, it’s time we had a President who stood up for all of you!”
I WISH I COULD BELIEVE THIS PART SHE SAID. SHE WAS IN THE WHITE HOUSE 8 YEARS WITH BILL, SHE PROMISED AS FIRST LADY TO HELP CHANGE HEALTH INSURANCE ISSUES.
I AM AFRAID THAT THERE WILL BE NO CHANGES; NO MATTER IF A REPUBLICAN OR A DEMOCRATE GET IN OFFICE. IT IS TOO HARD TO FIGHT THE HOUSE, SENATE, ECT…
MY THOUGHT TO REALLY CHANGE IS TO GIVE DEMOCRATES FOUR YEARS WITH ALL DEMOCRATICS IN ALL THE HOUSES…THEN ALTERNATE THE NEXT FOUR YEARS WITH REPUBLICANS. I KNOW THIS WILL NEVER HAPPEN, BUT WE CANNOT HAVE REAL CHANGE IN THE WHITE HOUSE BECAUSE EVERYONE IS AGAINST EACH OTHER, THEY VETO GOOD BILLS AND LET BAD ONES THROUGH.
THE ONLY ONES WINNING ANYTHING ARE THE DRUG COMPANIES AND THE OIL COMPANIES, ECT.
IF AMERICA GOES ON LIKE IT HAS BEEN, THEN WE WILL ALL BE IN ALOT OF TROUBLE! JUST MY OPINION.
January 9th, 2008 at 6:01 pm
She won’t cry again.
I did find her emotion genuine, but I don’t see how it got her any votes (as the media seems to claim).
Simple truth, people overreacted to Obama’s “victory” in Iowa. The media goes crazy too quickly, these days. They cause a frenzy where there should be no frenzy. Thanks to the journalist (I don’t even remember who it was) who did their piece on prior winners and losers in Iowa. A little reality in the midst of all the hype.
January 9th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
When we all go vote in Nov, we will know who the top two runners will be. If Edwards, Richardson were not on the ballet in NH how far ahead would Mrs. Clinton have been or McCain.
I worry that Mrs. Clinton has had 8 White house years to make health care changes, plus her 4 or so years as Senator of NY, BTW how has the health coverage in NY State changed for the better? We all want changes, we all better get off our rumps and get out and vote. No Excuses.
Heard Senator Clinton say tonight on Katie Curic, “The history of the “act” of making a change. Think most Americans are very tired of the “ACT”.
Let me add this, I am neither a republican or democrat, I just want someone up on the hill that will make a diference for all Americans. And one who owes no pay backs to those who gave politican contributions or who has been scraching backs for 8 years.
January 9th, 2008 at 8:13 pm
oops–meant to say- Wow! What a difference a day
makes!!
January 9th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
Art,
I have never seen that video that Hillary made before when tears were welling up until today, and I’ll tell you the truth to me that was no act, she really sounded genuine. The only thing I wish if she is elected president that she will rely on her own instinct instead of her husbands as I think he could be a major player in the background. After seeing that particular video of her, I got to admit that I am more interested in seeing her statements and debates throughout the rest of her campaign. She really got my interest here, but I have to admit this is going to be a real tough campaign still for her.
January 9th, 2008 at 10:08 pm
Maybe this country needs some human emotions. women may show emotions, but can be hard as nails when needed. I’d rather have a women trying to make some changes for my family than another egotistic male. Also, I’ll make my own mind up at the voting booth, not by what some overpaid jounalist says.
January 10th, 2008 at 2:10 am
Flander, what a hateful thing to say. You have no idea what you are talking about. Who would want to be like you, a hater, a basher. Politicans do good things for their country and get things passed in Congress to better our lives. We have a good process in this country. You have not a clue what good things the Clintons have done, even for you who has hate in their heart. I feel sorry for you.
January 10th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
And let’s not forget John McCain’s win in NH, also! Why isn’t that news? He has experience.. more than the Clinton’s combined! And he is a beloved Vietnam War hero! Hey, Art! How ’bout an abbreviated bio on Senator McCain for all our busy friends here? So much info on the net might overwhelm even the bravest of us!
This does not mean I back him as POTUS. It means I think all candidates should be considered!
As should Ron Paul be considered. (A very honorable stance and one most can agree with!)
And how could everyone conveniently forget the Baltimore Colt-like midnight move the Clinton’s made out of the White House with a moving van full of historically important items not belonging to them? Items still not accounted for by the White House? And the Whitewater scandal? And Jennifer Flowers.. and Monica Lewinsky … ? And the last-minute Clinton presidential pardons of all their white-collar criminal friends?
I guess the general population prefers to get their information from the left-leaning propaganda spewing media! Heaven forbid lazy Americans actually search for facts readily available through online sources!
Shame on everyone who says they are too busy to read, to discuss… to even vote! You have forfeited your right to voice your opinion on the state of the country! IMNSHO (In My Not So Humble Opinion!)
January 10th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
ok Art - Want to keep fans? Don’t get political on us. Many of us like Hillary. No need to make enemies by trashing or insulting a candidate that YOU may not like. Lets just stick to the news and leave the anti-Hillary remarks to the
Rush and Sean’s of the world.
January 10th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
IMO it is way to early to claim victory a long way to go for all the canidates
January 10th, 2008 at 9:30 pm
Changing the president, is easy, compared to getting all the :good ol boys” out of congress and the senate. We the People vote them in to do for our country what WE want done, they promise us to do it. they are elected then they vote the way the Special interest groups pay them to.but we all think our guys in Our state is the best, because we may have got a scrap or two from the gov.We all need to vote out all the congress and senate, and try to get rid of judges, who take down any sign of in God we Trust, because one guy does not want his daughter to see that.. This country was founded on IN GOD WE TRUST
January 10th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
It was a beautiful day today; GO HILL GO!
I have to say I was feeling very threatened when Obama was strong in Iowa; I feel so much better today. While I think he is very bright and very inspiring I agree he does not have much experience and is young but ALSO his middle name is Hussein and as far as I am concerned nobody named Hussein should ever be President of our USA.
I like the guy BUT Hussein as President??? the risk in these times would be far to high. I would not and could not trust his loyalties if the US was in a compromising situation. If he did not know we would react as I do he would use his name more openly.
January 11th, 2008 at 12:04 am
Thank you to those who protect me.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hollies
January 11th, 2008 at 3:04 am
I think I read Beth on another ‘thread’ somewhere…
Something about corn dogs and gatorade.
Sorry I didn’t capitalize those ‘words.’
Not really, LOL.
It really is nice to know that there are others out there like me.
Of course, we’re not exactly alike…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDIa4xmz2l8
January 11th, 2008 at 8:59 am
I am Black and I love Hillary Clinton. She is smart,intelligent, strong, cares about children who are the future of tomorrow, she loves her family and I believe she would make an excellent president. The men have ran this country for years, and look where we are today. The corporate news media has propogandized the Americn public to believe she is a wolf. But I absolutely dislike the media. The media is in the business of building up people only to tear them down. The JS,MB,CM,SH,BO,TC are all haters and think because they represent the media they are gods. They all lied about the POLLS and when they got caught in their lies in NH they made many excuses why their polls were not correct. I watched them write Hillary Clinton,s obituary because the media literally hate the Clintons. Thank God, we have other news outlet on the internet. The media has been properly exposed and I say that is a good thing. Despite what the media says, Hillary Clinton is a human being subject to all the feelings that humans have, to paint her as this cold unfeeling person is very dishonest. They don’t really like BO, the media tells us HC can’t go afer BO but during the National Elections it will be ok if the GOP candidate go after the Dem front runner. Whoever wins the election has a real tough job ahead of them.
January 11th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
Since I am in the over 65 crowd, something to ponder over. SS issues. This year I received a 2 1/2 percent increase in my yearly income. While the people on the hill voted themselves a hefty 10% raise. When they leave office they still receive the same pay they draw now, plus 100% health care benefits. Should one of them pass, their wifes will receive 1/2 of there annual income. Not shabby my friends. Now when you draw SS you go on Medicare which pays 80% on some things once you meet your yearly deductable of now it is about 140 dollars. Let me say I worked hard for 45 years to get to this time. Sure wasn’t sitting on my behind being waited on by a staff.
So we need to think long and hard before electing someone this go around.
Change needs to start at the bottom and go up. Get rid of the Ted Kennedy’s up there. So many are sitting easy in those easy chairs cause they know they aren’t going anywhere soon, they too need a major shake up.
It is up to us Americans, lets make a change. Someday most of you too will be living on SS. It is not a pretty penny.
January 11th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
BTW let me add, Art thanks for doing some political coverage. This is one way we Americans can discuss different veiws and hear how other feel. Communication is what make us revolve.
January 11th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
Kim A You are so right ,what is in a name everyone complains about Obama’s name but forget about what the Clintons did when he left office.Yhey should really check it out .I am also an independent and right this second could not tell you who I would vote for except I would not vote for Mrs Clinton.Her crying did nothing for me just a ploy in her campaign.
January 12th, 2008 at 6:47 am
Kim A: Brilliant post!!! Couldn’t have said it better myself…and I’m a Republican!
January 12th, 2008 at 11:06 am
Hillary’s crying was not a ploy! Geeesh!! It was genuine, which is more than I can say about alot of the people in politics. She truly feels for the people and wants to help them and people need to take off their blinders in order to see this.
I saw her last night on C-Span and if I had been undecided up to that point (which I wasn’t,lol) I would certainly have been rooting for Hillary, after watching her and listening to her and all that she intends to do, if elected president.
I believe Hillary truly wants to get this country back in shape and I also believe if anyone can do it, she can. She is a gutsy lady and will roll up her sleeves and get to work right away if elected president. She has been involved in so much throughout the years and has traveled to so many places around the world and has seen what goes on and what is needed to be done. She does have the experience. The right experience. Anyone becoming our president, having less experience and knowledge than Hillary, would scare me. I don’t envy the person who does get in and has to sort out the horrible mess and debt that Bush has made of this country and world.
Why aren’t any of you talking about that?
I, myself, don’t like politics, but I have a son who does and he knows Hillary and Bill personally. I trust my son’s judgement in candidates, but I have been for the Clinton’s and for what they’ve stood for, (the average person) long before my son went to work in D.C. and got to know them.
January 12th, 2008 at 11:27 am
Cipper you are right I am also on S.S and agree with you 100%.S.S has not been an issue so far in this campaign.If our S.S had been putn some kind of fund where it made money we would not be in the position we are in now.Many pension plans do this and are solvent still.The only thing I hear is keep the S.S at the same status quo which means that my and your children may have nothing to show for what they have paid in over the years.I have never understood why congress and the senate could vote themselves a raiseor why they could receive the same pay as they made while working no other pension plan pays that way.Hopefully if we get someone new in office something will change but congress and the senate has to go along with the president on changes and I am not so sure this would happen no matter who is elected.
January 12th, 2008 at 6:34 pm
I am 50 plus years young, and Hillary Clinton is the only political candidate I blogged for, contributed to, and wrote to my friends about.
No I do not believe she could be a cure-all president. Also, even after her NH win, am still not betting on that she will win the nomination, and after that, the presidency. My pendulum is still swinging in Obama’s direction. Nonetheless I will continue to root for her. If Obama wins, I would hope that he’ll have the common sense to team up with her, on the other hand, most likely, this wish of mine is a pipe dream.
Be that as it may, Hillary is still my choice for president.
January 12th, 2008 at 7:59 pm
Bush and Clinton are tight.
Who’s Who, LOL.
Let’s ‘Partay.’ (Is that how you spell it, Art?)
January 12th, 2008 at 10:51 pm
There’s a poem about me, myself, and I…
Hi, Art,
I haven’t had to fill out a 1040 in quite a few years…
Yet I remember that ‘box’ where you could ‘check’ if you wanted to donate a dollar.
Maybe we should just have a ‘box’ to check to elect our next president?
January 15th, 2008 at 2:12 am
I don’t care what gender, color, blood type, physical attributes are attached to our next president. I want one that’s sincere, honest, and will watch the American’s people’s back! And some help with the education system. Typo’s are one thing, but man have you read/heard some of the product that is coming out of our school systems? I think Bush tried with the NCLB and it helped somewhat but we won’t see any of it for years in some of the younger generations.
I can’t understand why anyone even wants the job! Damned if you do, and damned if you don’t. Back to can’t please all the people and you know the rest.
March 23rd, 2008 at 12:20 am
If Collin Powell or Rice were running for President, I would vote for them in a nanosecond. Just want to make it clear!