Hillary Clinton is no Pat Schroeder: "This is one of the most important elections Americans have ever faced"

Full disclosure: I'm an undecided voter who is still disappointed in President Bill Clinton for four main reasons (China, Bosnia, Haiti, Monica), but I have to weigh in because I just reviewed this clip after reading all the commentary on Morra Aarons-Mele's BlogHer post and every where else.

My two lira: Bravo Hillary. More please, whether I vote for you or not.

This video captures a master debater at the height of her game. She's stretched just thin enough to say something real and heartfelt -- and then she does a deft job of sticking it to her opponent(s). What a surprise to watch this moment of truth in the same day I heard her allow NPR's Renee Montagne turn a Morning Edition interview  into a discussion of Sen. Barack Obama and how important it is that Clinton not lose to her primary opponent, Sen. Barack Obama. 

Finally, we see Candidate Hillary saying something that sounds remarkably unscripted. Goodbye, floral couch from which the Stepford candidate announced her candidacy, hello, woman who understands me.   As for her other commentary, hell, it's a cold winter and there's not a woman alive who isn't worrying about working out and that extra piece of pizza, girl, whether we need to or it's just in our heads.

For the VERY first time I found myself thinking, wow, she might get my vote. Followed by: Wow, if she doesn't earn the nomination, somebody should give this woman Brownie's old job heading up FEMA, and then we can work her way up to Secretary of State.

One parting thought: For anyone who hasn't ever watched a presidential candidate in the heat of a campaign, I recommend you re-watch the video and look at only the background: See the flashbulbs? There was a media mob assembled to watch these voters watch Hillary that probably wasn't the size of an inky dinky press pool.

How the senator managed not to burst out with, "Could you PLEASE get those klieg lights OUT of my EYES and hand me a BEER" is beyond me.

So you'll know if I ever run for office. I'll be the one with the port-a-keg.

Okay, done ranting. You may now watch the candidate for yourself, in peace:

Dying to know your opinion: Do you agree with me or not?
 

Comments

[Americaneocon]

Actually Pat Schroeder's the first person I though of when I saw Hillary tearing up. This is a candidate who says she'll be ready from "day one" - but what if that first day includes a catastrophic attack? Is she gonna start bawling?

Will misty eyes hurt her? Nay, I just don't think Obama's got it locked up yet, even with a win today. Sure, history and the odds are in favor of an Iowa/New Hampshire double-winner, but we've still got essentially a national primary on February 5, and the Clinton machine is well-organized (with James Carville waiting in the wings), backed by Bill Clinton's star power (which will have more bite in "left-coast" type of states), and Hillary's not yet gotten down-and-dirty with political attacks on Obama (who might not be here if it wasn't for Jeri Ryan!).

[Lisa Stone]

Thanks for the comment Americaneocon. We'll have to agree to disagree on that first part of your post - Hillary barely qualifies as choked up in this video compared to the tears seen from other candidates.

However, I do agree with a couple of your points in the second paragraph. I cannot wait for the "national" primary on Feb. 5. And I seriously hope mainstream media can turn their attention back to policy and away from the horserace.