Victoria Zackheim

When A Candidate Cries

January 8, 2008, 3:22 pm

Listen, I'm certainly not the biggest Hillary Clinton fan in the world (which is not to say that I couldn't support her heartily if she wins the nomination), but what's this garbage over yesterday's show of emotions? People cry. Yes, even men. Even what's-his-name---you know, the one who looks like Alfred E. Newman, but isn't as smart, and was never actually elected (at least, not in a free and open election)---cries in public. So when a candidate who happens to be a woman, and who's putting in 22-hour days while being verbally poked, prodded, jabbed, and otherwise mutilated, is suddenly asked "How are you?"...how could it not provoke an emotional response?

Is it a sign of weakness, of inability to serve? Or is it an indication of...gasp...being human. 

Firoozeh Dumas says:

I would cry too.

Hi Victoria,

I don't understand how anybody can run for office. Politics has become so mean-spirited. I would just be crying every day, or eating lots of brownies.

It's one thing to be a writer and read reviews. Those can be nasty but they tend to be limited to criticism of one's work (although not always!) But with politics, there just seem to be no boundaries. 

So, no I will not be running for president.

Best,

Firoozeh

Victoria Zackheim says:

What? You're not running?

The closest I got to politics was a freelance writer: collateral material (such as occasionally nasty mailers fondly known as Hit Pieces) and speeches. It was so long ago...two candidates for Congress and the last campaign speeches for Alan Cranston, when he was the senior member of the U.S. Senate. The most fun was when I was hired to write mailers for a very conservative Republican, running against a Democrat who was discovered to be very sleazy...after she won the primary! I can't say who paid me, but there were no Republicans among them!

Politics...I'm such a junkie!