I'm fed up with the frenzy over HRC's laugh as a political "issue"!

[CTyankee]

A couple of months ago it was her neckline. Back in the 90s it was her hair styles. When she was in her first Senate term it was her pants suits. During one recent debate it was the color of her jacket. What is the matter with people who can't just argue the merits of her policy stands. There is plenty there to argue about!

I'm an Edwards supporter but I am sick and tired of hearing such nonsense about our only woman candidate, treating it as if it were a real issue in the primary campaign. The laugh "issue" turned up this Sunday in both Frank Rich's and Maureen Dowd's columns. I expect a higher level of political commentary from them! Thomas Friedman sounded a lot more mature in his column about the U.S. needing a 9/12 not a 9/11 president and I give him some credit there.

P.S. I don't like the reference to JE's hair either, but even there it could be a lead in to a discussion on his anti poverty policy recommendations. I notice, however, that the haircut thing has mostly faded, but if gets the nomination, we'll hear about itin the GE.

[Bonobo]

1. Except it's not a natural laugh. It is a ploy. A way of denigrating people.

It is a mocking laugh, an "I am not going to answer that, because it's stupid" laugh.

The laugh itself is a tool, so we can criticize it as a poorly chosen one.

[TwilightGardener]

3. I agree--if it was situationally appropriate and natural, making an issue out of it would be petty.

But because it's neither, it's not wrong to examine why she does it.

[Fredda Weinberg]

33. Cause she's smarter than you can imagine

I understand her perfectly ... ah, what she refrained from saying ... if you don't get it, sorry, but that says more about you than Hillary. If we have to explain each irony, fine, but in each instance, the context was clear to me - and I laughed too. Heck, Buddha woulda.

[TwilightGardener]

49. I take her behavior at face value, instead of inventing or believing a rationale

of "here's what she's REALLY reacting to". I couldn't care less how she personally feels about the question, or the interviewer. Just answer the fucking question, without the theatrics--Jesus. The subtext doesn't fucking matter to the average voter.

[Fredda Weinberg]

50. I hear your anger ... but again, it's your problem. HRC is on her way to victory

Some of us invested time and money in this campaign a long time ago and we appreciate what we see. It may rankle you, but I suppose so would I.

According to the polls, Hillary is doing what she must - it takes time but she's charmed voters before ... here and in Arkansas after Bill's defeat for re-election. I defer to her political experience and perhaps you should consider doing the same.

[TheUniverse]

6. Exactly.

Everytime I hear her laugh at a question, its as if she thinks she is "above" answering it.

[CTyankee]

7. I don't know her personally, and unless you do how can you know it isn't natural?

You may be right but in the clips I saw she WAS asked stupid questions, such as Chris Wallace's "Why are you so polarizing" or something to that effect. That's just a gotcha question. It does nothing to lift the level of debate or illuminate her policy positions, IMO.

[KittyWampus]

11. She "laughed" at perfectely valid, tough questions. Basically, she's imitating Wes Clark and failing

Clark has his own unforced laugh when dealing with Mediawhores. It works. Because it's natural.

[CTyankee]

14. Which questions were they? n/t

[KittyWampus]

19. YOU are the one trying to excuse a candidate's feigned, inappropriate laughter.

Now THAT'S funny.

BTW, DU'ers mentioned her freakish outbursts on this forum that Sunday while it was happening.

Well before Stewart featured clips on his show.

[terisan]

23. Media trying to cut candidates down to their size, what they care about and comprehend-hair,

makeup, mannerisms. It's all about show-time----which is one reason our money will soon be cheap wallpaper and the big world decisions will be made elsewhere.

[CTyankee]

38. What were the questions, please? n/t

[Fredda Weinberg]

35. Forced? Not to my ears - and that's good enuf n/t

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

52. Video of Hillary laughing at Mike Gravel's valid question about why she voted for Kyle Lieberman

After laughing, she smiles as she spews the administration's BS on Iran, not too different when she spewed their BS when she voted for the IWR.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=385&topic_id=59004&mesg_id=59004

[Az]

16. What sound or effect of any candidate is not a tool?

In this current age of campaigning? Everything is a tool. The campaign marketers make sure of that.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

18. what nonsense.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

22. Hmmm

"Except it's not a natural laugh. It is a ploy. A way of denigrating people."

That's what the media said about Gore's sigh while they were crucifying him over it...

[TahitiNut]

37. It a parody of a woman laughing at a flasher opening his raincoat.

It only works when it's a novelty. :shrug:

[hootinholler]

45. I haven't figured out if it's a put down or if it's buying time to think.

It's really fucking annoying whichever it is.

-Hoot

[elehhhhna]

47. it sounds like a cackle and it's insincere. like GWB, sorta.

[Annces]

2. Apart from her conservative viewpoints

and hawkishness, I think a lot of men and women have deep seated prejudice about having a woman in charge.

[Az]

4. As long as our election system is the way it is, such things will matter

Because our election system is an extended PR advertising campaign then the candidates will have to play phony games and behave in phony ways. Rather than letting ideas win the day they have to appeal to shallow things such as appearences and being likable. Al Gore lost (amongst other reasons) because people would rather take a road trip with Frat boy Bush than intellectual Al. That is the system the media has left us with. Instead of the ideas being the focus all the idiosynchrasies the media decide to focus on become the issues of the day. Dukakis's helmet, Tsongas's lisp, Gore's stiffness, Hilary's laugh, none of these mattered in the long run and yet they are the focus that the media played to. Its the system. Marketing 101.

[riqster]

5. If a candidate is a Dem, people will nit-pick

...and ignore substance. Remember Gore and the 'sigh'?

Meanwhile, Reeps destroy the planet and get ignored, because it's so much more FUN to shit on the Dem.

C'mon. Let's focus on substance, even if the media won't. ESPECIALLY if the media won't.

[KittyWampus]

13. Gore DID sigh during that debate. It was audible. Instead of pointing out Bush's blatant lies.

BTW, Clinton laughing instead of answering tough questions (which she did) is NOT nit-picking.

And she did it on multiple media outlets on the same day.

It was premeditated.

[riqster]

27. Yes, but were the sighs important?

Not compared with Bush's lies. It was an attempt (and a successful one) to distract attention from crucial information with trivia.

Were people to say, "Hillary ducked tough questions", I would not take issue. But when we buy into and strengthen right-wing bullshit, like 'the cackle', 'the scream', 'love canal', et.al we aid and abet the Rovians.

[deminks]

8. It's the "old press" at it again, laughs, sighs, screams-anything but real issues. nt

[CTyankee]

12. and if HRC doesn't laugh, she a cold, stony faced, hard hearted

demon witch. I think it's better that she laugh and I think the RW knows it. That's what is behind this thing. But even Frank Rich, whom I consider to be a liberal, has joined in! Lame...

[KittyWampus]

15. How about she doesn't laugh at tough questions? When it's inappropriate? Is that too much to ask?

[MethuenProgressive]

25. She laughs at the set-ups, the pettyness, the absurd hypotheticals...

And well she should.

[TwilightGardener]

26. Why don't the other candidates laugh at such "absurdity" then?

Could it be that they are simply less arrogant and more respectful?

[MethuenProgressive]

29. Less experience with it, probably.

:eyes:

[CTyankee]

42. Again, what were the tough questions she laughed at?

Honestly, I didn't hear all of them, but the Wallace one stuck in my mind. I'm not being snarky to you. I just want you to prove your point. If you do, you win!

[zanne]

9. I think the Repubs have just begun...

The minute I saw her laughing, I knew they'd be all over it. I think they're desperate to come up with anything they can on any of the Democratic candidates, so anything will do. It's to be expected and I don't think it does them any good. If that's the best criticism they can come up with, they're in bad shape indeed.

[youthere]

10. AMEN! What a stupid NON-issue.

And I'll be the first to tell you, I'm no fan of HRC, but this is just ridiculous.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

17. thanks. me too.

[terisan]

20. Yes. It seems like regression to 1950s-60s when "wife" jokes were common and we were all supposd

to grin and bear it while stroking those fragile male egos. (what an insult to men). Women "talked to much", cackled like hens, were catty, or if they pushed themselves into the business world would behave like Queen Bees. (notice the lower animal images).

Next Maureen Dowd will want to bring back Big Daddy Reagan and pretend he is the real deal--but will never mention the hair dye bottle.

I think the Edwards hair non-issue was disgusting. So many Democrats hating to see a hairdresser get well-paid. Edwards is rich and I sure hope he pays well. Do people think hairdressers are on the Taxpayer supported Federal Health Insurance Plan like congressional reps or senators ?

The Roosevelts made a point of using American furniture makers and paying well for their products during the Great Depression.

[KittyWampus]

21. BTW, you obviously didn't read or comprehend Rich's article. Because it didn't just lambast Clinton

f/her laugh.

I don't even read Dowd anymore. I'm sure she DID because that's her style.

[CTyankee]

40. I'll go back and re-read Rich's piece. But I must say I was surprised he wasted

ink on the laugh at all...

[MethuenProgressive]

24. It shows how hard up the HillHaters are.

With Kerry it was always something stupid - he travels with a butler, he ordered swiss cheese, he sounds French, his wife is too rich...
Clinton's found an honest way to deal with that crap: She laughs it off.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

28. I'm All For The Laugh If It Helps Her Politically

If it doesn't I hope she stops and I'm sure she and her staff will figure it out...

It is a shame ,the trivial things on which we judge our candidates.

[MethuenProgressive]

30. "It is a shame ,the trivial things on which we judge our candidates."

Ayup.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

31. If She Cans The Laugh They Will Find Something Else Wrong

eom

[Hamlette]

32. Agree. Its like Dean's scream and Gore's sigh and the posters here bought the distraction

you want the dems to stand up you might start standing with them instead of letting the media destroy them. (This is obviously not for the opening poster but those who followed saying her laugh was forced etc.)

Feed that GOP/Media beast by going after Hillary or Edwards for his hair or house.

Keep dreaming of Gore or Dennis to come save you or someone else to start a huge protest march against the war.

And keep typing how awful politicians are.

[movonne]

34. remember the Dean scream.....

[Fredda Weinberg]

36. If Dean had had substance and a sense of humor ... HRC does! n/t

[shadowknows69]

39. Damn, there was a frenzy and I missed it?

[DS1]

41. Yes, but. This time it's calculated, forced, usually innappropriate and distracting

[Bitwit1234]

43. It's absolute bullshit

suppose everyone starting saying Obama's smile was the same as bush's smirk. Maybe they would say that Biden waving hello was discourteous, Richardson's weight was insulting.

If does not make any difference what Hillary Clinton does. The nit pickers who support that other candidate will find fault with her toe nails if they could see them. It just tells me more and more about the other candidates supporters.

[applegrove]

44. I think she should keep laughing - hard and often. What else to do when

some interviewer tries to "gotya" with a question.

[DURHAM D]

46. Every female who grew up in a house with brothers -

particularly combative brothers, understands the reaction. The chuckle is a non-verbal indication that "we both know you are full of shit". It levels the playing field (against the bully) and then you can start the conversation.

[BlooInBloo]

48. Shorter DU: "Only WE can rip Clinton to shreds! Not *you*!!".

:rofl:

[Froward69]

51. seems forced

and fake mostly.although once or twice her cackle seemed genuine.

[DeepModem Mom]

53. K&R

[B Calm]

54. They teach young republicans to make phony laughs too...

Did you know Hillary was president of the Young Republicans at Wesley College?