Crocodile Tears or the Real Deal?

I promised to keep political posts to a minimum. But I figured that after what happened in New Hampshire last night, it'd be OK to break the rules just for today. (Caveat finished! Now I shall commence with the post!)

Two or three days ago, I can't remember which, Hillary Clinton was asked "How do you do it?" The friendly supporter wanted to know how she continued campaigning day in, day out. Hillary answered with an emotionally charged response.

(More below the fold.)

Well, the very moment it was over, everyone was talking about it. Supporters saw a human being, a woman and a friend. Some people were surprised because it's very uncharacteristic of the former First Lady. And many reporters present at the time were visibly confused. Overall, most of her supporters seem to have been touched by it. But the opponents? They grabbed a hold of the seemingly genuine moment, tore into it, chewed it up and spit something very ugly back out. When they were finished with her, the emotional response looked a lot more sinister.

Remember when Giuliani took a phone call from his wife while giving a speech to the NRA? That was an interesting moment. He, too, was ridiculed, accused of planning the moment. I can't recall anyone thinking that moment was genuine. (It seemed far too bizarre for me to believe it was real.)

Mitt Romney has teared up three times since the fight for the 2008 presidency began. His emotional outbreaks haven't once made the front page. Most people probably didn't even hear about it. But a woman does it and it makes the front page of every newspaper and tabloid. It is talked about excessively on every TV show, radio show, and newscast. Certain sexists have implied that Hillary simply cracked under the pressures of campaigning in an attempt to paint a caricature of her as a hysterical female.

What do you think? Have we become too cynical? Did Hillary Clinton plan that emotional moment to prove to voters that she is indeed human? Or was it exactly what it seemed to be: a moment where her guard came down? And if that's the case, is there really anything wrong with that, female or not?

I'm not sure what would bug me more: the fact that she faked it or that we've all grown so cynical and distrusting enough to call her bluff.