Gil Troy
Mr. Troy is Professor of History at McGill University, and the author, most recently, of
The Reagan Revolution: A Very Short Introduction, (OUP) and
Why Moderates Make the Best Presidents: George Washington to Barack Obama . His other books include: Hillary Rodham Clinton: Polarizing First Lady and Morning in America: How Ronald Reagan Invented the 1980s. He is a member of the advisory board of HNN. His website is giltroy.com. His next book “Moynihan’s Moment: America’s Fight against Zionism as Racism” will be published this fall by Oxford University Press.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008 - 17:51
Artifacts: When does it help to cry in New Hampshire?
As Hillary Clinton's tearful moment becomes historical and political legend, it is worth remembering the famous or infamous moment in the 1972 campaign, when Edmund Muskie cried - -or wiped ice and snow from his eyes -- as he defended his wife's honor. His campaign crashed after that and this supposed moment of weakness was blamed. Of course, in the intervening 36 years, it's become far more acceptable for men to cry in our culture. Still, Hillary's tear-stained rise and Muskie's tear-stained fall raise fascinating questions about gender expectations, leadership models, and how much vulnerability we want to see in leaders, if they are male -- or female.
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