A Tear

When pundits, voters, and the general public look back to what has been one of the most exciting presidential primary seasons in memory, one moment will stick out from all the photos, essays, and videos that captured the campaign for posterity. It will feature the preseason favorite, the former first lady, the senator from New York, Hillary Rodham Clinton.

On the eve of the first primary in New Hampshire, Clinton was in a precarious position. Having put all her efforts in a tough Iowa Caucus, Clinton had finished a surprising third, and was facing a rising newcomer in Senator Barack Obama. Another loss, and her campaign would all but be declared dead.

With a few days left before the Tuesday polling, Clinton was meeting with undecided women voters on a cold New Hampshire winter day. One of the questioners asked Clinton how she stood up to all the pressure of the campaign. As she began to answer, Clinton repeated that "...it was not easy..." and with her voice choking a tiny sliver of moisture found its way out of her eye.

A tear. For a moment, Americans got a revelation of the real breathing person who lives in the skin of the career public person that Hillary Clinton has become. For a moment, and just for that moment, the campaign stopped. Women, captivated by the passion, strength, and yes, tenderness of Clinton, flocked to her side and helped her pull out a small miracle and win the New Hampshire primary.

Unfortunately, for the rest of the campaign, the ability to come across with human feeling has escaped Clinton. Over programmed by her political handlers, she has vacillated between an attack dog and a policy wonk. One time in New Hampshire, Clinton forgot the consequences of her words and spoke and acted from the heart. If only she had the courage to have gone on from there, the outcome of the Democratic primaries would have had a different conclusion. Instead of facing almost certain elimination this Tuesday, Clinton would be looking to put away the newcomer Obama, and preparing to battle John McCain in the general election.

A tear. A moment in time. Frozen for all of us to remember. Frozen within the soul of Hillary Clinton.