Confronting Gender Bias, Finding a Voice: Hillary Clinton and the New Hampshire Crying Incident

Abstract

During the 2008 New Hampshire Democratic primary Hillary Clinton choked up briefly in a coffee shop while discussing the difficulties of the election. Critics drew comparisons between the episode and a similar incident involving Ed Muskie in 1972, and predicted it would be Clinton's downfall. This essay argues that Clinton's surprising win in New Hampshire can be partly attributed to the fact that this emotional moment opened up a public conversation about the gender bias that she, like female candidates before her, experienced on the campaign trail. Clinton's quick response and open discussion of the subject illustrated how women candidates can potentially benefit from certain media spectacles.

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