The Clinton Conundrum: What’s Behind the Laugh?

[jefferson_dem]

The Clinton Conundrum: What’s Behind the Laugh?
By PATRICK HEALY

It was January 2005, and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton had just finished a solemn speech about abortion rights — urging all sides to find “common ground” on the issue and referring to abortion as “a sad, even tragic choice to many, many women.”

Stepping offstage, she took questions from reporters, and found herself being grilled about whether she was moderating her own pro-choice position. And suddenly it happened: Mrs. Clinton let loose a hearty belly laugh that lasted a few seconds. Reporters glanced at one another as if they had missed the joke.

But nothing particularly funny had occurred; it was, instead, a deployment of the Clinton Cackle.

At that moment, the laugh seemed like the equivalent of an eye-roll — she felt she was being nitpicked, so she shamed her inquisitors by chuckling at them (or their queries). But friends of hers told a different story: She has this fantastic sense of humor, you see, but it’s too sarcastic to share with the general public because not everyone likes sarcasm. (Mrs. Clinton, for example, sometimes likes to tweak people for missing an obvious point by saying to them, “Hello?”

So, instead of alienating Iowans who might not vote for edginess, Mrs. Clinton goes for the lowest-common-denominator display of her funny bone: She shows that she can laugh, and that her laugh has a fullness and depth.

<SNIP>

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/30/us/politics/30clinton.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

[grasswire]

1. I call it "clucking"

...and it is very off-putting. I can't imagine listening to that on the nightly news.

[baldguy]

2. Market research

[illinoisprogressive]

3. People know the cackle is another trick to avoid answering questions

[Carrieyazel]

22. That cackle is also good for showing contempt at the questions and questioners

She dodges most questions, so she cackles to make it easier for her to run out the clock as well as show that she doesn't want to or need to answer the question. Complete arrogance that will cost her. A lot of folks get uncomfortable when they hear it. More bad news for her.

[Blue_In_AK]

55. That's my take, as well.

It seems arrogant to me, dismissive.

[MethuenProgressive]

4. She, like so many others, laugh at the HateHill Cultists.

C'mon, you have to admit that the clowns are comical. :rofl:

[BeyondGeography]

5. Jon Stewart called BS on the giggles the other night

http://www.mydd.com/story/2007/9/26/82945/2972

[janx]

31. Yes, but Jon Stewart is a COMEDIAN. n/t

[jenmito]

44. He points out facts that no "real" news anchor would dare...

but it doesn't make them any less true.

[janx]

46. Because it's not news. n/t

[jenmito]

47. You must not watch his show. n/t

[JDPriestly]

6. Frankly, this turns me off to her almost completely.

It isn't just the sound of the laugh. It is what it tells about her personality. She is hard-working and smart, and she knows it. That would be fine except that she feels very arrogant; she appears to strongly believe that she works harder and is smarter than anyone around her. She also gives me the impression that she believes not only that she is much better than everyone else, but that she deserves to be president because she is so much better than we are and so much better than she thinks the other candidates are. This makes her extremely unlikable. Her arrogance makes others want to pull her down. That is not good in a candidate. We need a candidate who causes the people around her/him to want to support and help.

She has utter faith in her own judgment. (Remind you of anyone -- such as "the Decider"?) And she seems to think she is doing us all a favor by telling us her opinions.

Her clucking is not the only evidence that supports my theory about Hillary's arrogance and impatience with others. There is a video of a Code Pink visit to her office sometime around the start of the Iraq War. She refused to listen to their input. I was horrified. It was not until I saw that video that I realized just how arrogant and off-putting Hillary is to me.

Hillary may be a good senator, but she will not be a good presidential candidate for the Democratic Party. She is not a good listener. She cares about her caring about people, but she is not really all that concerned about individuals other than herself. Apparently she makes a good impression on people who meet her. Personally, I don't like her. Her clucking tells a lot about her personality. It is annoying. Please, DUers, look at her with eyes wide open because if you do, I think you will see "DANGER" written all over her. We cannot afford to lose this election. And I think Hillary with her clucking and her talking down to us, to the media and to the other candidates is a loser. Her cluck is a cluck of derision. She seems angry and I expect she will elicit anger toward her from other people.

[ginchinchili]

8. Excellent Post, and I don't say that lightly

Very insightful. She's just too calculating. I don't think she can win in the general election, nor do I think she'd make a very productive president. I've liked her and think she's a good senator for New York, but this election--her performance and the scary attitudes of many of her supporters--are quickly turning me off. I pray we wake up before it's too late.

[surfermaw]

45. John Edwards is going to be the winner.

[Carrieyazel]

24. Excellent post. She can't win next November, so nominating this

cackling, evasive and critically flawed candidate is a ticket to disaster for us. She is such a bad national candidate, I can't see why we would throw it all away and put her on the ticket.

[PSPS]

7. I think I understand the "Clinton laugh"

I sometimes use the technique myself. When asked a question that is worded in a way that displays the asker's agenda or bias, or is meant to imply some wacky notion in its framing, I will laugh and offer a sarcastic "answer" that pretty well cuts them off at the knees.

An example of this is that widely-circulated video snippet of Clinton being "interviewed" by Chris Wallace on Fox. When I watched it, I took Clinton's response as appropriately derisive of not only the questions but of the entire charade. The responses she gave after laughing weren't openly sarcastic -- that was implied by her laughter.

This NYT hit piece, I think, is merely an effort to reign in what I think is an effective way for Clinton to deal with a monopolistic media that is dedicated to either destroying her or molding her to fit their needs. Since the New York Times has long since abandoned its news-reporting role in order to make an extra nickel, articles like this are to be expected.

[Cameron27]

9. I agree, but she's got to lay off it for awhile.

When she does it spontaneously it works, otherwise it's annoying.

[pacalo]

20. I agree with your common-sense post.

She laughed at Chris Wallace's absurdity on a very biased propagandic network & now the attack machine is trying to make this an issue. I think her scoffing at absurd notions is much more effective than wasting time breaking down what could turn into a debate about the obvious.

[ecstatic]

38. Yep. And sadly, left wingers are running to Wallace's defense

:crazy:

[JDPriestly]

49. She needs to find a less offensive, more sincere way of dealing

with the Wallace-type annoying question. Being more annoying than her annoying questioner is not the answer.

[antiimperialist]

10. Journalists would turn any trivial gesture into a 1000 word article

Only a journalist could have taken a laugh and overanalyzed it in such way.
How idiotic. Jeez.

[Jade Fox]

11. I wish more Dems would simply laugh off....

questions that are obviously flame bait and idiocy. HRC laughing at Chris Wallace was classic. It's a powerful tactic to refuse to take things seriously that are undeserving.

The Right has become expert at convincing the Democrats to take their nit-witery seriously. Witness the recent official condemnation of the Moveon ad. I loved whoever it was that said "ads don't kill people, wars do", and Obama's refusal to even dignify it with a vote.

[The River]

18. You're Exactly Right

when you say "it's a powerful tactic to refuse to take things seriously that are undeserving."

So it's OK when she uses it against a Fox Noise shill
but is it also OK to use against the debate moderator
or other candidates? Will it be OK when she laughs at your
questions? Will it be OK when she laughs at the entire electorate
who want her to answer for her decisions?

[Jade Fox]

28. No, it's hardly appropriate all the time....

which I did not make clear in my first post.

[Carrieyazel]

25. But laughing at Gravel's rightfully calling her out for yet another horrendous vote?

It wasn't a stupid question like Wallace's last week. It shows that she's dripping with contempt at attacks on her sorry voting record. Her past votes aren't going away no matter what she does.

[JDPriestly]

50. A gentle, compassionate laugh would do it much better.

Her laugh is bitter, condescending and likely to offend listeners and not just the questioner.

[jillan]

12. Reminds me of a kid that giggles when they are nervous.

[IndianaGreen]

13. Hillary is laughing because one million Iraqi civilians have been killed since the war began

and she is also laughing at the second million of Iraqi civilians that will die when she keeps combat troops in Iraq through 2013, at least!

I am not laughing!

[fujiyama]

15. You got it

Nothing funny about anything that has happened over the last 7 years. If she wants the job of cleaning up the fucking mess (one aspect of which she helped start), she better understand the true seriousness of it.

I really don't think she gets it. Even the laughing seems coldly calculated. I think it's great to smack that schmuck Chris Wallace, but it's just plain weird doing the awkward laugh on ALL of the talk shows she was on.

[Carrieyazel]

56. She wouldn't be able to clean up this mess. She may keep it going,

[Tellurian]

30. Nonsense, utter nonsense...

[PurityOfEssence]

14. Advisors

Well, you asked.

One can almost hear the echoes of advisors telling her she needs to be more mirthful and possibly even merry; it's warmth-simulation at its best, and as every fan of bad theatre will tell you: when groups of people enter the stage laughing joyfully for no explained reason, it always kindles glee in the hearts of the audience.

This is simple, sterile calculation, and it would be hard to pull off even by a fine actor. She's got "controlled" and "poised" down, but "lighthearted" ain't her bag.

[fujiyama]

16. This is a good example of a completely useless article

Taking something very trivial and writing an article about it - fairly typical for political journalists though.

But I'll admit, the laughing seemed at times bizarre, almost exposing a nervousness....or it seemed programmed and calculated. I can imagine the advisers telling her to be more spontaneous...and likable. But this is where she's not like her husband. She just doesn't come across very genuine.

[RufusTFirefly]

17. Message: I care

Reminds me of the time Poppy inadvertently read his stage directions aloud.

[Lerkfish]

19. well, IMHO, its simply a technique to give her time to think up an answer

not a great one, but I think that's the purpose.
Just like Shrub says "thats a vuury innnerstin question..." to give himself time to hear Rove's answer in his earpiece.
I don't think Clinton has an earpieace, I just think its her personal version of that.

and actually, I'm not criticizing that, I think every public speaker needs to have time to think of a good answer.
the problem is, laughing is not the best way because it can have the appearance of not taking the question seriously.

she needs to learn a different delay technique, though, since she's being called on this one.

[Tellurian]

29. No, this is why she's laughing

Thanks to Pat Jones:

http://www.webcomicsnation.com/patjones/rockgardencomics/series.php

[Lerkfish]

39. because she's drawn badly?

again, the "POLLS! ELECTABILITY"
nonargument.

for the record, I was cutting your candidate some slack in my post.

[Colobo]

21. HUAHUAHUAHUAHUAHUA!!! Oh, Tim... you know... I don't answer hypotheticals...

[The Backlash Cometh]

23. "Clinton cackle"

[janx]

27. Yeah. Brilliant writing, eh? What's next--

a couple of lines from MacBeth?

[The Backlash Cometh]

33. Funny thing you should pick MacBeth, because Hillary could possibly

have her Lady MacBeth moment. "Out, damn'd spot! out, I say!"

[janx]

34. There are no doubt many allusions we could find...

but a cackle is a very clear reference to a witch. I can't stand what passes for journalism these days.

[The Backlash Cometh]

41. Um. I cackle. It's an old trout trait.

You really must expand your social circle.

[janx]

43. A TROUT trait?

I caught one of those little rascals a couple of weeks ago, and I swear, it didn't make a sound! :rofl:

[janx]

26. This is crap. What, she's not allowed to laugh?

This is exactly the kind of useless garbage the media put out during primaries to try and affect the outcome. It has nothing to do with her abilities or policy positions and everything to do with puerile gossip mongering.

Really. This is crap.

[polichick]

32. During that last debate, she laughed because Gravel was dead on correct...

...and there was no getting around it.

[TheDoorbellRang]

35. Just a little consciousness raising, I hope

For the record, I am not a supporter of Hillary, and I agree that she's gone overboard with the hearty belly laughs in response to questions. I find it interesting to note the verbs chosen to describe her laughter tho: "clucking" and "cackling." Hens cluck, witches cackle. C'mon, DUers, there's certainly enough to comment on Hillary's positions without falling into the let's-use-mildly-pejorative-language-and-hope-no-one-catches-us trap. (I'm also still bemused by the fact she's the only candidate who doesn't get a last name. And lest someone say it's to distinguish her from Bill, let me remind everyone that we didn't talk about the candidates Fred and Tommy -- they were still Fred Thompson and Tommy Thompson.)

[ecstatic]

36. Stupid questions deserve stupid answers. Moderating pro-choice stance

how? By acknowledging that abortion is a “a sad, even tragic choice to many, many women.” Umm, reality check: It is. Nobody walks into an abortion clinic with a huge smile on her face, if anything, the cost alone is enough to sour anyone's mood. Not to mention the potential complications.

[lonestarnot]

37. A very inside joke.

:shrug:

[gateley]

40. Lone voice of dissent, here. I think she's being real -- or maybe nervous --

but I DON'T believe she's doing it intentionally to "appear more warm" or whatever reasons have been given.

I'm not a Hillary fan (only on DU do I feel the need for that qualifier), but honestly I think she comes across just fine. Attack her on her issues or voting record or whatever valid reason you feel you must, but making such an issue of someone's laugh is petty.

And from personal experience, sometimes I 'cackle' and I HATE it, but I don't think it's a legitimate reason for people I'm with to dismiss me.

If you liked her, you'd find it endearing. Be nice.

[polichick]

42. I like her (if not always her politics)...

But imo the laugh is tactical ~ she uses it to buy time when she needs it, or to break the tension when a question/statement is particularly pointed (as she did following Gravel's scathing indictment in the last debate).

This is HRC we're talking about ~ she thinks before acting.

[gateley]

48. Well it may very well be (tactical). But it's all conjecture on our parts. nt

[polichick]

53. True dat...

These days there's a lot of theatre in politics ~ it may make things interesting but the issues are too important for that imo. I wish each candidate actually did answer each question and all were given the same amount of air time. We shouldn't have to guess what they're really saying.

[gateley]

54. "Theater in politics" So very well stated. And I'm in total agreement with your

entire statement. Sigh. Wouldn't that be nice? :toast:

[HamdenRice]

51. After 8 years of the chimp smirk & cheney snear, I'd rather not have

the clinton cackle.

I'd rather have a human being with real, genuine emotions and the capacity for empathy.

[gorekerrydreamticket]

52. Not hard to understand the laugh.....

The forced and phony laugh out loud is obviously a put-down to the questioner. It is either saying "that is a ludicrous question" or "I can get away without answering that question which is designed to make me uncomfortable or embarassed..." Depending on whether you are a HRC fan or not, you may see it as either justifed or arrogant.

[Quixote1818]

57. I think the laugh is an act to make her seem warm and fun

Several months ago everyone was saying she seemed stiff and un-personable. Her staff clearly told her to just start laughing and joking around to seem more human and likable. I think it may be working to some extent, however because it is an act she sometimes doesn't pull it off right and it comes across as weird and fake. If she is not careful it will become a big problem for her campaign just as the Dean scream did. Hannity and Limbaugh are already using her laugh as a sound prop.