Hillary's comeback

(CNSNews.com) - Karl Rove told Cybercast News Service in an interview Wednesday that Sen. Hillary Clinton's New Hampshire campaign was helped when she responded in a smiling, self-deprecating manner when asked during Saturday night's televised debate why some voters had an issue with her "likeability" and that her rival Sen. Barack Obama only enhanced the positive impact for Clinton when he responded like "a smarmy, prissy little guy taking a slap at her." (Listen here)

Rove said he also believes Clinton's now-famous emotional moment in a Portsmouth, N.H., coffee shop helped turn her campaign around.

Karl may very well be right. Hillary was able to produce a very realistic simulation of human emotion and other women ate it up. This is very much like the moment in her first Senate race where her male opponent "invaded her space" by walking over to her podium in a debate to offer her a document.

If Clinton had been a man the incident would have showcased "his" refusal to promise not to raise soft money. However because Clinton was female other women identified with her and in their own minds relived every incident, starting in their own childhoods, when any male used his superior size, strength or aggressiveness to intimidate, frighten or displace her. This brought Mrs. Clinton support from women who would not have otherwise considered voting for her.

The same phenomena was sadly at work in New Hampshire and it can continue to work for Senator Clinton in the future unless her opponents are aware of it and take it into account of it in the way they deal with her.

For all the progress women have made in our society the fact is that at heart they have not advanced beyond the elementry school playground where the rules. "dont hit the girl, don't push the girl, don't be mean to the girl" are still insisted upon.

The greatest enemy Hillary Clinton has is Hillary Clinton. The minute she starts to feel comfortable her true personality starts to emerge and that is as ugly and detestable sight as anyone should ever have the misfortune to see. Give Mrs. Clinton the space to be herself and she will defeat herself.