Russert suggests irony in women identifying with "self-avowed feminist" who showed emotion

On the January 19 edition of MSNBC's Tim Russert, referring to a campaign event prior to the January 8 New Hampshire Democratic primary during which Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's (NY) voice broke as she talked about why she is seeking the presidency, host Tim Russert asked New York Times columnist Gail Collins, "Is it ironic that this self-avowed feminist went to New Hampshire, showed some emotion, and that seemed to be a real help to her with women voters?"

From the January 19 edition of MSNBC's Tim Russert:

RUSSERT: All right, let's start with Hillary Clinton. Gail, have you been surprised by Hillary Clinton in any way, shape, or form during this campaign?

COLLINS: Oh, no, I don't think so. I was surprised that she did so badly and looked like she was so much on the ropes when she got into New Hampshire.

RUSSERT: After Iowa.

COLLINS: But she's just extraordinarily, you know, just takes-a-lickin'-and-keeps-on-tickin' kinda person.

RUSSERT: Is it ironic that this self-avowed feminist went to New Hampshire, showed some emotion, and that seemed to be a real help to her with women voters?

COLLINS: You know, it did. And we truly, you know, we've -- it's such a great story, you really want to hang on to it if you possibly can. But if you look at women voters, women voters are conservative in sort of a nonpolitical way. They -- when something comes up they immediately go back and say well, wait a minute, what about this, and what about Social Security, and -- I mean, they're very sort of, let's take care of all of our ducks. And she -- I think even if she was a man, she'd be, in the end, the one that women would gravitate to.

RUSSERT: Interesting.

—R.C.