Clinton's Emotional Moment...and a Potty Training Story

Clinton at Cafe Espresso just prior to her emotional moment © Joe Raedle / Getty Images

I'm a woman and a mother. I'm cynical and optimistic. And I'm a voter.

When I saw Hillary Clinton's emotional moment leading the network evening news, tears came to my eyes.

Everyone was absorbed by this intimate glimpse of her human side, including the journalists who cover her day in and day out. Reuters described how the moment affected an observer: " 'Even I wanted to reach out and give her a hug,' said one reporter who has covered former President Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton for many years."

It was a uniquely female moment. One that most women can probably relate to. Even the cynic in me felt it was genuine and unplanned.

No doubt many will question her sincerity. I don't. It reminded me of a story told by AP reporter Beth Harpaz in her book The Girls in the Van: Covering Hillary, an account of Clinton's run for the Senate while she was still First Lady. After following Hillary for months and never seeing beyond her facade, one day Harpaz experienced Clinton with her guard down. Clinton, noticing that Harpaz had been absent from the reporters pool, asked how her vacation had been:

“It was great!” I responded without hesitation. “I potty-trained my two-year-old!”

“You did what?” she said.

All of a sudden it hit me that I probably should have given a more conventional answer like, “It was so relaxing!” But now it was too late.

“I potty-trained my two-year-old,” I replied in a small voice....I had just told the first lady that I potty-trained my two-year-old! What an absurd thing to do! What the hell was wrong with me?

But I needn’t have worried. Now that Hillary realized she’d heard me right, she looked around at the small group and said, emphatically, with a big smile, “This woman deserves a round of applause!” Then she turned back to me. “Boy or girl, Beth?”

“Boy,” I answered, not sure whether it would be better to disappear from the face of the earth right now or soldier on.

“Boy? That’s even harder!” she replied, laughing....

The story made the evening news, and looking back on it, Harpaz couldn't help but consider the question of gender and the ways in which women uniquely understand each other:

...Hillary was trying to make connections with us, to humanize herself, and...when she dropped the formality and the regal air, she could be warm and funny and caring, and yes, even at ease in a conversation about potty-training.

I still felt slightly foolish, but I also couldn’t help but wonder: If it had been Chuck Schumer or Al D’Amato or Mayor Giuliani that I was covering instead of Hillary, and one of them had asked me how my vacation had been, would it have seemed as natural to respond as I did?

And if I had, would they actually have bothered to continue the discussion as if it were a perfectly legitimate topic, the way Hillary did, or would they have...moved on to someone else?

Many have wondered why Clinton hasn't seemed more human. Especially women. Some of the most vehemently anti-Hillary comments posted on this blog have come from women. Even men notice it. David, who posted today, wrote this:

I live in Des Moines, IA and watched what unfolded first hand....one [issue] I never hear in the media...[is] that Hillary has a hard negative....many people that not only dislike her -they hate her. These people would (or did) vote against her. To be clear these are people of both parties, both genders,different races and all ages. I actually heard this from more women than men and equally among Dems and Rep. Most young people seemed to feel this way....I was somewhat shocked to hear this from so many people and in most cases at the very mention of her name!

I've met Hillary Clinton twice. Both times I was struck by her intelligence, warmth, and ability to speak knowledgeably on a range of subjects without notes. What made the biggest impression on me? She listens and connects with people.

The Hillary Clinton I met is not the woman I see on TV. And I've been waiting for that other woman to step out of the shadows and really run for president.

Much of Clinton's campaign has disappointed and frustrated me, especially her interview with Katie Couric back in November 2007.

But today, during that emotional moment, I saw the Hillary Clinton that impressed me and moved me in person.

I think it's real. I'm hoping she allows us to see more of this side of her, so we can get to know the woman hiding inside the politician.

As for those who 'hate' her - it's hard to hate someone who connects with you. This is Clinton's attempt to reach out and establish that connection. It's clearly difficult for her. But for her to lose without ever showing her human side would be that much harder.

To put it in potty training terms, it's time to do it...or get off the pot.