Her first head-to-head confrontation with Democratic hopefuls Barack Obama and John Edwards resulted in her third-place finish in the Iowa Caucus on January 3, 2008.
Why Hillary lost came down to lack of voter confidence in her as an agent of change, combined with a perceived lack of warmth and a constantly-shifting public persona.
New Hampshire Change of Heart
In a January 4, 2008 letter to her supporters, Clinton wrote, "We've got more work to do." She shifted her strategy to emphasize change in hopes of doing better in the New Hampshire primary; cited her history of change during the January 5, 2008 presidential debates in Manchester, NH; and even had a laugh about her likeability issue.
In a moment that appears to have been pivotal in Clinton's New Hampshire campaign, she allowed herself to show some emotion, growing tearful in describing what motivates her desire to run for president.
Also on the same day, two young men interrupted Clinton's speech, yelling "Iron my shirt!" The incident was followed by accusations that the protest was a plant by her campaign.
Although polls indicated that Obama would beat Clinton in New Hampshire by a double-digit margin, the January 8, 2008 primary in that state delivered Clinton her first win.
In her victory speech, Clinton thanked the Granite State for being the place where "I found my own voice."
Tracks of My Tears
Clinton's open display of emotion - coming from a woman so typically guarded during her years as First Lady - became the source of much speculation and criticism in the media. Op-ed articles on the politics of gender either lambasted Clinton or held her up as an iconic image.
Among the most controversial - and widely read - was an op-ed by Gloria Steinem, noted women's rights advocate and founder of Ms. magazine. Writing in the New York Times, Steinem's commentary on Hillary's campaign and ongoing gender battle, 'Women are Never Front Runners," re-envisioned Obama as a woman and debated whether or not a female African American candidate would have made it so far.
Steinem's piece was received with both support and ridicule; it highlighted a conflict that would rear its head again and again in the weeks ahead.
One Step Ahead, Two Steps Back
The next political contest, the Nevada caucuses, proved to be a mixed bag for Clinton. Although she won the popular vote, Obama ended up with more delegates from that state.
In South Carolina, the Clinton campaign took an unfortunate turn. Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton, came out to stump for her - but in fact may have done significant damage. On the offensive, Bill Clinton spoke out harshly against Barack Obama and set him up as "the black candidate."
Not Quite a Helpmate
Bill Clinton's statements reignited the volatile race/gender debate, and his insensitivity disturbed a large number of undecided voters - African-American women who many felt were the key to victory in South Carolina. These were the votes that gave Obama a decisive win over Clinton.
South Carolina was also significant for John Edwards; his poor showing convinced him to withdraw from the race, thus clearing the way for the Democratic Party to nominate either the first woman or the first African American man for president in 2008.
Growing tensions between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama were magnified by media coverage. On Monday, January 28, 2008, the evening of President George W. Bush's State of the Union address, much was made of an incident involving the two candidates that the media labeled "The Snub." However, at the February 1, 2008 debate in Hollywood, CA both sides - realizing that pettiness would only hurt their candidates in the eyes of the voters - appeared to have taken a more conciliatory tone.
