Just a question (or more): What do they actually do over there at the NYT?

"When I walked into the office Monday, people were clustering around a computer to watch what they thought they would never see: Hillary Clinton with the unmistakable look of tears in her eyes." Maureen Dowd

Is watching the same thing as reporting? What did Hillary actually say? Judging by the 'journalistic' coverage, was Hillary's reaction justly weighted against the events of the World? What time does Dowd go into the office? Why are we duped and baited by all the circus pomp and circumstance? Do we need to censor/censure our news?

Supposedly, Clinton's win last night is going to open the Democratic race back up to the issues. This is simply an anecdotal observation; but in my memory's survey of news coverage, it is politics and not policy that leads coverage. In observance of journalistic responsibility, shouldn't the lead of every "Politics" section be Election Guide 2008: On the Issues, and then every other item an exploration of this? When even our greatest American export is image, how can we choose?

Now, doesn't this sound like a political stump speech? Phrases that stir emotion, express sentiment, profess ideals, yet offer nothing as policy. Campaign political PR must be in my blood.

Surrounding all my above posing is that seemingly feminine display of emotion. Does Dowd realize that the film's theme she quoted, Adam's Rib, revolved around gender injustice? And perhaps ahead of it's (our) time, hidden behind prevalent prejudices, extended the inherit unfairness of gender stereotypes to sexualism. Supposed gender stereotypes, and their supposed worth, lead to unfair and misled judgments.

Do people really think that females can't "kick ass," as if that was a necessity for leaders? Our strongest model of femininity (to me, what a woman is) is our mothers. I did not understand who my Mom was until I saw her cry, emotionally breakdown at a family funeral. That's when I saw her humanity and not just her motherhood. Not that this was an instantaneous epiphany, I am sure it is a process for all of us, but it was a moment when I saw her as someone not limited by her prior motherly model. She became a stronger person to me. So how can a "feminine" expression at one time define human completeness and strength and at another time define weakness?

Is my self-revelatory experience with my Mom as definitive as Hillary's or any other politician's emotional expression in establishing their humanity? Certainly not. Does this make Clinton et al as cool as my mother? Certainly not. Would I want my Mom to deal with Kim Jong-il? Probably not, but she could surprise us all as I always revert back to parental teachings and tactics in identifying the real solution to most worldly problems. And after everything, I know my Mom could kick Kim's ass.

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Maureen Dowd's quote of choice for gender stereotypes:

“Here we go again, the old juice. Guaranteed heart melter. A few female tears, stronger than any acid.”

Tracy-Hepburn movies are loaded with one liners, perfectly crafted and delivered. Although picking quotes out of context from movies usually miss the point, I'll add some more famous gender fueled one-liners...

"Sometimes you have to be a high-riding bitch to survive. Sometimes being a bitch is all a woman has to hold onto...It's a depressingly masculine world, Dolores." Two of just a bounty of acerbic one liners in Delores Claiborne.

"Sweetheart, you and I have had this discussion a million times. There's never been a woman anchor."... "Mr. Harken, this city needs its news. And you are going to deprive them of that because I have breasts? Exquisite breasts? Now, I am gonna go on, and if you want to try and stop me, bring it on. Because I am good at three things: Fighting, screwing, and reading the news. I've already done one of those today, so what's the other one gonna be? Huh?"... [thinks about it] "Screwing?" from the giggly-stupid Anchorman

"A woman's compromised the day she's born." from The Women

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." After Raven defects in X-Men 3

"I am Edward Kimberly. Edward Kimberly. And I'm not mentally ill, but proud, and lucky, and strong enough to be the woman that was the best part of my manhood. The best part of myself." Dorothy's closing scene in Tootsie

"You're the first woman I've seen in one of these things that dresses like a woman, not like a woman thinks a man would dress if he was a woman.....Thank you I guess." from "I am not steak. You cant just order me." Working Girl

John Smith "Come to Daddy."... Jane Smith [after she bashes him with a teapot and headbutts him] "Who's your Daddy now?" Mr & Mrs. Smith