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Thursday, January 03, 2008

What's with Hillary's hypnotic voice?

--Candy Crowley, Senior Political Correspondent

An aside from the campaign trail: in response to the many (not kidding here) inquiries I have gotten re: what's up with Hillary Clinton's bedtime story voice? Why is she like a librarian in slo-mo?

This was most recently evident in her 2-minute final pitch over Iowa airwaves. Or listen to her reminisce as she wraps up her campaign here. She adopted the dulcet tone (sometimes to the level of a whisper) a couple of weeks ago during "The Hillary I Know Campaign," which included guest appearances from her former Sunday school teacher and elementary school chums who regaled audiences with stories of Hillary's days as captain of the school crossing guards.

ANYWHO, the voice, the charming stories are aimed at Clinton's central weakness: likeability. Her campaign says she's warm and funny and caring. A not insignificant number of people think she's shrill, cold and calculating. Don't know if a whispery voice and childhood anecdotes are gonna do the trick here, but on such things campaigns are built.

But btw, last night she was Fighter Hillary, exhorting the crowds here in Iowa.

She's a woman: when she shouts, her pitch gets higher and her voice is hard. People may just have to get over it. Wanna know the truth? No matter how many times you see someone on television, you don't really know who they are. So I say, Let Hillary be Hillary, whoever she is.

Posted By CNN: 1:10 PM ET
15 Comments

That's ridiculous.
It really is hard to believe, even in such a country as this, there still is religious prejudice. I hate that it's remarkable JFK was voted into the presidency because he was Catholic; shouldn't we be focusing on the candidate's ideas for the country, not their personal life? We DO have a separation of church and state (sort of--politicians are still citing the Bible as a way to prevent gay marriage and abortion rights). Are people assuming Romney would force Mormonism down America's throat sideways?

Posted By

Christianna : 1:23 PM ET

Gary,
Really I don't care what anyone's religion is. I just want to know where they stand on issues and what they plan to do to help this country get out of the mess that it is in. And I just hope that they can keep their religion seperate from their work once they get into office.

Cynthia, Covington, Ga.

Posted By

Cindy : 1:27 PM ET

Hey Gary! How is that any different than a woman saying they are voting for Hillary simply because she is a woman, or vice versa a man not voting for her because she is a woman. This is no longer a race about who is best for the country, but more about who is the popular vote. It has more or less degraded itself to a high school prom or college homecoming queen. I would love to see people vote for someone they believe in other than someone voting against someone else, which is so often the case.

Marcy,
Mobile, AL

Posted By

beaslma : 3:56 PM ET

As I recall, JFK didn't run for president on the principle that freedom requires religion and religion requires freedom. Romney adds further that freedom and religion endure together, or perish alone.

Doesn't this conflict with the right of every U.S. citizen for the separation between church and state?

Posted By

Chris, Los Angeles, CA : 4:07 PM ET

I really don't believe it's a candidates religion keeping him from the White House. Especially among the Republicans, it's the candidates "using" their religion to promote political beliefs based on religion, and then forcing their "brand" of religion on everyone else.

Many voters are skeptical of political candidates who use religion, as well they should be.

Posted By

Joseph Kowalski, North Huntingdon, PA : 5:12 PM ET

Gary:

I have wondered about this Mormon issue before with Romney.

The only thing I can figure out is there are so many false and misleading rumors about Mormons. Folks don't spend time researching the religion.

Totally off subject here. My marathon running, triathlete, mountain climbing husband was watching you on NYE give Anderson the marathon challenge again.

For some reason, we don't think Anderson was too convinced on the marathon. So today, husband has a challenge for for you.

Are you game for the Mississippi Trail Run, a 50 mile event, in Laurel, MS? It's March 1 and spots are still available.

You could put everyone at CNN and Kathy Griffin to shame finishing this 50 mile run!

Posted By

Renee : 5:37 PM ET

Posted By

Cindy : 7:10 PM ET

Hi Gary!
I think it's absolutely absurd when people say they won't vote for Romney because of his religion.
It's not like the man worships the devil!

I'm not even from Utah, but I do live here now and I find the Mormon people to be wonderful folks.

People in general need to do some research before they start judging others.

I like Romney, he seems like a nice man. I just don't like his politics. His religion has nothing to do with why he won't be getting my vote.

Posted By

Grisel, Logan, UT : 7:14 PM ET

I think someone of obvious good conscience and deep faith is a good thing in the modern political world. But let's say most people don't want that, they want a totally secular person who doesn't go to church or temple.

OK so, instead of a candidate's religion, we would focus on what they have accomplished. Judge them by what they have actually done already as a leader. The two people you most hear about as being "too religious" are Mitt and Pres. Bush. So, have either of them as Governor and President, respectively, forced anyone to conform to their religious beliefs? Have either damaged the country by being deeply religious people or enacted laws that were dictated by their religion?

Posted By

xtina chicago IL : 7:27 PM ET

Gary,

Faith and belief influences judgment and this on its turn reflects on who is chosen to be the next leader.

Posted By

Ratna, New York, NY : 8:22 PM ET

Gary,

I wouldn't have trouble voting for a Mormon but I would have trouble voting for Romney - I don't like his politics, his tactics, or his views.

I don't care if a president is religious; Bush has really soured me on it. Every time he has done something unpopular he's either invoked God on it or patriotism. The louder the politicians get about God the less I like them. I vote on issues; not on someone's church, faith or lack thereof.

Annie Kate
Birmingham AL

Posted By

Annie Kate : 8:25 PM ET

Religion should not be issue. However, I can't say I fault those who would choose to let it be an issue one way or another. It's up to each person to vote their conscience. It's up to me to vote mine. That's America to me.

Lorie Ann, Buellton, Calif.

Posted By

Lorie Ann : 9:39 PM ET

I challenge ANYONE to STOP THE IGNORANCE AND educate themselves on what Mormons believe from a reliable source. There is so much falsehood pushed on us out there about what Mormons believe:

Two great links:

LDS.ORG and, Mormon.org

ESPECIALLY check out the Gospel Library Tab on LDS.org. It has an online copy of LDS scriptures: The Book of Mormon, Bible, Doctrine & Covenants and Pearl of Great Price, and numerous talks, and resources to understand LDS doctrine, beliefs and practices on any subject conceivable.

Posted By

Bryan : 12:35 PM ET

You know, as an Evangelical Christian myself, I would love to explain why the convictions accompanying my faith won't allow me to vote for someone of the Mormon faith; however, I probably couldn't do it here because someone would believe I was trying to offend or " force" my beliefs. It seems to me that we are doing so much debating over what the truth is, that the truth itself is being burried. We as Christians don't mean any disrespect to any individual for being a member of any particular faith (at least, this Christian doesn't) but the irony is that most of our convictions aren't fairly represented in the media. Why would they be? They're matters of the heart, not matters of opinion; which gives journalists a h--l of a time trying to include them in a forum, discussion, interview etc. and remain unbiased or unattatched emotionally (good work Anderson).

Posted By

Tina : 1:21 PM ET

Here's a news flash: people who are serous about their Faith can't put it in a box and leave it at home all day. If you really want someone to completely separate his or her core beliefs about God, the universe, life, death, and the whole spiritual realm from what they do every day then what you have is someone for whom faith and religion is no more important than what they wear to church or synagogue.

Posted By

Matt : 7:05 PM ET

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