Of course, this picture of Hillary Clinton crying in New Hampshire today …

… inevitably reminds us of Ed Muskie in 1972 (Washington Post: “Muskie’s ‘cry’ was a signal event in his surprising decline and eventual collapse as a credible front runner.”)

But it also might remind us of this passage from Clinton’s book “Living History” when Bill Clinton admits his affair with Monica Lewinsky — and the ensuing crying:

“I could hardly breathe. Gulping for air, I started crying and yelling at him, ‘What do you mean? What are you saying? Why did you lie to me?’ I was furious and getting more so by the second. He just stood there saying over and over again, ‘I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I was trying to protect you and Chelsea.’”

Of course, Clinton today was not on the level of Pat Schroeder crying in September 1987 when she announced she wouldn’t run for president.  And it’s unlikely she’ll get this kind of tough review that Mitt Romney earned for tearing up on “Meet the Press”:

This Hillary Clinton performance at the debate last night …

I want to make change, but I’ve already made change. I will continue to make change. I’m not just running on a promise of change, I’m running on 35 years of change. I’m running on having taken on the drug companies and the health insurance companies, taking on the oil companies.

So, you know, I think it is clear that what we need is somebody who can deliver change. And we don’t need to be raising the false hopes of our country about what can be delivered. The best way to know what change I will produce is to look at the changes that I’ve already made.

… must have driven bus drivers crazy.  As you know, driver does not make change.

Poor Hillary Clinton.  This Dan Balz article appears in the Washington Post, describing how her campaign is downplaying the two new sensational books about her and Bill Clinton:

Clinton advisers say the early reaction confirms their belief that Americans long ago digested those controversies, drew whatever conclusions they wanted and moved on.

Fair enough.  But how unfortunate is this paragraph in the story?

She spent part of the day shaking hands and signing autographs, and by the time she visited a pizza parlor after an event in Algona, her hands were stained blue from the pen she was using.

What happened to moving on?  Oh, those were her hands stained blue, not a blue stained dress.

Bill Clinton this week, discussing the ABC film “The Path to 9/11“:

“I think they ought to tell the truth, particularly if they’re going to claim it’s based on the 9/11 commission’s report.”

Hillary Clinton this week, asked by ABC News “Nightline’s” Cynthia McFadden “Are you running for president in 2008?”:

“I am not thinking about that at all. I know everybody else is and lots of other people are saying, “Oh, she is, she is,” but the truth is, I don’t think about it.”

Hillary doesn’t even think about it? Come now, Hillary, are you taking your husband’s advice, to tell the truth?

Ana Marie Cox’s summation of the new Time magazine poll of attitudes toward Hillary Clinton:

In Blue America, they’re watching a Lifetime movie about the country’s first female President. In Red America, they’re watching Godzilla.

ABC’s “Good Morning  America” seems to have settled on whom the 2008 Democratic presidential primary will feature: Al Gore and Hillary Clinton.  Last week Claire Shipman reported on Gore’s new global warming film “An Inconvenient Truth” in the context of his future plans.  This morning Jake Tapper explored Clinton’s Senate re-election campaign, with a healthy dose of 2008 speculation added in.  Question: will the major media profile a potential Democratic candidate other than these two?

Sen. Clinton’s got a big problem brewing on the Internet — online Democrats aren’t flocking to her running for president. And the media is noticing.

Kos is running a Dem 2008 straw poll. With nearly14,200 votes cast, Hillary has 2%. Down from 3% in January’s Kos poll.

Perfect fodder for mainstream media desperate to pitch the first 2008 horesrace stories.

Anyone gearing up for a good old fashioned negative campaign against Sen. Hillary Clinton should get religion — if you take GOP candidate KT McFarland seriously.

Here’s what McFarland said when asked on ABC’s “Good Morning America” about going negative on Clinton: “First of all, I gave up saying bad things about people for Lent.”

Some subtle messaging going on by plugging Lent? Our theory — she’s about to announce the endorsement of New York’s legendary former Rep. Norman Lent.

Washington has dispensed with partisanship. Now we’re into downright hatred. Anger’s aweigh! But Valentine’s Day offers a rare chance to preach love, not spew venom. We’ll eagerly get back to mutual invective soon, but for Valentine’s Day 2006, here’s what you can do. Match the politicians most need of sharing Valentines with each other.

Here are hints:

Roll Call:

The ascent last week of Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) to the Majority Leader post has put the agenda for the upcoming House GOP retreat somewhat in flux, but one thing is certain: Frank Luntz won’t be there

Letter from Sen. McCain to Sen. Obama (Feb. 6):

“I understand how important the opportunity to lead your party’s effort to
exploit this issue must seem to a freshman Senator, and I hold no hard
feelings over your earlier disingenuousness.”

Peggy Noonan:

When the president joked that two people his father loves are turning 60
this year, himself and Bill Clinton–why does he think constant references
to that relationship work for him?–it was Mrs. Clinton’s job to look mildly
amused, or pleasant, or relatively friendly, or nonhostile. Mrs. Clinton has
two natural looks, the first being a dull and sated cynicism, the second the
bright-eyed throaty chuckler who greets visiting rubes from Utica. The
camera caught the first …

Washington Post:

An “irritated” U.S. Magistrate Judge Deborah A. Robinson
“expressed frustration and surprise” upon hearing that D.C. Council Member
Marion Barry “failed to promptly file his tax returns and other required
paperwork”

Captain’s Quarter’s coverage of Jimmy Carter at Coretta Scott King’s
funeral:

He lectured about the lack of progress in civil rights, saying
that all one had to do was look at the faces of those victimized by
Hurricane Katrina to know that more progress had to be made. It’s the first
time I’ve ever heard God be called a bigot — unless Carter somehow has
evidence that Bush ginned up a hurricane to deliberately attack the Gulf
Coast.