Sexist outburst at Clinton event

Posted: Monday, January 07, 2008 6:57 PM by Domenico Montanaro

From NBC/NJ's Athena Jones
SALEM, N.H. -- About 11 minutes into Clinton's speech a man in the audience stood up holding a bright yellow sign that read "Iron My Shirt," which he shouted several times.

A few seconds later, another man stood up with a similar sign and said the same thing.

"Oh, the remnants of sexism, alive and well!" Clinton said, to roaring cheers and applause from the stunned crowd.

The two men were lead out and much of the crowd gave her a standing ovation, after which she quipped about anyone in the audience needing to learn to iron their own shirt.

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Comments

That man is an extremist. Iron your own shirt, jerk. If this turns out to be a slick Hilly plant, then, shame on slick Hilly.

Jamie, Salt Lake, Utah (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 7:03 PM)

Completely staged. First the crying thing to appeal to women. Not this, to piss them off into voting for Hillary!

WHAT A JOKE

Burl, New Albany IN (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 7:04 PM)

http://bourbonroom.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/01/07/clintons-candid-assessment/---------Politico.......Clinton rejoined the running argument over hope and "false hope" in an interview in Dover this afternoon, reminding Fox's Major Garrett that while Martin Luther King Jr. spoke on behalf of civil rights, President Lyndon Johnson was the one who got the legislation passed.

Hillary was asked about Obama's rejoinder that there's something vaguely un-American about dismissing hopes as false, and that it doesn't jibe with the careers of figures like like John F. Kennedy and King.

"Dr. King's dream began to be realized when President Johnson passed the Civil Rights Act," Clinton said. "It took a president to get it done."

Clinton didn't explicitly compare herself to Johnson, or Obama to King. But it seems an odd example for the argument between rhetoric and action, as there's little doubt which figure's place in history and the American imagination is more secure.

"The power of that dream became real in people's lives because we had a president" capable of action, Clinton said.

The interview was taped, and I listened in. It's set to air later today.

Erik (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 7:06 PM)

Where is my comment?

Burl, New Albany IN (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 7:08 PM)

Plants!

Katanga (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 7:11 PM)

I call plant on this to whip up the female vote. After the crying episode, it seems like this is the theme of the day. Have you ever heard of a real heckler like that. PLease. This was orchestrated.

RKA, IL (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 7:12 PM)

Plant.

Mark, NC (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 7:13 PM)

Say, please provide me your name and address, and me and the "boys" will make sure your shirt is ironed.

Vinny,Bayone, N.J. (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 7:14 PM)

Doesn't she iron Bill's shirts? Oh, I forgot. She doesn't bake cookies either.

American Voter (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 7:15 PM)

Jamie, my first thought was they are plants. Why would anyone pull a stunt on Clinton at this point, on the verge of her most likely losing New Hampshire? As dumb as us guys are, I can't imagine two who couldn't figure out this would only help Clinton, and my guess is they are Clinton supporters.

Paul Miller, Woodbridge, VA (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 7:17 PM)

did you know your agent of change voted present SEVEN times in the Illinois in re: to a woman's right to choose.

Voting present does not make change.

Philip Dumas, Los Angeles, CA (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 7:18 PM)

Was one of guys Chris Matthew's?

Patrick Casey (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 7:21 PM)

This has got to be a desperate Clinton tactic,

Martin, Olympia, Washington (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 7:25 PM)

Why are people so ready to jump on Hillary and say she planted those two wacko men with the "Iron my shirt sign"? (I'll tell you why -- Because she is a woman thats why.) If it was a man in a similiar situation -- everything would be fine and dandy. SEXISM STILL IS ALIVE AND WELL!

geglesias'nepa~ (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 7:25 PM)

I think it was another Mark Penn "plant trick." Two men with identical signs? Come on! I CAN'T WAIT TO VOTE FOR BARACK OBAMA!!!

Nancy, Keene, NH (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 7:28 PM)

There's no need for being mean. Hillary is right sexism is alive and well, among the men and boys.
Kick them when they are down, I guess that what people in NH do.

Lee, nyc (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 7:29 PM)

Why does everything that happens end up being Hillary's fault? If she has hecklers, she planted them? Get real, Jamie!

Kate D (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 7:29 PM)

Please. I bet they staged that outburst to play on female solidarity. Earlier today she cries to a bunch of women, now a "sexist" attack happens. Whatever.

ava (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 7:29 PM)

Sounds like a plant to me. The last gasp of a dying campaign.

Jack, Cambridge, MA (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 7:29 PM)

Yes...I had the same impression as Jamie above. I smell a Clinton plant(this is what happens when you plant - no one knows what is real). Not that sexism is not alive and well in the USA today but this just seems so crude and silly that it really sounds like a last minute attempt to get the female vote. If this is a true incident, it is ridiculous but then there are always really unintelligent people who cannot come to grips with women competing for anything.

MM (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 7:30 PM)

@geglesias'nepa

maybe because we get the impression her campaign folks are not 'above board' and desperate to pull off a win?

shelly, san diego, ca (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 7:33 PM)

geglesias - not because she's a woman. Its because the heckling incidence reeks of lacking authenticity. So does the Rudy trick Bill tried pulling earlier in the day, when he took a cell phone call from Hillary during a speech.

Maybe I'm wrong, who knows. But it sure smells like a campaign stunt, from a campaign from which we've come to expect weird stuff.

Paul Miller, Woodbridge, VA (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 7:35 PM)

Burl,

Great minds think alike! I had the exact same thought. Are we to believe that on the same day she publicly crys, gives an interview on ACCESS HOLLYWOOD complaining about the double-standard for women candidates, and now this that this all a coincidence?

Dawn of VA (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 7:35 PM)

I wouldn't be surprised if Hillary planted them there... to gain more "emotional" attention for her campaign. If anything her emotional, bordering on teary-eyed moments are pathetic to see. Real straight and tough, Ms. Hillary. Don't you think that will make us look weak to foreign leaders if she were to be elected our new "emotionally insecure next president", especially to those scary powerful foreign leaders out there. I see her as cold, conniving and tired politician in those clips. She really doesn't impress me at all. In fact whenever I hear her speak I am inclined to press the mute button she disturbs me so much.

jk (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 7:35 PM)

If there is any sexism involved it is Hillary playing the sexism card by planting the two guys. I have watched her and Bill since their early days of politics in Arkansas and this sounds just like something they would do.

Charles Dardanelle, Arkansas (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 7:40 PM)

Biiillll!?! Hillary will iron your shirts AFTER she withdraws from the campaign.

Jamie Barnett (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 7:42 PM)

Hey Philip why don't you go and see why he voted "present"! If you can read, which I'm assuming you can, you will see how voting "present" in Illinois can actually be a positive because The Repub's in Illinois are one of the most corrupt in the nation. There is soooo much more to those votes than you can possibly understand. Do some reading and understand what you trying to bring up unless your a Clinton supporter then you won't care anyway.

DesertStormVet, IL (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 7:44 PM)

GIVE ME A FRIGHIN' BREAK, JUST A COUPLE OF IDIOTS AND EVERYONE MAKES IT OUT TO BE A BIG DEAL. WHAT A FRIGHIN' BIG DEAL IS AMERICA MAY MAKE OBAMA[WHO HAS SO LITTLE EXPERIENCE} THEIR CANDIDATE AND RUN HIM UP AGAINST A REPUBLICAN RELIGIOUS RIGHT WING NUT AND LOOSE. WE'LL BE IN EVEN WORST SHAPE THAN WE ARE NOW WITH THE IDIOT BUSH RUNNING OR SHALL I SAY RUINING THINGS. THIS COUNTRY IS HEADDING FOR SELF DISTRUCTION AND WE WILL HAVE ONLY OUR "STUPID" SELVES TO BLAME. MY PASSPORT IS ALLREADY. GOOD LUCK !

IT DON'T MADDER (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 7:45 PM)

It looks like Clinton plants to me, to get sympathy from women. The Clintons have no shame to play the gender card as usual.

Rosie, Crestview, FL (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 7:46 PM)

A Clinton plant??? Please, we can now add paranoid and delusional to the list of attributes of Obama supporters,along with hatred, bitterness,downright nastiness and sexism. Hillary has had more discrimination aimed at her,and been ripped apart by the media more than any candidate in history. I'm ashamed to be a democrat right now because of all you haters. For the first time in my life, I'm thinking of voting republican if Hillary doesn't win the nomination...that is a sad testimony to how your venom is tearing our party to pieces.I would have considered voting for Obama until all of your hatred turned my stomach...I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels that way either. Not a very united moment for democrats after all, I don't think...

Cathy, Upstate NY (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 7:48 PM)

Boy, most of you folks are such cynics. What a sad state of affairs. I may not always agree with how Clinton has conducted her career but you have to respect the work she has done for this country. Anyone who takes on this kind of life with this kind of intensity has to be respected. Whether it's Clinton, Obama, Edwards, McCain, Romney, etc. They are all in the trenches doing what they feel is right for the country. If you think they do it to placate an out of control ego, think again. This is a tough path they all have chosen. Other than serving in time of war, I can think of no other pursuit in life that requires so much courage and crazy commitment. So show some respect here. I think it's something our country desparately needs.

Taylor (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 7:53 PM)

How in the world did Bill talk Al Gore into doing that stunt?

Meesha Tomlin (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 7:56 PM)

I'm very disappointed with that campaign tactic, very class-LESS! I hope that tactic back-fires, anyone with common-sense can and should be able to see through that mis-leading stunt set forth by Hillary's campaign/supporters...she's so fake, I'm not from America but i've been following the presidential activities, not that my opinion matters but I strongly support Mitt Romney from the republican and Barak Obama and John Edwards, Guiliani's OKAY and McCain's ok....it's time to change america and move ahead and stop living in the past Clinton/Bush legacy....Mitt Romney best suits america domestically whereas Barak Obama suits america globally, the guy will break down a lot of barriers that Mitt won't be able to accomplish...Mitt can't reform america, Barak can....he can strenghthen america's foreign relations which is slowly but surely declining. I'm a 42yr old white male and I think Barak Obama or John Edwards best suits a democrat nomination...hillary's just too vague

John Doe, Fort Laderdale, Florida (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 7:57 PM)

PLANT!

Wayne (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 7:57 PM)

Let's see...two different people with signs saying the same obscure message of "Iron my shirt"? That's the last thing I would think to protest with. Why would anyone use that weird slogan, much less two people that just happen to have the identical slam? Smells pretty odd to me.

Big John, IL (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 7:59 PM)

One thing is certain...cynicism and sexism are alive and thriving in this country. And the women of this country should hold their heads in shame for how comfortable they are always riding in the passenger seat.

Elliott, West Hollywood CA (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 7:59 PM)

So you call this a plant, but if there were people at Obama's speech spewing racist hatred of the same type, you'd be up in arms that they were just trying to heckle him wouldn't you?
Obama has been playing the race card for months now, Hillary hasn't played the gender card but constantly gets accused of it. This is bass-ackwards.
Clinton is the ONLY candidate capable of cleaning up bush's mess. Obama doesn't have a CLUE what to do if he were to get into the office, not that he would, the republicans will tear him apart if he is the candidate. HE will be crying with his tail between his legs all the way home to Oprah. We need someone with experience and the ability to lead from DAY ONE, not somebody who needs his nose wiped and his diaper changed.

LW, PA (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 8:05 PM)

Cathy, I agree. If Obama gets the nomination, I'll be voting republican for the first time in my life on the national level.
We can't AFFORD to have the inexperience of Obama in the Oval Office right now. Maybe in 8 years after Hillary has cleaned it up, but right now, it would be a DISASTER.
We'd also end up in WWIII. Does anyone listen to WHAT he says instead of just jumping on his wagon so they won't be labeled racist???? uggggg

LW, PA (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 8:08 PM)

Cathy from NY: A Clinton plant??? Please, we can now add paranoid and delusional to the list of attributes of Obama supporters,along with hatred, bitterness,downright nastiness and sexism.

Well, it's not like Clinton hasn't done it before, so how paranoid and delusional is that?

Also, please stop whining.

Lars Olson, Hibbing MN (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 8:10 PM)

Oh man. Clinton even has Keith Olbermann criticizing her. And not just for a moment. Its been like the first 10 minutes of tonight's show.

Paul Miller, Woodbridge, VA (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 8:11 PM)

IF YOUR READING THIS, YOUR NOT IORNINIG MY SHORTS.

B.OBAMA (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 8:15 PM)

No, John Doe from Fort Laderdale, you're wrong. (not to mention you won't even give your name or initials, just "John Doe") Obama can't reform America, he doesn't have a CLUE what he'll do IF he gets elected (which he won't).
I can not and will not vote for a teeny bopper to run this country (into the ground). I'll vote for a republican before I vote for an inexperienced child who doesn't have a clue. HOPE can't fix the country, WORK can but it's going to require experience, knowledge and wisdom. These are qualities Obama just does not have.

Lisa, PA (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 8:15 PM)

Hillary, taking a page from Rudy's playbook?Today at a campaign stop, She actually had the Audacity to play the Al-Quida card on the eve of New Hamphire's primary.If I was a Democrat in New Hampshire, & even thinking of voting for her, then i'd AUTOMATICALLY change my vote to Barack or John Edwards.To us Democrats, that is about as Low as you can get with us. I hope other's feel this way. That was about the dumbest thing she could have done.To me it shows just how much a WARMONGER, that she really is.

Rick,ky (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 8:20 PM)

The Clintons have a long history of staging setup scenarios at political events such as planted hecklers in which a ready and prepared retort makes them look quick on their feet. Hillary epitomizes deceptive politics.

Aaron, Detroit, MI (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 8:20 PM)

I agree with the people who said this a plant, if you have followed Hillary long enough, you will see that she knows how to play the angles. I think she is so pissed that she didn't win in Iowa, that all bets are off. If she loses in NH, we will see a lot more of this and it has nothing to that the fact that she is a woman.

Barbara Lendman (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 8:21 PM)

Maybe I'm wrong, who knows. But it sure smells like a campaign stunt, from a campaign from which we've come to expect weird stuff.
Paul Miller, Woodbridge, VA (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 7:35 PM)
-----------------------------------------------
Maybe you are wrong, maybe you are weird, maybe you are just reaching for change and hope it was not your brothers.

Poison Ivy (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 8:22 PM)

MAKE ME A SANDWICH

ahaha (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 8:22 PM)

The sheer volume of the ignorance in all of these "plant" comments is truly astounding. Not one of you has the slightest clue as to what happened, and yet here you are making wild, wholly unsupported claims you can't begin to back up.

So, do you geniuses think Clinton planted the same 2 drooling sexist goobers at Augusta, where the very same drooling sexist goobers wore the very same sexist T shirts at a counter protest to the NOW protest at the Masters a few years back? HELLO?

Really, you knee-jerk rabid anti-hillary types should try to find yourself some helpful child to check the facts for you BEFORE you pop off with even more asinine BS. And BTW, I'm an Obama supporter.

Peter Principle (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 8:23 PM)

Had to be a plant. Everyone knows Bill would never ask Herself to do that (lipstick on the collar!!).

T-Bone, St. Louis, Missouri (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 8:23 PM)

This shows just how desperate Hillary is. This is a plant to garner support. How pathetic she is. Hopefully, the Clintons will fade into history, just not soon enough.

Jerry R. Marrow, Oak Ridge, TN (Sent Monday, January 07, 2008 8:24 PM)

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