In a voice choked with emotion, [Edmund] Muskie began to weep as he announced the title to the crowd. "This man doesn't walk, he crawls," sobbed Muskie. He tried to regain his composure, then said loudly: "He's talking about my wife." Muskie calmed himself; unfortunately for him, however, his breakdown was caught by CBS-TV cameras and shown round the country.

Expectably, there was some gleefully negative reaction in both parties. Washington Democratic Senator Henry Jackson asked: "If he's like that with Loeb, what would he do with Brezhnev?" Added Republican National Chairman Robert Dole: "I don't blame Muskie for crying. If I had to run against Richard Nixon, I'd do a lot of crying too."

First, it is unclear whether Muskie did cry. He insists he never shed the tears we thought we saw. Melting snow from his hatless head filled his eyes, he said, and made him wipe his face. While admitting that exhaustion and emotion got the better of him that morning, the senator believes that he was damaged more by the press and television coverage of the event than by his own actions.

What I dread most in this political season is the “genuine” moment - and it is coming, soon, sometime between today and tomorrow, or tomorrow and New Hampshire - when Mrs. Clinton, in her ongoing effort to turn herself into whatever the polls says she must be, cries in public. It’s going to be genuinely ghastly.

Edwards, speaking at a press availability in Laconia, New Hampshire, offered little sympathy and pounced on the opportunity to bring into question Clinton’s ability to endure the stresses of the presidency. Edwards responded, “I think what we need in a commander-in-chief is strength and resolve, and presidential campaigns are tough business, but being president of the United States is also tough business.”

"Crying in a campaign at this stage is something you can't do — male or female — and history has shown that," said Owen. "It shows people weakness - crying goes against both male and female stereotypes, neither can do it."

"Crying traditionally isn't great for candidates and it's not something usually that voters want to see and so it might be a little setback. But again, I don't think it's the kind of thing voters will ultimately weigh when they vote."

"Male voters are basically going to see a hysterical woman," said Owens. "Women are going to think that if Clinton is going to take on this responsible role and represent women in such a visible way she should do a better job of it and not expose the gender to this criticism."

CHRIS CILLIZZA: Well, Norah, I think she's both tired and probably emotional because she's losing, but i do think — I don't think everything's mutually exclusive. I think it may help her.

PRES. BIILL CLINTON: If you want a president, you want Hillary. If you want a new story, you want somebody else. We can't be a new story. I'm sorry. I can't make her younger, taller, male. There's lots of things I can't do.

NORA O’DONNELL: What does that mean, "I can't make her younger, taller, male"?

AB STODDARD: It means I can't make her Barack Obama. Bill Clinton, the most talented politician of his generation, no one can eat a shoe or a foot as well as he can.