October 3, 2007
Posted: October 3rd, 2007 04:00 PM ET

On Wednesday, Sen. Hillary Clinton addressed recent media scrutiny of her laughter.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton used the occasion of Wednesday’s endorsement announcement from the American Federation of Teachers to take a light-hearted crack at the New York Times over what the paper has dubbed "The Clinton Cackle."

"I don't want to go on too much longer, because it might cause me to laugh, and then you know, heaven knows what we'd hear about for the next week," she said at the conclusion of her acceptance speech to the laughter of both the AFT members and media present.

Earlier this week, the Times published a 962-word piece analyzing the New York senator’s use of laughter during interviews and debates. The article suggested different motivations for different uses of “The Cackle,” which the paper said was a term coined by Clinton’s friends.

"You gotta have a sense of humor in this business we're in," she concluded.

– CNN Assignment Editor Katy Byron

Filed under: Hillary Clinton


Taylor Mullaly, Elk City, Oklahoma   October 5th, 2007 6:44 pm ET

What troubles me most is people dont remember her telling lies and commiting crimes while her husband was in office. Is the first woman president going to be a crook like Nixon. I wish just for once we could have a real canidate. I dont care which party they come from. I just want one that doesnt lie to us anymore. What is wrong with us we now vote for the one who we think is the best of the worst. Come on people do we really want anymore lies and deceptions from either party. If I spelled something wrong its because I have less than a 12th grade education. I make more than most because I am honest and smart. And I do remember all of her so called indescetions which is a good word for being dishonest. Please America. Start reading and believing that we are the best nation in the world and we have done some rotten things in the world and we need to stop. We dont need to elect another person who will get on TV and placate us with want we want to hear. We need someone who will tell us the truth about what we have done in this world of ours and how to undo the bad and carry on with the good. Lets be more honest than the canidates that are running. They are always fighting about this or that to keep our focus off the real issue and that is that our govenment stinks and we need to fix it. Why do they fight like little kids. To make us fight like little children too. Lets get real. Because they dont seem to be able too. Thanks if you read this. Oh and as far as the media goes. Its just entertainment just like everything else on TV. thats pretty easy to figure out dont you think?

Jennifer - Santa Fe, New Mexico   October 5th, 2007 11:55 am ET

Obama's attitude about wearing a simple thing like an American pin is scary......now I'm sure I won't be voting for him....no way!

Prairie Dog, Champaign, IL   October 5th, 2007 2:52 am ET

Does H.Clinton really laugh THAT much? The only example I saw was in response to Chris Wallace's ridiculous question on Fox Propaganda that deserved a sarcastic laugh though I didn't see what she did with it after the laugh.

johnmcalpin   October 5th, 2007 12:21 am ET

First, she cackled to avoid answering a question. Second, the media make the damned cackle the issue, not the avoidance. No wonder she can laugh! She is the favorite of the totally owned and controlled media. Owned and controlled by enemies of humanity. If she becomes president, there vwill be no discernable change in our foreign policy, and little, if any, in our domestic programs. The Goldwater Girl has all the bad and none of the good qualities of old Barry.

OxyCon, Philadelphia PA   October 4th, 2007 11:47 pm ET

"Cacklers" aren't fit to be President!

What we need is a guy that we want to have a beer with, especially a guy who was drunk and high on cocaine for 30 years straight. It's worked out so well for us these past 7 years.

Mike, Christmas, FL   October 4th, 2007 11:34 pm ET

As is evident by this subject matter, corporate media has become worse than worthless - it's a downright menace to our democracy. Pressure your representatives to pass laws to break up the media conglomerates like we did to Standard Oil. Hopefully, we can then put the kid journalists to bed and let the adults have a real discussion about real issues concerning our national life. I have a dream ...

eLadinMo, KCMO   October 4th, 2007 10:36 pm ET

He/She who cackles last, cackles loudest.

Jim Hasinger, California   October 4th, 2007 8:58 pm ET

This has got to be Stupid Non-Story of the Week. Surprise! People who don't like Hillary find her laugh... sinister, or raucous, or... something. I thought a laugh in the face was the only thing that Chris Walllace's ridiculous question deserved. If people weren't getting on Hillary for laughing to much, they'd say she was too serious. Please talk about something real.

millie hepburn, northumberland, pa   October 4th, 2007 8:50 pm ET

Laugh Hillary–you are smarter than the others! they are afraid of your confidence–

millie hepburn, northumberland, pa   October 4th, 2007 8:47 pm ET

Go Hillary–last I knew, laughter was not illegal...to those who spend hours analyzing her–forget it–she already outsmarted you, and you are simply jealous...
Someone today said take away women's right to vote and no women president–well take away men's vote (by the way the new minority) and we will not see war, stupid decisions, and we might all actually learn how to work together! Being female, smart and savvy is only unpopular because men don't know how to respond. My suggestion to these men–listen- you might learn something!

kkuate, Glendale Arizona   October 4th, 2007 8:33 pm ET

Hillary has more character and integrity in just one cackle than McCain, Romney, and Giuliani combined. These three bums are part of the "bomb Iran" and "twice Guantanamo" Bush loyalists crowd.

Horton Whoville   October 4th, 2007 7:14 pm ET

Social Socialist Yes I am
Give the poor Green Eggs and Ham
Tax – Tax – Tax and Spend
Need a hand-out? I'm your friend

Debi, Philadelphia   October 4th, 2007 6:30 pm ET

How is it that a position statement gets page 10, paragraph 20, and a cackle gets so much coverage that every person in America hears something about it?

Elsa, Fountain Valley, CA   October 4th, 2007 5:53 pm ET

Get serious – who care how they laugh or what they pay for a haircut. I am more interested in hearing about their proposed ideas and policies. Are there any good journalist left in this world?

Glenn   October 4th, 2007 5:24 pm ET

Don't look now, Ronnie from Knoxvillne, TN...but you're the one sounding angry. And tell me, why is a woman overly ambitious when she goes for the highest office in the land?

Jim R, Northampton, MA   October 4th, 2007 5:21 pm ET

I don't know about all states, but yes, in Massachusetts, you can switch party affiliations for a day to vote in the primary for the candidate of your choice. I've done it.

Jim R, Northampton, MA   October 4th, 2007 5:17 pm ET

The cackle is news because she used it to deflect questions she didn't want to answer. If Bush had done that, people who oppose Bush (like me) would certainly call him on it. Well, you should call Hillary on it, too.

John, Studio City, CA   October 4th, 2007 5:15 pm ET

Interesting how our mainstream media so quickly adopts Republican talking points. Hillary's laugh becomes a "cackle." Who cackles? Why witches and hens cackle, don't they? This is straight out of Frank Luntz's world. CNN always so quick parrot the GOP.

MadMax, Sugar Land, TX   October 4th, 2007 4:55 pm ET

I can't believe how childish and petty most of these comments are ... I expect it from the media always trying to make news out of nothing ... but geese .. shouldnt you people be focusing on policy instead of a person's laugh! I'm sure some of you are snorters! ... lol

Joe Brooklyn   October 4th, 2007 4:52 pm ET

The DLC democrats are trying to get their way by foisting a "centerist" upon us. In order to "unite-us" against the Republicans they are attempting to create a "speak no-ill" policy for Hillary Clinton as the GOP did for their party for so many years.

I don't accept that the Hillary and other GOP-lite Democrats should be above criticism. I don't consider myself to be a "liberal" on any issue but the war – an issue on which 70% of Americans agree with me - and I am only consider a liberal on that issue because I was right about the war before it began.

I am first and foremost a "values" voter. My foremost value is a strict adherence to the rule of law as well as to the spirit it was written in. I believe that this administration does not act in good faith when it comes to its interpretation of the law and of its powers, not to mention reason and judgement.

If the government can not act in good faith with the law than it cannot act in good faith towards that which the law governs and protects – the American people. Acting against the interests of the American people by discarding and manipulating the law is criminal and immoral.

When I hear Democrats like Hillary imply that they wish to employ a pragmatic solution they are saying that they do not consider the actions of this Bush regime to be either immoral or illegal or else they would call it that and work to stop it.

The pitch of Hillary's laugh is not the issue. The issue is the service to which she puts it in covering up her complicity and stupidity in providing cover for this administrations war(s?).
I apologize for the length.

Horton Whoville   October 4th, 2007 4:25 pm ET

Social Socialist – yes I am
Give the poor Green Eggs and Ham
Tax Tax, Tax and spend
Need a hand-out? I'm your friend

Robert, Jacksonville, FL   October 4th, 2007 4:22 pm ET

She's so phony, even her laugh is scripted.

sickntired, vienna, VA   October 4th, 2007 3:35 pm ET

What's this "Cackle" business? Using cackle to describe a chuckle or a laugh is a thinly- disguised and perhaps subconsciously misogynist attempt to paint Hillary as a witch - "she cackles, therefore she's a witch." It is the same thing as labelling an aggressive or ambitious woman abrasive. I hear it all the time from men who have no self confidence or feel threatened. It's an attempt to cut a powerful woman off at the knees with an emotionally charged under-handed jab. Not everything smells like of sexism.. but this "cackle" business reeks of it.

blake, richardson, tx   October 4th, 2007 2:40 pm ET

temporarily switch parties? that's laughably pathetic. i almost cackled even. did you get that brilliant idea from joe lieberman?

Tom - Dedham, Mass   October 4th, 2007 1:13 pm ET

Posted By Anyone but Hillary : October 4, 2007 10:28 am

I really like your thinking, but I really want "her" to ascend to the nomination, just so we can bring "her" and the Clintonista's down for good.

If we don't eradicate the "disease" it will fester.

Then in four more years "she" will be an afterthought and guys like Harold Ford and yes, Obama will get their chance.

Anonymous   October 4th, 2007 12:32 pm ET

I'm the cat in the hat and I've come here to stay..
We'll have a great time in whoville today...

Kurt, Denton, TX   October 4th, 2007 12:26 pm ET

Temporarily change parties?? That's just like a Republican . . . manipulate the system with a "win at any cost" mentality. Are your kids the ones cheating on their exams? Guess that's okay too?

Anyone but Hillary   October 4th, 2007 10:28 am ET

Attention Republican Voters:

If you are unhappy with your pool of candidates and if you are angry that the media is marching toward a coronation of Hillary Clinton, you can make your voice heard and stop this from happening.

Republican voters can temporarily switch party affiliation in order to vote against Hillary Clinton in the primary elections. Check with your local Board of Elections for instructions as to how you do this and to check the deadlines.

Independent voters who are not allowed to vote in the primary elections can do the same thing.

Tom - Dedham, Mass   October 4th, 2007 9:55 am ET

Sory folks, this is a NEW laugh that she is using to avoid answering a question.

Just like she uses a NEW voice and a REGIONAL word pattern depending on what part of the country she is in, that is phoney as hell.

Bush talks like a dolt everywhere, but she feels she has to "dumb it down" in some places and like sheep, you are all ok with this.

RightyTighty   October 4th, 2007 9:50 am ET

CNN attacked Dean's Scream but pushes Hillary's Cackle as endearing. Hmmmm.., more media corruption??

BCNU purple state, usa   October 4th, 2007 8:14 am ET

Does anyone else see a eerily similar resemblence of Hillary (above) and a Dr Seuss characters Thing1 ~ Thing2 ?

She does, she does, she tackles the cackle and votes for new war, the American people say no more, no more.
Hsu fly Hsu, we don't need you here, I'll get money from friends of hubby dear.

Frank Honolulu Hawaii   October 4th, 2007 12:41 am ET

I commented earlier today and commented that this article was trite and the CNN author failed in journalism. And I check back later to see they edited me out of this discussion.
Did I get too close to the truth for CNN? Scary.

EJ Woodlands Texas   October 3rd, 2007 10:50 pm ET

Don't MOST witches cackle? I know the one in the Wizard of Oz did!

Danni, Dallas, TX   October 3rd, 2007 10:42 pm ET

Dang, it's pretty sad when people attack your laugh.
Does that mean we should have gone after Dubya's smirk?
Get real people– discuss the issues not how a person laughs.

Frank Honolulu HI   October 3rd, 2007 10:41 pm ET

What an idiotic diversion to the important issues of the day. This is what the media does when they have a responsibility to deliver the truth? Yet another donation to the 'dumbing of America".
What journalism school did you graduate from?
Karl Rove must now be Editor in Chief of Time Magazine.

ronnie - knoxville, tn.   October 3rd, 2007 10:37 pm ET

I can't imagine listening for four yrs. to the voice, let alone the laugh of someone who sounds like the bitter ex-wife. No offense to ex-wives but there's something angry and overly-ambitious about hillary.

Sybil,ny   October 3rd, 2007 8:15 pm ET

Aunt Bea, I wouldn't live in Hoboken for all the lead products in China. Too much crime and Frank Sinatra kind of people. Did you chew on window sills as a baby? Hoboken is very old and they used lead paint back then. By your disorderly thinking you may have an IQ in the low 40's

Bea, Hoboken, NJ   October 3rd, 2007 8:04 pm ET

Well, as far as I'm concerned, Hillary can continue to "cackle" all the way to the White House!

Let's see who has the last laugh!!!!

Anonymous   October 3rd, 2007 7:56 pm ET

We all remember what CNN did to Howard Dean's chances in the campaign when they televised the "Dean scream." Are they trying to make the "Clinton cackle" the next "Dean scream?" Seriously, can we just return to journalism? America is in a crisis right now and we need our journalists now more than ever to work hard on actually researching and reporting real news, not fluff like this which only serves to dissuade people on a subliminal level from voting in their best interest; whether that be a candidate with a cackle or one whose name rhymes with Osama...

Horton Whoville   October 3rd, 2007 7:44 pm ET

Does anyone else see a eerily similar resemblence of Hillary (above) and a Dr Seuss characters Thing1 ~ Thing2 ?

Henry Tucker, Ga   October 3rd, 2007 7:35 pm ET

Why is the media focusing on Hillary's cankles?

Sybil,ny   October 3rd, 2007 7:31 pm ET

Hey Truth Teller, Which came first. The chicken or the egg? I think it was the chicken. You know why? Because a chic and a ken (that happens to be an ancient bird from India) got together and the chic laid the egg. That was called a chicken.

Kim, Sacramento, CA   October 3rd, 2007 7:15 pm ET

Hillary's cackle, a crying baby while Obama speaks... Why is this news???

laurinda,ny   October 3rd, 2007 6:59 pm ET

Well isn't this so funny. Hillary is a cackler and Rudy is a lisperer. The two top candidates.

Truth Teller   October 3rd, 2007 6:59 pm ET

The cackle would be fine if it weren't used to manipulate the interview/debate and avoid answering a question. Her vote on Lieberman-Kyl just wasn't funny in any way, shape or form.

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