"The Cackle"

Perhaps you caught Senator Hillary Clinton's bemused response to two of Chris Wallace's questions on the September 23, 2007 telecast of Fox News Sunday. Clinton responded with laughter at least twice: "Senator, talk about conservative hit jobs, right-wing conspiracies- why do you and the President have such a hyper-partisan view of politics?" and "Senator Clinton, we're going to have to leave it there. We want to thank you so much for joining us today. Don't be a stranger, and please send my best to the President."

Theories abound as to the reason for the Senator's unprofessional, almost bizarre, response. Perhaps Clinton was laughing at Wallace, given that GOP TV gives a decent imitation of a faux news operation. It also has been suggested that it may have been a nervous laugh or perhaps an attempt to show her lighter, more agreeable, side, so that people hesitate to describe her with a word that rhymes with "switch."

All plausible, and the valid explanation may even be a combination. But the first laugh may have been partially motivated by something else. Clinton is nothing if not thoughtful, given to considering all sides of an issue (and sometimes coming out on each). And consider this: in the last Presidential debate, host Tim Russert (who did an excellent job of probing the candidates' views) asked the Democrats a hypothetical question about torturing a terrorist with vital intelligence information. After the Senator said in part "I think it's dangerous to go down this path," Russert shot back "The guest who laid this scenario out for me with that proposed solution was William Jefferson Clinton last year." Now (although, the transcript does not so indicate) Russert stopped a moment, while Clinton understandably was stumped. Then, unfortunately, the host inadvertently bailed her out, continuning "and he disagrees with you." Clinton then, decisively and authoritatively, replied "well, he's not standing here right now."

No one is going to accuse the New York Senator of excessive spontaneity. She responds effectively when she deliberates, as she typically does, and laughter can fill a few seconds of air time as she ponders a statement she is confident will not show up in a 30-second sound bite next autumn.