"Clinton's team downplays crying episode"

Newsday with video (00:46):

A day after her big New Hampshire comeback, aides to Hillary Rodham Clinton downplayed the notion her campaign would be on the scrap heap if she hadn't nearly cried on Monday.

As Clinton savored her 47- to 34-percent win over Barack Obama with female voters here, the 64-year-old woman whose question prompted the former first lady to puddle up told reporters she voted for Obama because Clinton was too "stiff."

Clinton's team huddled at her Chappaqua mansion Wednesday to plot out her next moves. Outside the gates, a debate raged over her one minute of public emotion, its impact on the race -- and whether it was truly unplanned (those who were in the room insist it seemed spontaneous).

Her campaign, digging in for a long fight against the Illinois senator, portrayed her three-point victory over Obama in Tuesday's primary here as proof of her larger success in connecting with women voters and not a windfall from one compelling TV clip.

Clinton often says she's flabbergasted by the fact George W. Bush was elected because he was the kind of guy people wanted to have a beer with. But on Monday, she inched closer to becoming the kind of woman other women invite for a cup of coffee.

The mantra from Camp Clinton yesterday was that the candidate has "found her voice" in New Hampshire.

"There is a great emotional connection between women and Hillary; whether it was the one moment or other things, I can't really say," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), a Clinton supporter, of the diner episode.

But Feinstein, like other surrogates, took pains to emphasize the candidate's toughness, saying the former first lady had a "steel spine."

A sleep-deprived Clinton, speaking on NBC's "Today" show Wednesday, said she thought the moment that actually turned the tide was Saturday's debate, when Obama and John Edwards teamed up to portray her as the defender of the status quo.

"It was the first time that the leading candidates actually were asked some very pointed questions about what we stand for, what we've done to help other people, what our accomplishments are and what we want to do for the future," she said.

Howard Wolfson, Clinton's spokesman, called the debate the "pivotal moment."

Clinton's advisers are keenly aware they walk a fine line in allowing the candidate to display emotion. Debbie Walsh, director of the Center for American Woman and Politics, said Clinton might be penalized in the long run for displaying an emotional reaction to the stress of a campaign, especially among male voters.

"If a man sort of chokes up and gets a little emotional about something, it's sort of showing that softer side," Walsh said. "But I think for a woman, it's still that really tricky balance that women candidates still walk, which is keeping those emotions in check, because if you don't, then you're seen as too soft."

One thing is for sure: Clinton's burst of warmth is translating into cold cash. Campaign chairman Terry McAuliffe told reporters yesterday the campaign had collected $1 million in the 12 hours following her victory and $3 million since Jan. 1.