I don't want you to think that all I care about is sports, or golf.  But I just have to go one more round on Brandt Snedeker.  You remember that yesterday I said he was a marvel on the final round of the Masters with his smile and positive outlook on the experience even though he completely blew his chance to win.  It wasn't his day but he kept smiling.  Then I got a little bitchy about how he cried at the press conference thinking it was disappointing that he gave up on his Japanese style philosophy and cried because he didn't win.  Well, today I saw the video on the internet of that press conference.  And it screams for comment.  And I owe Brandt an apology.  He actually was still smiling but became overwhelmed as the reporters asked him what it felt like out there.  As he began to relive the experience and realize, maybe for the first time, how close he came to the coveted Green Jacket, he got emotional.  But he kept smiling, even through his tears.  He had his white towel in his hand, and he kept burying his face in it, kind of embarrassed at this unexpected onslaught.  When the reporters persisted, he finally said that he thought his emotional state kind of said it all.  Then the clip cut to a sports show.  A woman anchor turned to her male counterpart after the clip concluded and he began to laugh, cackle actually, and said "that's why he didn't win".  She looked shocked and tried to move on to the next story.  This is a real problem. 

You may remember that Edmund Muskie once showed emotion and cried on the campaign stump.  Yes, he obviously wouldn't have made a good leader. And its a good thing because those tears did him in.  He lost.  And then there is Hillary.  She is tough as nails (see March 28th entry for a good description of her pointing rotation move) and everyone was accusing her of not having emotions so she got minimally tearful once and then proceeded to win a primary.  Everyone thought it was because she showed her softer, (more female?) side.  OK.  I'm sure you see where I am going with this.  If we have a female President, we want her to be in touch with her emotions, even at 3 am when the phone rings in the White House?  And if it's a male, he shouldn't have a softer side or if he does, he should do everything to hide it, especially from those cable news hounds and blogging machines.  Until we get this disparity between the genders figured out, I am wondering if a bear shouldn't be the President.  Have you ever really wondered whether a teddy bear is a girl or a boy?  No.  We are just expected to do our job no matter what is required.  Whether that means being tough or vulnerable, we always seem to know what is required and give it freely.  That's our job.  You guys may have a lot to learn from us bears.  

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Thanks for your support.  I am not in tears but I am feeling a little stirring inside.  

GR