From The Road
January 7, 2008 7:13 PM

Hecklers Want Clinton to Iron Their Shirts

By
Fernando Suarez
Topics
Hillary Clinton
(CBS)
From CBS News' Fernando Suarez

SALEM, N.H. -- Hillary Clinton was nearly 20 minutes into her speech tonight in Salem when a man stood up with a sign that read "Iron My Shirt" and started chanting the phrase. Then a few seconds later another man stood up with the same sign and was yelling it.

"Oooh, the remnants of sexism are alive," Clinton responded.

"If there's anyone left in the auditorium who wants to learn how to iron his own shirt?" Clinton asked as the crowd laughed.

As the men were being escorted out of the auditorium Clinton said, "I think, as this has been abundantly demonstrated, I'm also running to break through the highest and hardest glass ceiling."

Of note: the sign, which is intended as a jab to women, is not original.

Back in 2003, when protestors picketed the Augusta National Golf Club, the famous men-only home of the Masters tournament, counter-protestors held up signs which read: "Iron My Shirt" and "Make My Dinner."


Add a Comment See all 15 Comments
by retiredgustav August 13, 2009 12:18 PM EDT
Shows how dumb these guys are, didn't they ever hear of "WASH AND WEAR". Come to think about it they probably don't know about the wash part either.
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by caterwaul65 January 8, 2008 6:14 PM EST
Just for the record, for those of you that may not be aware of what it''s like in NH this time of year. I''ve been to several rallies, for several different candidates. They ALL hand out stickers and signs when you get there. You don''t have to "prove" you''re supporting the candidate to put a sticker on your case. They hand them out so that the cameras see seas of people with them on or holding a sign. So the folks posting that because he had a Hillary sticker suggests he was a plant is just about the stupidest comment I''ve read in months of stupid comments.
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by imagine623 January 8, 2008 4:37 PM EST
We can make conspiracy theories all we want, but there is no way the Hillary campaign would do such a thing. Why would they have someone yell sexist remarks during one of her speeches? It is an unwelcome interruption, and the obvious outcome of such a "planned" interruption would be almost entirely negative media attention, as the outcome has been. As for the Hillary sticker on the briefcase, that''s easily explainable - I''m sure the men wanted to look like true Hillary supporters in order to get into the event. Adding a bumper sticker to their briefcase certainly couldn''t hurt. It''s not like they were about to waltz in to hear her speech covered in Obama gear.
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by stilts8 January 8, 2008 4:10 AM EST
It''s quite possible that the whole episode was planned by the Clinton campaign. One of the two men was found to have a Clinton for President" sticker on his carrying case. See the following article at http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dc/2008/01/sexist-jamokes-disrupt-hillary.htm , in which it reports that, "Nick Gemelli, who is 21, and born at least a decade after %u201Ciron my shirts%u201D was an anti-women%u2019s rights slogan, didn%u2019t have much of a rationale. %u201CI just don%u2019t think a woman should be President,%u201D he said.

He couldn%u2019t really say why, but he agreed that he was a health care voter, as the sticker on his carrying case implied. The %u201CHillary for President%u201D sticker was a bit more of a puzzle."

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by elton1111 January 8, 2008 1:56 AM EST
He actually was a plant. A bit too outrageous for me, but anything goes in these desperate political times, and one can never be too calculating.
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by truthspeake2 January 8, 2008 12:24 AM EST
I''m an Independent black male who liked Clinton over Obama until she couldn''t retract her position regarding her vote for the Iraq war. More of the status quo, and that''s where she made her first mistake in my opinion. America doesn''t want or need more of the same anymore. Its all aout electing someone who truly cares for the American people and will keep OUR best interests at heart. Clinton surely isn''t really up to the task and its got nothing to do with her being a female...
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by csalzmann-2009 January 7, 2008 11:47 PM EST
Give me a break! I think this was a Clinton "plant" in the audience to try to whip up some sympathy for a female candidate.
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by abigail4476 January 7, 2008 11:38 PM EST
I am not a supporter of HRC, but I certainly don''t believe that only men are capable of leading this country. I am raising two daughters, and as far as I am concerned, they have the same leadership potential as my son.

Sexism is evidence of a small mind, and deserves nothing more than a cold shoulder.

Those who decide who to vote for should make that decision based on the character and reputation of their candidate, coupled with alignment of values and issues.
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by skeptical3 January 7, 2008 11:19 PM EST
Admittedly HRC is stressed out, but I saw an woman angry at Obama & Edwards on Saturday night, and today "tearing up" and this rally''s shenanigans. Not POTUS material.
Tomorrow night it will be abundantly clear that this country does not want to go "back to the future" with the "change agents" who achieved one (1) progressive piece of legislation in 8 years: the first bill out of the Congress in ''93, the Family & Medical Leave Act.
Time for "change we can believe in" (think that phrase is any accident?).
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by Powerpeacemaster January 7, 2008 11:16 PM EST
Power is never granted but taken. When someone new disturbs the power base it is a threat. Through most of history women have been the scapegoats and slaves. I am a change master and less than 15% of any population can accept serious change. It is up to women to save the world war does not bring peace but defeat and the defeated then seek revenge when they get on their feet. All of the Democratic Candidates are wonderful and all are my friends. If you ask the rest of the world except Africa, they all want Hillary. In business most money is made with a 10-20% improvement. It is hard to have to educate people about a whole new idea. I support Hillary. She forgave Bill and that is what is different about America. We believe in second chances and merit rewards. Ask Howard Dean if I am real. Ask Olympia Snowe. The only woman I would rather see as the first President would be Governor Kunin, but she was not born here. Ann Richards would have been good. Barrack is young and can be next. The South and West will come out strong for Hillary for standing by her man. Isn''t that a family value? Besides she can''t get into anything I can''t get her out of.
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