Read 'em and weep

A Penn State study found that people's reactions to crying depends on the type of crying and who was doing it. A moist eye was better than copious tears. And a moist eye on men was better than a moist eye on women. That jibes with what Tom Lutz, author of a history of crying, believes. "Bill [Clinton] could cry, and did, but Hillary can't," he told AP. For men, a tear or two can make them look sensitive. For women, it can make them appear overly emotional. Then again, if they don't show any emotion, they could get called a robot.

There should be a different standard for crying, not for men and women, but for politicians and the rest of us. Whether they're shed by a man or a woman, those political tears can all too often be contrived and manipulating.