Hillary's Mom: Out of the Closet in Iowa, Speechless

Hillary Clinton has done an exemplary job of defending her family during tough times and shielding them from paparazzi in the good times. She obviously cares deeply that their privacy not be invaded… except when she needs them for her own purposes.

Ben Smith reports this morning on the appearance for the first time on the campaign trail of Mrs. Dorothy Rodham, Mrs. Clinton's mother.

At an appearance in Des Moines, Iowa, Mrs. Clinton introduced her mother to the crowd with "Thank you for being here, Mom. Thanks for coming back to Iowa with me."

Mr. Smith is curious that Mrs. Rodham didn't speak.

Recalling Hillary's repeated stories of her upbringing in a conservative Republican household, perhaps we shouldn't be too surprised at the tightly pursed lips. After all, "I love you Hillary, but I'm not voting for you," wouldn't be the kind of statement the campaign would appreciate at this stage of the effort.
Later, Chelsea joined Mrs. Clinton at a photo op. Unlike her grandmother, Ms. Clinton was in full and vocal campaign mode for her mother.