Emily Esfahani Smith, Ed. : Allergies or Anguish?

In this iconic image from the White House situation room, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is covering her mouth in what seems like a gesture of anguish or distress---or, at least, that's how I (and I think others) read her body language in this picture:

But, apparently, that interpretation was wrong:

The photo shows Clinton with her hand to her mouth in what looks like a gesture of anxiety over the outcome of the operation.

"Those were 38 of the most intense minutes. I have no idea what any of us were looking at that particular millisecond when the picture was taken," she said on Thursday when asked about the photo during a visit to Rome. 

"I am somewhat sheepishly concerned that it was my preventing one of my early spring allergic coughs. So it may have no great meaning whatsoever," Clinton added.

I don't know, call me a skeptic, but her face seems more anxiety-ridden than allergy-ridden to me. What do you think? Also, isn't it a bit strange of Clinton to qualify her initial statement ("Those were 38 of the most intense minutes. I have no idea what any of us were looking at that particular millisecond when the picture was taken") with the allergies remark?

Methinks the lady doth protest too much. Regardless of whether allergies or anxiety overcame her in that particular moment, it's as if she actively does not want people to think that she was reacting emotionally---as any human being would---to what must have been an emotional experience. What's up with that? Do you think it has anything to do with her being a woman?