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Re: New Hampshire Primary
Latest poll, just saw it on the 10 p.m. news. Obama 39%, Hillary 29% in New Hampshire.
McCain leads in the GOP.
James, look into Obama a little more closely; I don't think you'll come away with a bad taste in your mouth. I hoped you saw Saturday night's debate before your comments here today, because Obama spoke alot about what he wants to do. IF you really want to know what he's about, it's your responsibility to find it.
Re: New Hampshire Primary
MANCHESTER, N.H. - The leading Democratic presidential candidates clashed Sunday over each other's claim to be the true candidate of change in the final hours of the slushy New Hampshire homestretch. Hillary Clinton told voters they should elect "a doer, not a talker." Barack Obama countered that his rivals are stuck in the politics of the past.
At a raucous rally in a high school gymnasium in Nashua, Clinton skewered Obama for several votes he has cast in the Senate, such as his vote in favor of the Patriot Act and for energy legislation she described as "Dick Cheney's energy bill." She never mentioned Obama's name but left no doubt about whom she was discussing.
"You campaign in poetry, you govern in prose," Clinton said.
Obama, speaking at a packed Manchester theater, took issue with Clinton's criticism of him during Saturday's Democratic presidential debate.
"One of my opponents said we can't just, you know, offer the American people false hopes about what we can get done," he said.
"The real gamble in this election is to do the same things, with the same folks, playing the same games over and over and over again and somehow expect a different result," he said. "That is a gamble we cannot afford, that is a risk we cannot take. Not this time. Not now. It is time to turn the page."
The rhetoric reflected the potentially pivotal nature of Tuesday's primary. Obama, the freshman Illinois senator, is hoping to sustain momentum from his caucus victory in Iowa, and Clinton is looking to recover from her stinging third-place finish.
A new USA Today-Gallup poll showed Obama opening up a lead at 41 percent, Clinton 28 percent, and John Edwards 19 percent. The New Hampshire poll was taken Friday through Sunday.
One of the sharpest exchanges of the day came when Edwards and the Clinton campaign traded words over Edwards' reference to last month's death of a 17-year-old girl, Nataline Sarkisyan of California, in making his case for challenging the health insurance industry.
Edwards, speaking to reporters in Keene, said Clinton and her advisers "have no conscience" after a Clinton aide suggested Edwards was using medical victims "as talking points" in his presidential bid. Edwards campaigned with Sarkisyan family members Sunday.
In Saturday's televised debate from Manchester, Clinton acknowledged that Edwards helped the Senate pass a "patient bill of rights," but she noted that the measure died in the House.
"One of the reasons that Nataline may well have died is because there isn't a patient's bill of rights," Clinton said in the debate.
On Sunday, she said her point was that Edwards "answered a question about what his greatest accomplishment was in the Senate by trying to mislead people that a bill he worked on became law."
Sunday's campaign tone picked up from the debate, when Obama and Edwards seemed to work in tandem to deny Clinton's claim that she is the best prepared to undertake change.
Edwards told reporters that he and Obama offer real change to voters, while Clinton represents "the status quo." He also argued he has more passion for change and would be more willing to fight for his goals than Obama. "He just believes you can negotiate with people," Edwards said.
Asked Sunday about an alliance with Obama, Edwards said, "I think there is a conviction alliance." Then he added, "First of all, I wouldn't go so far as to call it an alliance. Let me disagree with that. ..."
Obama aides found themselves on the defensive after Clinton said during Saturday's debate that Obama's New Hampshire campaign co-chairman, Jim Demers, is a lobbyist whose clients include pharmaceutical companies. The Clinton campaign kept up the criticism Sunday morning in a teleconference call with reporters, noting that Obama has repeatedly said he does not take money from federal lobbyists or political action committees.
Obama communications director Robert Gibbs said Demers is a state lobbyist and does not do business involving federal legislation or regulation. He said the campaign has drawn a distinction between lobbyists who are registered to work at the state level and those who lobby the federal government.
"A ban on lobbying money and PACs is far from perfect," Gibbs said. "There is a difference between a college football player and professional football player," he added.
During the debate, while Clinton referred to Demers, the camera caught Obama shaking his head, saying "not so."
"He was shaking his head because her implication was that it violated our lobbyist pledge and his role quite clearly does not," Obama spokesman Bill Burton said.
Obama sounded an upbeat tone throughout the day, telling New Hampshire crowds their votes could propel him to the Democratic nomination.
"You will have the chance to change America in two days time," he said. "In two days we can do what the cynics said could not be done. We will have the chance to come together, Democrats, Republicans, independents and announce that we are one nation, we are one people and it is time for change in America. This is our moment, this is our time."
Meanwhile, the former first lady was clearly elated to be greeted by a large, enthusiastic audience in the same Nashua high school that Obama filled the day before. Both candidates had to use a second gym for the overflow crowd.
With the war still prominent in the minds of New Hampshire voters, Clinton said at one stop: "After 9/11, I would never have taken us to war in Iraq. I would have stayed focused on Afghanistan because the real threat was coming from there."
Pressed by a reporter later to explain the comment given her vote to support the use of military force in Iraq, Clinton said it was nothing different from what she'd said in the past. "At the time that vote took place, I said it wasn't a vote for pre-emptive war," she said
Earlier Sunday, Clinton and daughter Chelsea braved slushy sidewalks to go door to door in Manchester for about an hour seeking votes.
After leaving one house, Clinton was asked by a TV reporter how she felt about the Democratic debate the night before.
"Really good," the senator said. "We're starting to draw a contrast for New Hampshire voters between talkers and doers."
Mary Johnson, 60, a retired school teacher, said Clinton's visit was "a wonderful surprise." She said was leaning toward Obama, though she said he looked tired in Saturday's debate. "He didn't impress me. So we'll see."
Clinton, she said, "has always been my second choice."
Husband Bill was campaigning in North Conway, N.H., sticking to the key word "change."
"There's a different between talk and action. It makes a big difference if you've actually changed people's lives, if it's the work of your life," the former president said.
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I think the loss in Iowa has drove Hillary over the edge. She's out of touch with reality. If she loses NH, its over. The Obama train with Edwards in the caboose is moving full steam ahead.
Re: New Hampshire Primary
Obama, Edwards is a really interesting idea. I think that would work and help Obama capture some of the southern vote he's likely to miss considering many southerners still live in the 1800s and fly the confederate flag.
Obama should write off the South as a loss. A VP like Edwards might pull in a few votes in that region, but I would use the strategy that the South is going republican and just hope for the best in that area.
A democrat can win the White House without the south. He wins Cali and NY, he's almost half way to the White House.
This whole "change" mentality really seems to be gripping the nation. Its how Clinton got the presidency, and its looking like Obama is going down a similar path. The experience thing can still knock Obama out of it, so we shouldn't inaugurate him just yet, but his republican opposition is so lame I don't think anything is going to stop him if he gets the nomination.
If people want this guy knocked out of the race, they damn well better knock him out in the next few rounds.
- Jimmy Zig Zag Bobiadis
- Rep: 25
Re: New Hampshire Primary
meh.. an obama presendency doesn't sit well with me for some reason. i can't put my finger on it, but theres something about him i'm not feeling.
Re: New Hampshire Primary
Obama should write off the South as a loss. A VP like Edwards might pull in a few votes in that region, but I would use the strategy that the South is going republican and just hope for the best in that area.
A democrat can win the White House without the south. He wins Cali and NY, he's almost half way to the White House.
Agreed about the South. With Edwards, he might get S. Carolina, and possibly another state, N Carolina or Tenn.
Yeah, the presidency basically rides on like 5 states, Florida, Cali, Michigan, Ohio & like 1 or 2 other swing states, Virginia & NY myb. The rest are consistently red or blue.
Re: New Hampshire Primary
Clinton fights back tears as emotions run high in New Hampshire race
Module bodyMon Jan 7, 8:25 PM
WASHINGTON - It's bare-knuckle time in New Hampshire, where a grinding campaign and Democrat Barack Obama's stunning streak in the polls left Hillary Clinton battling tears Monday, while John McCain's surging popularity invited sharp attacks from his top Republican rival.
Clinton, fighting increasingly long odds in trying to stop Obama's march to the party's presidential nomination, grew emotional when she was asked how she keeps going while remaining upbeat.
"It's not easy. It's not easy. And I couldn't do it if I just didn't passionately believe it was the right thing to do. I have so many opportunities from this country. I just don't want to see us fall back," she said, her voice breaking and her eyes welling up.
"This is very personal for me," she told a small crowd of undecided voters in a Portsmouth, N.H., coffee shop after she was able to continue.
"Some people think elections are a game. It's like, who's up or who's down. It's about our country. It's about our kids' futures. And it's really about all of us, together."
Clinton's misty-eyed moment was applauded by the group. But it was labelled a campaign ploy by some and criticized by former Democratic vice-presidential candidate John Edwards, who's trailing in the second state to weigh in on who'll be running for president in the November general election.
"I think what we need in a commander-in-chief is strength and resolve," said Edwards.
Clinton, regarded as unlikable by many Americans who find her stiff and reserved, later told CNN she was touched that a supporter had asked how she was doing.
"I actually have emotions," she said, noting that her husband Bill and current president George W. Bush have also teared up on occasion.
Clinton showed her more recognizable tougher side later in the day as she continued to portray Obama, a first-term senator from Illinois vying to become the first black president, as ill-suited to run the country.
Obama, the Democratic front-runner who's been attracting overflow crowds and comparisons to John F. Kennedy since he knocked Clinton out of the top spot in the Iowa caucuses last week, rallied with his message of hope and changing the bitter partisan divide in the United States.
"You're the wave, and I'm riding it," he told voters.
"In less than 24 hours ... it will be your turn to stand up and say to the rest of the country: 'The time for change has come'."
"In one day we can say that we've had enough of the partisan food fight. We don't like the trivialization of our politics. We don't like the petty point-scoring."
Bill Clinton, stumping for his wife late Sunday, suggested her troubles amounted to sexism.
"We can't be a new story," he said. "I can't make her younger, taller, male."
Some surveys gave Obama a double-digit lead in support over Hillary Clinton.
She was hoping McCain's maverick appeal would steal some of Obama's thunder among the large number of independent voters in New Hampshire on Tuesday, when they vote for their choice of who the Democrats and Republicans should nominate.
Surveys had McCain leading Mitt Romney, the former governor from Massachusetts, who was hoping to put his campaign on track after losing to Baptist minister turned politician Mike Huckabee in Iowa last week.
McCain, said Romney, would never win a showdown with Obama for the White House.
"I think Barack Obama would be able to do to John McCain exactly what he was able to do to the other senators who were running on the other side," Romney said.
Romney has run several TV commercials against McCain in New Hampshire, arguing that the senator's immigration plan would offer amnesty for illegal immigrants and painting him as a disloyal Republican for twice opposing President George W. Bush's tax cuts.
McCain carried the state in his 2000 Republican nomination fight against Bush, when he was favoured by political independents who accounted for 41 per cent of the vote.
But now he's battling Obama for the support of people who aren't affiliated with either political party.
McCain, who has received the support of almost every major newspaper in the state, was almost grounded last summer when funds dried up over his unpopular stands on the Iraq war and illegal immigration.
Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor, was running a distant third in polls and wasn't expected to do well in New Hampshire given the lack of social conservatives in the state.
Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani has been concentrating his Republican campaign in other states with more voters.
holy shit now shes crying cuz things arent going her way....that'll get your voters back... I've never heard of a US president hopeful crying before at long odds
Re: New Hampshire Primary
Yeah, I heard about this last night when I watched some news before going to bed. I seriously think she killed what tiny chance she had left to recover by doing this. Whether it was real or a ploy is irrelevant. No one wants their president crying at the drop of a hat. What happens if Russia launched all its missiles at us? Is she gonna sit in the White House crying while the missiles are on their way and not even retaliate against them? Time is of the essence in a foreign crisis. Cant sit there crying.
Hillary will NEVER be president. You can take that to the bank.
"We can't be a new story," he said. "I can't make her younger, taller, male."
Even Bill knows its over.
I know its early in the race, but I think she should drop out after tonight's loss in New Hampshire. There's no point in her delaying the inevitable.
- Jimmy Zig Zag Bobiadis
- Rep: 25
Re: New Hampshire Primary
I know its early in the race, but I think she should drop out after tonight's loss in New Hampshire. There's no point in her delaying the inevitable.
I think she still has a chance, its early and thers still 48 more states to go.
