Defying Predictions, Clinton Beats Obama in New Hampshire
In defiance of polls and the political pundits, Hillary Clinton narrowly beat Barack Obama to win the New Hampshire primary last night. The former First Lady won 39 percent of the vote. Obama placed second with 37 percent. In the Republican race, Senator John McCain beat former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney by a five percent margin. Political analysts say that with 300 days until the November election, the 2008 race is shaping up to be the most open presidential race in 80 years. For the past year, Senator Clinton had been the clear frontrunner in New Hampshire, but after Senator Obama’s surprise victory in Iowa, several opinion polls indicated the Illinois Senator had jumped to a double digit lead. The polls were wrong and in the end Clinton pulled off a victory.
Sen. Hillary Clinton: “I felt like we all spoke from our hearts and I am so gratified that you responded. Now together let’s give America the kind of comeback that New Hampshire has just given me.”
The race between Clinton and Obama was so close that it took the networks until about 10:30 last night – two and a half hours after the polls closed – to call the race for Clinton. Minutes later Senator Barack Obama addressed supporters.
Sen. Barack Obama: “We will remember that there is something happening in America, that we are not as divided as our politics suggests, that we are one people, we are one nation and together we will begin the next great chapter in the American story with three words that will ring from coast to coast, from sea to shining sea–yes we can.”
Former Senator John Edwards vowed to stay in the race after placing third with 17 percent of the vote.
John Edwards: “I want to be absolutely clear to all of you who have been devoted to this cause and I want to be clear to the 99% of the Americans who have not yet had the chance to have their voices heard that I am in this race
through the conviction that I intend to be the nominee of my party.”
New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson placed fourth with 5 percent. Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich, who was excluded from Saturday’s debate in New Hampshire, placed fifth with one percent of the vote.
Defying Predictions, Clinton Beats Obama in New Hampshire
The Primary Today - Winning New Hampshire primary
News alert new hampshire primary results
Republican Sen. John McCain and his wife Cindy greet supporters on Keene's Central Square on Jan. 7, less than 24 hours before the voting starts in New Hampshire's presidential primary . Here he meets Rebecca Freitas, 9, and her Dad Jon Freitas of Keene.
While today's mild weather gives voters no excuses - or no good excuses - to avoid the polls, it is melting snow fast.
And for the many campaigns that lodged signs into snow banks, their aesthetic advantage is disappearing. Signs have started to fall or slip out of snow.
One can just visualize the mess tomorrow when the candidates have abandoned New Hampshire and their campaign symbols lie strewn on dirty, melted snow.
10:00 AM in Mason. No lines at the polls. Only one activist out front; for Hillary. The checklist people ask for your name, even though they know who you are--it's the rules. There's lots of great deals at the bake sale: a whoopee pie and a pumpkin bread in a ceramic dish for only $2.50.
After what many on-site officials called a “jam packed” morning, droves of people continue to pour into the Milford Middle School parking lot. As of 11 a.m. people could still be seen frustratingly circling the staff parking lot, searching empty spots that were few and far between.
Sara McNamara and Erica Bunson have taken advantage of the steady crowds by setting up a bake sale outside the gymnasium to help raise money for Milford student scholarships.
“It’s been a very enthusiastic crowd so far,” said McNamara, a Milford women who says the fund helped put two of her children through college.
Also taking advantage of the voter turn out was Jeffrey Frenkiewich, who brought his eighth grade social studies class into the ballot room to help them learn the voting process.
“Voting is especially important for young people to learn because they need to see what the process is like,” said Frenkiewich. “I think once they are exposed to the process they’ll be more likely to vote in the future.
