New Hampshire: White House hopeful Hillary Clinton choked back the tears as she struggled to avert a bruising defeat at the
hands of charismatic rival Barack Obama in Tuesday’s New Hampshire primary.
Polls released hours before the second nominating contest of 2008
showed Obama enjoying a solid lead in New Hampshire, and for the first time shattering Clinton’s advantage among Democratic
voters nationally.
Republican John McCain meanwhile looked to lock in his advantage over rival Mitt Romney, who needs a strong showing after coming in a grim second last week in the Iowa caucuses, which launched this year’s White House race.
In one of the few moments during Clinton’s years on the political stage that her inner feelings have been exposed, the strain of the Obama juggernaut appeared to be taking its toll on Monday.
Asked how she managed to keep on going every day, the former first lady’s eyes turned moist and red. It’s not easy, and I could not do it if I just didn’t passionately believe it was the right thing to do, she said, her voice quavering, after talking with voters in a coffee shop. This is very personal for me ... it is not just political ... I see what’s happening... we have to reverse it.
Some people think elections are a game, said the New York senator, her voice breaking again. It is about our country, it is about our kids futures.
The latest polls showed Obama as the favourite going into Tuesday’s crucial nominating clash, after he beat Clinton into third place in Iowa after John Edwards.
The latest CNN/WMUR tracking poll showed Obama leading Clinton by nine points in the Granite State — 39 per cent to 30 — down from 10 points on Sunday.
Another poll by CBS News gave Obama 35 per cent support among likely Democratic primary voters, against 28 per cent for Clinton. Obama enjoyed a 41-24 lead among independents, who comprise a crucial bloc in New Hampshire.
By winning the Iowa caucuses, Obama appears to have put questions about his elect ability to rest for many New Hampshire voters, CBS commented.
A national poll by USA Today/Gallup said that Obama and Clinton each drew 33 per cent support from Democrats, compared to an 18-point lead for the former first lady in mid-December, well before Obama’s win in Iowa.