<p><font color="#ff0000><strong>CAMPAIGN DIARY</strong></font>lNASHUA</p> "HE shook my hand, and I'm pretty excited about that." A young supporter of Barack Obama, leaving a post-election party tonight, is holding up a close-up photo she took of him on her mobile phone. Has she noticed that her man lost to Hillary Clinton? "I'll deal with it," she says. "He's allowed to lose once as long as he wins all the others." OK. But then come the words that will send chills through the Obama campaign team: "He's so inspirational, it almost doesn't matter." Ouch. Perhaps someone should explain the rules of politics to this young lady.
Despite what many commentators say, it is a stretch to call Mrs Clinton's narrow win in New Hampshire tonight a big comeback. Wasn't she considered the front-runner just a week ago? Mr Obama's upset victory in Iowa last week may have recalibrated expectations all around, but the former first lady has always had a formidable political machine. She worked incredibly hard in this state, had a good debate on Saturday night and may have finally shed her image as the Bionic Woman when she got a bit misty-eyed in front of voters on Monday. Women, in particular, seemed to like what they saw. The real losers here were the pollsters whose projections were so terribly wrong.
Mr Obama's supporters, many voting in their first presidential primary, looked slightly confused when early returns tonight suggested that their man might be defeated. The sound system playing ;music in the Nashua highschool gymnasium where thousands of them gathered started blasting "they paved paradise and put up a parking lot" when it began to sink in that their candidate might not be crowned the victor. Before long, though, many in the crowd decided this party was too good to be spoiled. By the time Mr Obama appeared on stage shortly before 11pm, the chants of "yes, we can" reverberated through the hall once more. Mrs Clinton is not out of the woods yet.
No comments:
Post a Comment