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http://www.newsmax.com/headlines/clinton_hostage_crisis/2007/11/30/53623.html
Democratic Race on Hold After Hostage Crisis
Friday, November 30, 2007
WASHINGTON -- A fearful truce settled over the bitter 2008 Democratic
presidential race Friday, after front-runner Hillary Clinton grappled with a
hostage crisis at one of her New Hampshire offices.
Clinton had been due to address a meeting of party activists just outside
the nation's capital of Washington, at which her top rivals had already
savaged her record, but abruptly called off the appearance after the drama
erupted.
Police in the northeastern state said a man believed to be armed with a bomb
took over the office in Rochester, New Hampshire, and was reported to be
holding hostages. Two captives were later reported released. The senator was
in the Washington area at the time.
Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean told shocked delegates
about the incident, as they prepared to welcome the former first lady, the
long-time leader in the increasingly nasty Democratic race.
"She is not going to be able to join us today," Dean said, adding that
Clinton was dealing with the crisis.
The drama overshadowed afternoon speeches at the event, as the two
candidates who did appear, Senator Joseph Biden and Dennis Kucinich, avoided
attacking Clinton and offered thoughts to those involved.
"It is an unusual day," Biden said at the DNC fall meeting in suburban
Virginia.
"I am sure like everyone here, I pray to God it all works out right, and I
wish Hillary the best of luck as she heads to New Hampshire."
The Clinton campaign did not immediately confirm the Senator was rushing to
the state, which holds its first-in-the-nation primary contest on January 8.
"There is an ongoing situation in our Rochester, NH office," the Clinton
campaign said in a statement.
"We are in close contact with state and local authorities and are acting at
their direction. We will release additional details as appropriate."
Kucinich, a long-shot hope for the Democratic nomination, also said Clinton
was in his thoughts.
"We are in solidarity with Hillary at this moment, when we think of what she
is going through, and what her staff is going through," he said.
Earlier, Clinton rivals Barack Obama and John Edwards lashed out at Clinton
as new polls showed Clinton's lead slipping.
Obama meanwhile harvested a new crop of headlines with an early morning
breakfast meeting in New York with billionaire mayor Michael Bloomberg, who
has repeatedly denied he is mulling an independent presidential run.
At the Democratic meeting, Obama took square aim at Clinton, tying her to a
tainted governing style that "festered" in Washington long before President
George W. Bush came on the scene.
"The same old Washington textbook campaigns just won't do in this election,"
Obama said, rejecting Clinton's claims she is a candidate of change.
And he raised Clinton's Senate votes in 2002 to authorize war in Iraq and
this year calling for the designation of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps as
a terror group, which critics say could provide a US path to war with
Tehran.
Without mentioning Clinton by name, Obama decried Democrats who believed
"the only way to look tough on national security is by talking and voting
and acting like George Bush Republicans."
Former senator John Edwards, desperate to muscle in on the Clinton-Obama
duel ahead of the fabled Iowa caucuses nominating contest on January 3,
hammered exclusionary US politics.
"There's a wall around Washington and we need to take it down," said
Edwards, in remarks which implicitly accused Clinton of lacking "backbone."
"Do you want someone who is going to pretend that wall around Washington
isn't there, or defend the people who helped build it?" said Edwards who
accuses Clinton of trawling for campaign cash from Washington lobbyists.
A new poll meanwhile showed momentum for Obama, putting him ahead of Clinton
in Iowa, with the former first lady leading by a wide margin but slipping in
New Hampshire which holds its primary on January 8.
The American Research Group survey in Iowa had Obama on 27 percent, Clinton
on 25 percent and Edwards on 23 percent in the key state.
Since the same firm's poll last month, Obama was up five points and Clinton
had slipped seven. Edwards was up by eight points but still trailed at 23
percent.
The survey was consistent with other state polls showing either Obama or
Clinton ahead, but the race statistically deadlocked.
Democratic Race on Hold After Hostage Crisis
Friday, November 30, 2007
WASHINGTON -- A fearful truce settled over the bitter 2008 Democratic
presidential race Friday, after front-runner Hillary Clinton grappled with a
hostage crisis at one of her New Hampshire offices.
Clinton had been due to address a meeting of party activists just outside
the nation's capital of Washington, at which her top rivals had already
savaged her record, but abruptly called off the appearance after the drama
erupted.
Police in the northeastern state said a man believed to be armed with a bomb
took over the office in Rochester, New Hampshire, and was reported to be
holding hostages. Two captives were later reported released. The senator was
in the Washington area at the time.
Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean told shocked delegates
about the incident, as they prepared to welcome the former first lady, the
long-time leader in the increasingly nasty Democratic race.
"She is not going to be able to join us today," Dean said, adding that
Clinton was dealing with the crisis.
The drama overshadowed afternoon speeches at the event, as the two
candidates who did appear, Senator Joseph Biden and Dennis Kucinich, avoided
attacking Clinton and offered thoughts to those involved.
"It is an unusual day," Biden said at the DNC fall meeting in suburban
Virginia.
"I am sure like everyone here, I pray to God it all works out right, and I
wish Hillary the best of luck as she heads to New Hampshire."
The Clinton campaign did not immediately confirm the Senator was rushing to
the state, which holds its first-in-the-nation primary contest on January 8.
"There is an ongoing situation in our Rochester, NH office," the Clinton
campaign said in a statement.
"We are in close contact with state and local authorities and are acting at
their direction. We will release additional details as appropriate."
Kucinich, a long-shot hope for the Democratic nomination, also said Clinton
was in his thoughts.
"We are in solidarity with Hillary at this moment, when we think of what she
is going through, and what her staff is going through," he said.
Earlier, Clinton rivals Barack Obama and John Edwards lashed out at Clinton
as new polls showed Clinton's lead slipping.
Obama meanwhile harvested a new crop of headlines with an early morning
breakfast meeting in New York with billionaire mayor Michael Bloomberg, who
has repeatedly denied he is mulling an independent presidential run.
At the Democratic meeting, Obama took square aim at Clinton, tying her to a
tainted governing style that "festered" in Washington long before President
George W. Bush came on the scene.
"The same old Washington textbook campaigns just won't do in this election,"
Obama said, rejecting Clinton's claims she is a candidate of change.
And he raised Clinton's Senate votes in 2002 to authorize war in Iraq and
this year calling for the designation of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps as
a terror group, which critics say could provide a US path to war with
Tehran.
Without mentioning Clinton by name, Obama decried Democrats who believed
"the only way to look tough on national security is by talking and voting
and acting like George Bush Republicans."
Former senator John Edwards, desperate to muscle in on the Clinton-Obama
duel ahead of the fabled Iowa caucuses nominating contest on January 3,
hammered exclusionary US politics.
"There's a wall around Washington and we need to take it down," said
Edwards, in remarks which implicitly accused Clinton of lacking "backbone."
"Do you want someone who is going to pretend that wall around Washington
isn't there, or defend the people who helped build it?" said Edwards who
accuses Clinton of trawling for campaign cash from Washington lobbyists.
A new poll meanwhile showed momentum for Obama, putting him ahead of Clinton
in Iowa, with the former first lady leading by a wide margin but slipping in
New Hampshire which holds its primary on January 8.
The American Research Group survey in Iowa had Obama on 27 percent, Clinton
on 25 percent and Edwards on 23 percent in the key state.
Since the same firm's poll last month, Obama was up five points and Clinton
had slipped seven. Edwards was up by eight points but still trailed at 23
percent.
The survey was consistent with other state polls showing either Obama or
Clinton ahead, but the race statistically deadlocked.