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http://www.newsmax.com/headlines/clinton_leap_of_faith/2008/01/04/61916.html
Hillary Confronts Campaign Crisis
Friday, January 4, 2008
Hillary Clinton, her White House bid heading for a precipice, pleaded with
Democrats Friday not to rush to make a "leap of faith" on her Iowa caucus
vanquisher Barack Obama.
Stung by the worst defeat of her political career, the one-time runaway
front-runner rallied supporters in New Hampshire, knowing a second defeat in
the state's primary on Tuesday could herald disaster.
With a narrow lead in polls in New Hampshire, which could be threatened by
the "bounce" expected by Obama's camp from his win in the first nominating
contest Thursday, Clinton needs to build a firewall to contain her rival.
The former first lady, her quest to become the first woman president
staggering, insisted the short window between Iowa and New Hampshire would
not hamper her bid to slow her rival's momentum.
"It is a short period of time, but it is enough time -- time for people to
say, 'wait a minute,'" Clinton said, developing her theme -- rejected by
Democrats in Iowa -- that Obama is too inexperienced to be president.
"Who will be the best president? ... based not on a leap of faith but based
on the kind of changes we have already produced?" she asked at an early
morning rally after flying into the northeastern state.
The outlines of a retooled Clinton strategy -- apparently thrashed out
during an overnight flight from Iowa to New Hampshire -- were evident: never
give up; appeal to young voters who went to Obama in droves in Iowa; inflate
doubts he is not ready to be president; warn that her rival would be
consumed by a Republican firestorm in a general election; and focus on
voters' economic woes.
But after once being portrayed as an "inevitable" nominee, Clinton is now
reduced to asking Democratic voters to give her time to make her case.
"The last thing the Democrats need is to move quickly through this
process -- it is so telescoped -- without taking a hard look at all of us,"
Clinton told reporters as she dropped into a coffee shop in Manchester, New
Hampshire.
She has tough task in peeling away the young, first-time, and independent
voters, as well as traditional Democrats, invigorated by Obama's powerful
message of generational change.
She must also recapture the thematic narrative of the campaign, amid signs
Obama's hopeful message may be pitch perfect for an America wearied by war
and political division.
After a short introduction, Clinton unusually asked for questions from the
audience at her rally, truncating the stump speech which she rarely diverted
from in Iowa.
"What do you want to know about us?" she asked her audience, in another
apparent reference to Obama, who Clinton aides say has not be properly
"vetted" by the press.
Clinton also played on fears among Democratic voters that the White House is
seemingly in reach, but could be snatched away by Republicans preying on an
inexperienced Democratic nominee.
"I am not running for president to see the Republicans take this away from
us again," she said.
"I am tested and I am proven, I have been through the fires, anyone we
nominate is going to be thrown into that blaze, that inferno, known as the
general election."
Another key plank of Clinton's recovery plan was standing right next to her
on a frigid morning in New Hampshire.
The original "Comeback Kid" himself -- former president Bill Clinton -- used
New Hampshire to rescue a scandal-plagued campaign for president in 1992.
"Let's go out there and win this thing," the ex-president, who remains a
hero among Granite State Democrats, said.
Playing on her husband's enduring popularity, Hillary Clinton added, "it is
also kind of interesting that it took a Clinton to clear up after the first
Bush, it will take a Clinton to clean up after the second Bush."
Obama's camp will be wary of underestimating the Clinton family's renowned
resilience, and legendary political self-preservation skills, which
seemingly only kick in when the crisis is at its darkest.
Despite Clinton's slump to third in Iowa, her aides tried to downplay the
disappointment, and stressed it was only the first step in a marathon
nominating process.
An average of New Hampshire polls by RealClearPolitics had Clinton with 34
percent to Obama's 27 percent and Edwards' 18.
Hillary Confronts Campaign Crisis
Friday, January 4, 2008
Hillary Clinton, her White House bid heading for a precipice, pleaded with
Democrats Friday not to rush to make a "leap of faith" on her Iowa caucus
vanquisher Barack Obama.
Stung by the worst defeat of her political career, the one-time runaway
front-runner rallied supporters in New Hampshire, knowing a second defeat in
the state's primary on Tuesday could herald disaster.
With a narrow lead in polls in New Hampshire, which could be threatened by
the "bounce" expected by Obama's camp from his win in the first nominating
contest Thursday, Clinton needs to build a firewall to contain her rival.
The former first lady, her quest to become the first woman president
staggering, insisted the short window between Iowa and New Hampshire would
not hamper her bid to slow her rival's momentum.
"It is a short period of time, but it is enough time -- time for people to
say, 'wait a minute,'" Clinton said, developing her theme -- rejected by
Democrats in Iowa -- that Obama is too inexperienced to be president.
"Who will be the best president? ... based not on a leap of faith but based
on the kind of changes we have already produced?" she asked at an early
morning rally after flying into the northeastern state.
The outlines of a retooled Clinton strategy -- apparently thrashed out
during an overnight flight from Iowa to New Hampshire -- were evident: never
give up; appeal to young voters who went to Obama in droves in Iowa; inflate
doubts he is not ready to be president; warn that her rival would be
consumed by a Republican firestorm in a general election; and focus on
voters' economic woes.
But after once being portrayed as an "inevitable" nominee, Clinton is now
reduced to asking Democratic voters to give her time to make her case.
"The last thing the Democrats need is to move quickly through this
process -- it is so telescoped -- without taking a hard look at all of us,"
Clinton told reporters as she dropped into a coffee shop in Manchester, New
Hampshire.
She has tough task in peeling away the young, first-time, and independent
voters, as well as traditional Democrats, invigorated by Obama's powerful
message of generational change.
She must also recapture the thematic narrative of the campaign, amid signs
Obama's hopeful message may be pitch perfect for an America wearied by war
and political division.
After a short introduction, Clinton unusually asked for questions from the
audience at her rally, truncating the stump speech which she rarely diverted
from in Iowa.
"What do you want to know about us?" she asked her audience, in another
apparent reference to Obama, who Clinton aides say has not be properly
"vetted" by the press.
Clinton also played on fears among Democratic voters that the White House is
seemingly in reach, but could be snatched away by Republicans preying on an
inexperienced Democratic nominee.
"I am not running for president to see the Republicans take this away from
us again," she said.
"I am tested and I am proven, I have been through the fires, anyone we
nominate is going to be thrown into that blaze, that inferno, known as the
general election."
Another key plank of Clinton's recovery plan was standing right next to her
on a frigid morning in New Hampshire.
The original "Comeback Kid" himself -- former president Bill Clinton -- used
New Hampshire to rescue a scandal-plagued campaign for president in 1992.
"Let's go out there and win this thing," the ex-president, who remains a
hero among Granite State Democrats, said.
Playing on her husband's enduring popularity, Hillary Clinton added, "it is
also kind of interesting that it took a Clinton to clear up after the first
Bush, it will take a Clinton to clean up after the second Bush."
Obama's camp will be wary of underestimating the Clinton family's renowned
resilience, and legendary political self-preservation skills, which
seemingly only kick in when the crisis is at its darkest.
Despite Clinton's slump to third in Iowa, her aides tried to downplay the
disappointment, and stressed it was only the first step in a marathon
nominating process.
An average of New Hampshire polls by RealClearPolitics had Clinton with 34
percent to Obama's 27 percent and Edwards' 18.