UK NEWS

HOW HILLARY CAME BACK FROM THE DEAD

Hillary Clinton

Thursday January 10,2008

By Joanna Walters

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HILLARY Clinton was hailed the Comeback Queen yesterday as she stormed back to snatch victory over Barack Obama.

Her bid to be America’s first woman president is back on course after opinion polls, pundits and even her supporters got it completely wrong.

They all said Mrs Clinton, 60, would be beaten in New Hampshire after losing the first vote of the campaign to Mr Obama in Iowa last week. Everyone, that is, except her. “I came back from lots of polling stations in New Hampshire and I felt confident. No one else believed it, but I did,” said Mrs Clinton yesterday.

It’s a new comeback, and a big big win

Right up until the polls closed on Tuesday night, her campaign workers were preparing to concede to Mr Obama while the young senator for Illinois appeared to be warming up for a victory roll. “We’re changing the political map right now. We are building a new majority,” he declared audaciously. But when the people went to the polls, Team Obama’s choice of music for his public address seemed presumptuous – singer Stevie Wonder’s Signed, Sealed, Delivered.

In a race that was too close to call until the early hours of yesterday, Mrs Clinton finally clinched 39 per cent of the vote, with Mr Obama close behind on 36 per cent. Many believe that the Democratic race was so close that voters may have told pollsters that Mr Obama was their choice then voted for Mrs Clinton.

The numbers were also thrown by the record 500,000 turnout, and some polling stations almost ran out of ballot papers. Mrs Clinton’s victory will go down as one of the most dramatic ever in New Hampshire and may be regarded as the contest’s turning point when the nation finally votes in the general election in November.

“Another Clinton comeback. This is a big, big win for us,” said senior campaign manager Terry McAuliffe. Her husband Bill dubbed himself the Comeback Kid after he came second in New Hampshire in 1992 and went on to take the White House – after his first sex scandal, involving Gennifer Flowers. His sex games in the Oval Office years later with trainee Monica Lewinsky eventually helped to bury his presidency.

But now he and the Clintons’ only child, daughter Chelsea, are out on the campaign trail. Mrs Clinton has called in New Hampshire’s best political organisers and used tactics that helped her husband 15 years ago – in a state that has always had a soft spot for the family. Unemployment dropped sharply in the state when Mr Clinton was President during economic good times in the Nineties.

And with the US on the verge of recession, voters on Tuesday put the economy as their most important issue. As so often in America, an election jingle still shines amid all the hype: “It’s the economy, stupid”. But it is also the war, and voters have backed Mrs Clinton’s stance against the war in Iraq.

For young and floating voters, Mr Obama’s message of hope and change and a fresh face is popular. But the proudly-maverick state of New Hampshire instead went for experience. After her humbling defeat in Iowa, Mrs Clinton was forced to connect more closely with voters, as it became clear that her party campaign machine was so slick that it was in danger of being out of touch.

She seemed the most shocked of anyone when she came in third in Iowa last week, behind southerner John Edwards and the glittering triumph of 46-year-old Mr Obama. “I listened to you and in the process I found my own voice,” Mrs Clinton told voters and supporters in her victory speech yesterday.

“Together let’s give America the kind of comeback that New Hampshire has just given me.” However, she is not yet clear of Mr Obama. He came a respectable close second, and the next important state-by-state vote to decide nominees is in South Carolina.

The Clintons have traditionally had massive support from African-Americans but Mr Obama can expect a huge surge in the black vote in the south. However, it is quite likely that South Carolina native and working-class mill-owner’s son John Edwards – who conquered the state in the 2004 election – will win.

That will leave the contest wide open as the nomination contest rolls towards the heavyweight states of Florida, New York, California and Illinois. The big date to watch is February 5 – the day dubbed Super Duper Tuesday sees more than half the US voting.

"COMEBACK QUEEN " I DON'T THINK SO ?

10.01.08, 5:28pm

It appears that the speed of Obamas Shock loss of last minute votes, was maybe down to the fact that His middle name has ben disclosed ! "Hussien "

• Posted by: BratislavaUK • Report Comment

HILARY CLINTON IS A 'BAMA

10.01.08, 2:55pm

I don't know how she won but it was a surprise, she can't be written off now in this race. I dont want her as president but no one else seems too good a choice . I'd be unhappy if i was a yank.

• Posted by: Nikk_blakk • Report Comment

SHE'S THE NEXT PRESIDENT

10.01.08, 7:53am

Oh come off it only the media said she'd loose. Her husband is the ex-president and one that's well liked so she'll be the next one for sure........

• Posted by: Defiant • Report Comment

NOT ANOTHER CLINTON!

10.01.08, 12:20am

Just what America and the world needs,another fake politician,with fake sincerity,she slagged Obama off for voting for the Patriot Act in America,but failed to ntion she voted for it aswell,another llying,cheating neo-con looking to get into the white house!!!.

• Posted by: jonG • Report Comment