Posted on 01/09/2008 10:59:53 AM PST by blam
Bill Clinton: Tears won Hillary New Hampshire
By Toby Harnden in Manchester, New Hampshire
Last Updated: 6:07pm GMT 09/01/2008
Bill Clinton, the former US president, said that his wife Hillary won the New Hampshire primary because "people saw who she was" when she came close to tears after being asked how she kept going on the campaign trail.
"She was genuinely moved that in the middle of a political campaign another person would actually express a genuine level of concern for her," he told Telegraph.co.uk after had she eked out a surprise two-point victory.
Telegraph TV: Hillary Clinton comes close to tears
"It was quite touching. You know, people forget that the people that do this are human. She was just very moved by it.
"She called me and said, 'I can't believe what happened'. She said, 'That's why I've got to be careful showing my emotions – I'd cry a lot'."
In what her advisers believe was a turning point in the Former First Lady's White House bid, tears welled up in Mrs Clinton's eyes and her voice dropped to a whisper when she was asked by Marianne Pernold-Young, an undecided voter: "How do you do it? How do you keep up?"
"You know, this is very personal for me," she replied. "It's not just political, it's not just public. I see what's happening, and we have to reverse it."
The eve-of-poll moment, played repeatedly on television for the following 24 hours, came during a forum with undecided voters in a coffee shop in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
Women voters, who had helped give Mr Obama his stunning victory in the Iowa caucuses, backed Mrs Clinton in New Hampshire by 47 to 34 per cent. John McCain was the winner of the Republican primary with 37 per cent, a convincing five per cent margin over his rival Mitt Romney.
An ebullient Mr Clinton told Telegraph.co.uk that the other key juncture was Saturday's debate, when she sharply criticised Barack Obama's experience and consistency and was attacked by John Edwards, who finished third in New Hampshire.
"Things started to change Saturday night at the debate," he said. "And then she just went out and essentially gave her heart to the people of New Hampshire. She didn't ask me anything, talk about anything, say, 'Here's why I'm doing it', and they came back, they turned.
"It was amazing - I love this state," said the then Arkansas governor, who was hailed the "Comeback Kid" after coming second in an unexpectedly strong showing in New Hampshire in 1992.
"There's no place like it. They decided that they wanted, even in about a three-day window, to give her an independent judgement and a fair hearing and they did and she was fabulous."
He indicated that the Clinton apparatus in New Hampshire and beyond, in place for some 16 years, was also crucial.
"Let's be fair, we had unbelievable help both from the citizens of New Hampshire, people from New York, from Arkansas, from all over the country came here and just threw themselves into it.
"She had great local support. The vast number of female legislators, for example, were personally calling their own constituents. It was a lot of things."
State-by-state primary maps: Republicans | Democrats Top 50 influential Britons in the US Matthew Moore: Is Huckabee a comedy genius? Just before the primary, Mr Clinton had lost patience with the glowing coverage of Mr Obama and his apparently skyrocketing campaign, saying: "Give me a break. This whole thing is the biggest fairy tale I've ever seen."
But after his wife's shock victory in New Hampshire, he could afford to be magnanimous. When asked what message her win had sent to Mr Obama he smiled and responded: "All I know is we love these people and they stuck with her and gave her a chance."
Gag me with a spatula!
She’ll be bawling all the way to November....
If anyone oughtta know, it’s Billy.
"people saw who she was"
Yep, they saw who she was alright and fell right into the pit, voted for her based on EMOTION rather than logic, nice going....
At least Clinton can’t bomb any more 3rd world medicine factories to change the debate.
Rolling Stones - Sympathy for the Devil...
Great, so I guess more crying will win her the next primary in SC, according to democrats? How much crying will be win when it comes to national defense? Dealing with Kim Jong Il and that nutbag from Iran?
“She’ll be bawling all the way to November....”
You read my mind!
Liberals are EMOTIONALLY driven so this should motivate them to VOTE for HER. They can all cry together. They can all be miserable together.
This is sooo sick! We are a laughing stock.
.
He’s right. Repeal the 19th Amendment, now.
"You know, nine years ago, dealing with my marriage in infidelity was one of the hardest things I've ever done in my life. There were times when I really wanted to leave (que the tears). And there were times when I blamed myself... and to be in the public eye made it that much worse. (wipe tear). My faith was a big source of strength during that time. But, I love my husband and though it was a difficult and sometimes painful process, we persevered and made it.
And that's a testament to my character, to my strength. When things get difficult, I stick with it. And that's the kind of President the American people need... someone who perseveres through good times and bad."
She was water boarding voters to get their votes!
Isn’t the next scheduled crying appearance in Michigan?
Hillary cried, People died.
Great! So now will be the first country that has a CRY Baby president.
Its me, its me, the us will fall apart if they don’t elect me.
It would have been great if one of those older ladies hauled off and slapped her and told her to suck it up!
Cry your way into the white house Hillary?....Whatever it takes, you’ll do it you scumbag!
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