CONCORD, N.H., Dec. 24, 2006

Clinton, Obama Neck And Neck In N.H. Poll

Last Month's Poll Had Clinton Up By 23 Points; Giuliani, McCain About Even Among GOP Voters

  • Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., left, and Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y.

    Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., left, and Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y.  (AP)

(AP)  Two weeks after Sen. Barack Obama's first trip to New Hampshire, a new poll shows him about even with Sen. Hillary Clinton among likely voters in the state's 2008 Democratic presidential primary.

Among participants in the Concord Monitor poll, 22 percent said they would vote for Clinton if the primary was held now, and 21 percent said Obama. That put them slightly ahead of former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, who was at 16 percent.

Last month, a Monitor poll showed Clinton leading Obama by 23 percentage points.

"I'm not surprised because Barack Obama got five days of constant media attention in New Hampshire," said Jim Demers, a Democratic activist who accompanied Obama throughout his visit. "Obama has demonstrated to the people of New Hampshire that he's a top tier candidate."

On the Republican side, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Arizona Sen. John McCain are about even, with Giuliani at 26 percent and McCain at 25 percent. Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is next with 10 percent.

The telephone poll of 600 likely voters was conducted Monday through Wednesday by Maryland-based Research 2000 and had a sampling margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. The likely voters for the Democratic and Republican primary totaled 400 respondents each. For those questions, the margin of error was plus or minus 5 percentage points.

In hypothetical general election matchups, Giuliani has a slight lead over Clinton, while Clinton and McCain are about even. Obama is slightly ahead of both Giuliani and McCain. Edwards is tied with McCain and about even with Giuliani.

"There are a lot of independents. These are the same people who loathe Bush, loathe the Iraq war," said Del Ali, president of Research 2000. "But deep down, they don't like Hillary Clinton."

The numbers don't mean much roughly a year before the primary, some experts cautioned. President Bush, for example, held a double-digit lead over McCain in a New Hampshire poll nine months before the 2000 primary.

"You will have this tremendous amount of energy and motion to secure the allegiance of about 5,000 people," said Charlie Arlinghaus, president of the Josiah Bartlett Center for Public Policy. "And nobody else is going to start paying attention until after the summer."

©MMVI, The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Add a Comment See all 38 Comments
by nyckate December 27, 2006 6:09 PM EST
We've seen the damage that can be done by electing a 'popular' candidate through the last 6 really tough years - so sorry - Obama simply does not have the track record to be president and neither does Hillary - she's just starting her second term as Senator. We also don't have the "luxury" of placating those who say its time for a "fill-in-blank" person to be president - the country is in bad shape and needs a knowledgeable, intelligent capable person who can make and understand international and domestic and military policies that are badly in need of fixing.
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by ihatebush1 December 27, 2006 1:28 PM EST
I'm still pissed...

How dare you say "a woman" or some "half black guy"....?????

What have you done with your life tough guy!?
Reply to this comment
by ihatebush1 December 27, 2006 1:26 PM EST
Wait...
I meant you stoopid bast*ard "newsletter1".
Reply to this comment
by ihatebush1 December 27, 2006 1:24 PM EST
[I added on the you bas*ard part.]
Reply to this comment
by ihatebush1 December 27, 2006 1:22 PM EST
Now I'm really pissed "newster1"....

Who the... Who do you think you are????

America is not as racist and gender-biased as you!

I watched "North Country" last night which was based on a true events. It was absolutely shocking how the men kept telling their female co-workers how they don't belong up there...

Calling them all kinds of sexually explicit names in the work place. Assulting them, groping them, bullying them, placing sexual toys in their lunch boxes...

All the while telling them that they have no place there; that it's men's work...

But the entire time. The women just kept on DOING THEIR JOB!

I'm so mad right now I could just spit!

People like you are so closed-minded and plain stupid. You need to take back what you wrote and apologize.

That would be like me saying that well since short people are stupid... They can't be doctors....!

Or maybe a man has no place being a nurse...!

Stop judging people by WHAT they are and give them a chance to show you WHO they are!

I wish that Dr. Martin Luther King was still alive. Whether you hate him or love him. He was right when he said let's judge people by the content of their character you ***.

[I added on the you *** part.]
Reply to this comment
by fascistusa December 27, 2006 3:21 AM EST
Better decide NOW on the 2008 election.

How better can the Government and our PROPOGANDA for News control you?

I guess WE THE PEOPLE have to assume that NOTHING will change in the next 2 years. Nothing at all.

Nope. We probably won't see Families spending the holidays

TALKING ABOUT HOW FASCIST OUR COUNTRY IS!!!!
Reply to this comment
by randalds December 27, 2006 2:43 AM EST
She isn't the darling of the media world and they will do her in by the time the decision by DNC is made ..George Soros and others extremist wants Obama in not her because she can think for herself and they want a yes person .

Posted by HHHSS at 04:38 PM : Dec 26, 2006


Obama? A "yes person"?

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!

Whew! That's a good one!
Reply to this comment
by kaliveotin December 26, 2006 10:56 PM EST
Hey Boobgee 1999, You seem to still be living in 1999. The people of our United Stetes are a lot smarter than they were in 1999. Back then, few remembered what a Republican President and Congress would do to our nation. Thank GOD, they've awakened. Not one Democratic incumbant lost in the recent congressional election. On the other hand rebukelicans fell like flies. Happy New Year. Next election the people will take back the government and can begin trying to undue all the debt and ill-will we've acquired.
Obama won't beat Hillary or Edwards in my opinion but any Democrat will beat any Republican in 08, as long as Democrats remember that they controlled government for so long because of an education, farmer, labor, civil-rights, senior, small business co-alition which believes in the inherant need for government to provide for the "General welfare" AND the "COMMON DEFENSE". Go HILLARY GO.
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by vancouverboo December 26, 2006 7:43 PM EST
Might as well try a woman or a negro. Any port in a storm.
Reply to this comment
by bildooreilly December 26, 2006 7:38 PM EST
Fact is neither party of crooks and liars has any suitable candidates, Obama couldn't even get reselected here in IL, the only reason he won in the first place is because his opponent was Alan Keyes. Times for dims and repukes to put their crappy parties who both have the same failed agenda behind them and do what's right for America and get rid of all these political prostitues selling out our country.
Reply to this comment
by hhhss-2009 December 26, 2006 7:38 PM EST
She isn't the darling of the media world and they will do her in by the time the decision by DNC is made ..George Soros and others extremist wants Obama in not her because she can think for herself and they want a yes person .
Reply to this comment
by mikevilkin December 26, 2006 6:21 PM EST
Folks, do you remember a definition of an empire? First and foremost, it's a collection of different peoples speaking different languages and having different interests.
American Empire is collecting all human garbage from all over the world, especially from Mexico. Our jails are overloaded with Mexican criminals.
They sell drugs, steal cars, trash neighborhoods, and we can not do anything.
I think American Empire will disintegrate in the next 20 or 25 years. The bad part is that disintegration will not be peaceful. More likely, it will be ugly and bloody.
Folks, buy assault weapons while they are available. In a few years, only Latinos will be allowed to have guns in order to protect themselves.
Reply to this comment
by mikevilkin December 26, 2006 6:08 PM EST
No matter who becomes our next president, our borders will be open for countries of South America. Expect from 100 million to 200 million new pilgrims - and a second civil war. Actually, it will be an ethnic war.
They will "spik no englis", they will have guns, and they will be determined to make America a Spanish-speaking country.
Just ask your favorite politician how many Latinos will be allowed to settle here, and when we will stop.
Reply to this comment
by tibu987 December 26, 2006 4:36 PM EST
This is more like show business than politics.
Hillary, the female vote.
Obama, the black and liberal vote.
Edwards, the photogenic, handsome (women) vote.
Now, let's look at qualifications.
Oh yeah, I remember, that has little to do with it.
'Nuff said.
Reply to this comment
by ralynna December 26, 2006 7:02 AM EST
Al Gore should be the Dem nominee.
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by Free Citizen December 26, 2006 5:19 AM EST
RandalDS is right but don't count your chickens yet bobgee_1999, Edwards might just come around. I always root for the underdog.
Reply to this comment
by bobgee_1999 December 26, 2006 2:54 AM EST
Unless I didn't wake up in America today, you'd have to be crazy to think either Obama or Clinton has any kind of chance whatsoever. One isn't white, and the other isn't male. If this is what the Dems offer in '08, they haven't got a prayer, and they know it. It's already over. The best we can hope for is that someone in the Rep party isn't entirely corrupt. Good luck, and good night.
Reply to this comment
by kaliveotin December 26, 2006 2:26 AM EST
It's going to be Hillary and that scares the hell out of the Republicans. The only Republican who has a chance against her is McCain, but a Gingrich or Gulliani against Hillary election would be more fun. If it's Hillary and McCain who'd be the bad guy, there might have to be third independant candidate for the right wing bigots and homophobes. Honestly, I think Hillary would be a more ***-kicking commander in chief that ANY of the other candidates.If anything she would be more apt to use overwhelming force. She'd be more concerned about looking weak or timid. Few would be quick to accuse McCain. Gulliani or Gingrich of being reticent to use Military power.
Reply to this comment
by elgraz December 25, 2006 6:13 PM EST
BUT, SHE COULD BE A TRANSVESTITE.......THINK ABOUT IT PEOPLE.
Reply to this comment
by elgraz December 25, 2006 6:13 PM EST
I THINK THAT HILLARY HAS TO GET LAID........IT MAY HELP HER.
Reply to this comment
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