Hillary Offers Thanks In New Hampshire

Clinton Met With Freed Campaign Workers And Expressed Gratitude For The Peaceful Outcome

(CBS/AP)  A distraught man wearing what appeared to be a bomb walked into a Hillary Rodham Clinton campaign office Friday and demanded to speak to the candidate during a hostage drama that dragged on for nearly six hours before he peacefully surrendered.

Shortly after releasing the last of at least four hostages unharmed, 46-year-old Leeland Eisenberg walked out of the storefront office.

Eisenberg came out with his hands up, fell to his knees, and removed something that was strapped to his stomach, CBS station WBZ's Paul Burton reports.

Eisenberg was immediately surrounded by SWAT team with guns drawn. Clad in gray slacks, white dress shirt and a red tie, he was put on the ground and handcuffed.

CBS station WBZ Radio's Lana Jones learned that Eisenberg’s stepson reported to police that his stepfather had been drinking for two days. The son said Eisenberg had strapped two road flares to his chest and told his son Friday morning that he was going to the Clinton campaign office. He reportedly told his stepson "to watch the news."

Clinton was in the Washington area the whole time, but the confrontation brought her campaign to a standstill just five weeks before the New Hampshire primary, one of the first tests of the presidential campaign season. She canceled all appearances, as did her husband, former President Bill Clinton, and the security around her was increased as a precaution.

“Everything stopped, and it had to because we had nothing on our minds except the safety of these young people who work for me,” Clinton told reporters shortly after the standoff ended. She said she was “just relieved to have this situation end so peacefully,” and that she was headed to New Hampshire to thank law enforcement officials.

"He was someone that was not known to my campaign headquarters until he walked in the door today," Clinton said later, at a late-night news conference in Portsmouth. "It appears that he is someone who is in need of help and sought attention in absolutely the wrong way."

Rochester police Chief David DuBois said Eisenberg was being held on state charges of kidnapping and reckless conduct, and that federal charges were being considered.

A man who said he was Mrs. Eisenberg's son declined comment Friday night.

It was just after 1 p.m. when Eisenberg walked into the storefront office, opened his coat and revealed what appeared to be an explosive device, reports Burton. He allowed a woman carrying a baby to leave but then ordered a small number of other to the floor. About two hours later police tossed a phone into the office.

Seconds before he surrendered, shortly after 6 p.m., the last hostage walked from the office. The hostage then ran down the street toward the police roadblocks surrounding Clinton's office.

Not long after the surrender, police maneuvered a robot to the hostage-taker's package and triggered an explosion to destroy it.

Witness Lettie Tzizik told television station WMUR of Manchester that she spoke to the woman who was released first and that she was crying, holding the infant.

“She said, 'You need to call 911. A man has just walked into the Clinton office, opened his coat and showed us a bomb strapped to his chest with duct tape,” Tzizik said.

Heavily armed SWAT team members, protecting themselves with shields, called to the man over bullhorns and attempted to hand a phone into the office.

CNN reported after Eisenberg surrendered that a woman had called the network from the office and put Eisenberg on the phone. He told CNN he had mental problems and couldn't get anyone to help him, and called the network several times during the standoff.

CNN's Wolf Blitzer said the network called police after hearing from Eisenberg, but did not air those details until Eisenberg surrendered out of concern for the hostages' safety.

A law enforcement official told The Associated Press that Eisenberg was known around the town to be mentally unstable. The official declined to be identified because he was not authorized to speak publicly about the case.

The official said the man walked into the campaign office and opened his jacket, revealing what appeared to be a pipe bomb, and that he demanded to speak with Clinton. Authorities did not know what Eisenberg wanted to talk to Clinton about.

They believe the device strapped to the man's chest was made with road flares, not a bomb, the official said.

The office, in a town of 30,000, is one of many Clinton has around New Hampshire. The campaign said the people taken hostage were volunteers for the campaign.

Eisenberg walked into the office about a half-hour before he was scheduled to appear in Strafford County court with his wife for a domestic violence hearing, according to Foster's Daily Democrat in Dover.

Divorce papers filed Tuesday indicated Eisenberg was arrested and charged with criminal mischief, domestic related, and violation of a protective order. In the papers, Eisenberg's wife said the divorce was a result irreconcilable differences and complained that he suffered from “severe alcohol and drug abuse, several verbal abuse and threats.”

Eisenberg also was arrested at least twice earlier this year, once for allegedly driving under the influence and once on two counts of stalking. The status of those cases was not immediately clear.

Diane Wiffin, a spokeswoman for the Massachusetts Department of Correction, said a Leeland E. Eisenberg with the same 1961 birthday as the suspect was released from the state prison in Concord, Mass., in March 2005 when he completed his sentence. She would not give details about the nature of his offense or length of his sentence.

Eisenberg made local headlines in March when he held a news conference on the steps of Rochester City Hall to complain about a police policy of placing fliers in unlocked cars warning motorists to lock their doors.

“This is nothing more than a gimmick to get around the Constitution and go around in the middle of the night upon unsuspecting citizens in their own yard and search their vehicles,” Eisenberg said.

Police, who said they were just trying to reduce theft from motor vehicles, changed the policy in response.

[pepperp1]

Democrats protect yourselves and your candidates.

[pepperp1]

too many loons out there cross your fingers hope this ends well.

[kindrox]

Time to make bombs illegal. Obviously there are far to many bombs on the street.

[juliemd]

Previous comment illustrates the crazy people who are fearful of a Woman becoming President. Grow up and get a mind...God help this sexist, racist male dominated country. Hillary for President!

[Ozark_Sunshine]

How do you people know that it isn''t a disgruntled Democrat. I wouldn''t put it past the Clintons and their machine to do this to get sympathy for her. they''ve already shown they have no morals.

[mm334]

We seem to have them all over - only today in the local Poughkeepsie newspaper they reported a bomb scare that was foiled involving a high school,planning for next year on the anniversary of Columbine Massacre. This is just another example of mental depravity or mental illness to do such things to other human beings.

[rushman71]

juliemd: Oh, please grow up. It''s not that we don''t want a female president, it''s just that we don''t want a female president who says one thing at one time, and says the complete opposite the next. In other words, she is a flat out liar!!!

[one_american]

"Awesome! One of her question planters gone awry!"

Posted by badaxmofo at 02:26 PM : Nov 30, 2007


Yep. Probably got stiffed for the $50 they were supposed to get from Hillary.

Hillary and her plants...she must be getting a green thumb by now...

[one_american]

Posted by neoconism at 02:29 PM : Nov 30, 2007

Speaking of plants...and IQ...you must be closer to a vegetable.

[hawksprings]

Liberals, get over youselves.

Conservatives would vote for a Conservative woman presidential candidate in a heartbeat.

Someone like Margaret Thatcher, Elizabeth Dole, Condeleeza Rice, Karen Hayes to name just a few.

We DON''T want a bitter, angry, hate-filled liberal flip flopper like Mrs. Clinton.

[smirk5]

Hawksprings sounds bitter, angry and hate-filled.

[omega39-2009]

A man claiming to have a bomb walked in to Hillary Rodham Clinton''s campaign offices Friday and took hostages, police and witnesses said.

So thats what became of lars008

[one_american]

Posted by neoconism at 02:32 PM : Nov 30, 2007

Prove to me that it was a "needless" war.

Prove to me that there is no evidence that Saddam didn''t ship his WMD to Syria.

Prove to me that al Qaeda never existed in Iraq before the war.

Too tall an order for you?

I can show you just how wrong you are, if you think you can.

[dredre2k]

oh boy... looks like we''re seeing the first emergence of nuts from the far right that hate mrs. clinton so much, they''re willing to commit terrorism... something they claim to hate. :-(

Hillary is strong and not easily intimidated, and speaks her mind... and this threatens so many men in this country who have issues with women and themselves. It''s sad. :-S Knock''m dead hillary!

[hawksprings]

Smirk5,
I was smiling when I typed that.

[smirk5]

One_American,

Prove to me that Santa Claus doesn''t exist.

[smirk5]

Hawksprings,

Ok, so you''re a smiling person who''s bitter, angry and hate-filled.

[jshmks]

neconism:

It''s nice you''re talking about "Repulicon''s IQ"

But could you spell it right?

[egge4]

Shouldn''t you liberals be considering this man with the bomb strapped to him a "freedom fighter" like you do the people that strap bombs to themselves in Iraq. He''s just trying to free these Clinton campaign workers from their obvious oppresion, after all.

[hillaryin08]

I guess he must have found out Hillary is not getting us out of Iraq

[gunnerv1]

It''s a ploy to get votes, hired some wino of the street with a promise of free boose (little does he know, the bottel is marked .308 sniper

[shanev137]

It''s Ron Paul....he''s started his Revolution.

[hillaryin08]

Maybe its Michael Moore?

[hawksprings]

Smirk,

OK, now your just projecting Hillary''s anger on to me.

A common trait when one has been abused by liberals.

[hillaryin08]

I guess he must have found out Hillary is not getting us out of Iraq

[pepperp1]

This was a matter of time all the vitriol hate spewed the awful attacks the lies thrown at Senator Clinton were bound to attack the and embolden the loons. Hopefully this ends well. But it is a wake up call for Democrats in general to protect themselves, and their candidates and our democracy from the fringe.

[gunownerdan]

Unfortunately when a politician is as hated and evil as Hitlery Clinton, things like this tend to happen.

[denn034]

No one deserves that not even Hillary.

[smirk5]

Hawksprings,

Keep confirming my theory.

[hillaryin08]

Bet you Bill has something to do with this.......

[PianoTuna]

what a bunch of idiots you all are. This is real & people''s lives are at stake & you make jokes? Stupid, insensitive jerks like yourselves don''t have a clue. What if it were your family member in there? I''m sure they''d be proud of your courageous comments.

[hawksprings]

Maybe it''s one of Bill''s mistress''s husbands?

[hillaryin08]

I guess Osamma found out Hillary is not getting us out of Iraq

[robstrck]

One_American, lets talk ignorance: Avg. IQ of a Republicon 89. Avg. IQ of a liberal: 110. Your posts reflect you are obviously of the Republicon mentality. Id guess that you also support Rudy Giuliani for president. Takes one to know one.

Posted by neoconism

~~~~~~~~~~

Where do you come up with these figures? What is the IQ of an undecided?

[hillaryin08]

Its probably Algore looking for manbearpig

[shanev137]

the guy probably strapped on a bomb when he realized we''re going to have to listen to all this political *** for another year.

[sierra20071]

I hope the people of the US will sit back and let this thing unfold before jumping to conclusions. This sort of thing happens. Regardless of what the outcome, I am proud of the diverse Democratic presidential candidacy pull! I''m sure Hillary will handle this situation with professionalism & compassion. My deepfelt thoughts are with the hostages, their families & Hillary at this time - This is a time for togetherness not hatred & ignorance.

[misands]

Bet it''s some right-wing kook that belongs to some GOP Christian miltia group.

[gunnerv1]

Pianotuna Lighten up this is a blog, you, me or anyone can say whatever they want and whenever they want. I personnaly hate her and everything she stands for!

[jetranger7]

NO -- its Ted Jasinski,, the UNO-BOOMBER !!!

[hillaryin08]

We''ll, she sais she was willing to negotiate with terrorists so she might as well start now......

[lawyertom1]

What a surprise. The nuts are out and about.

[gunnerv1]

frankly 6 RIGHT ON!

[shanev137]

It''s Pat Robertson....wanting to take her out.

[hillaryin08]

Algore....its definately Algore

[gheemaster38]

Okay I dont see it so get ready because here it comes: BUSH DIT IT!!!!! Hmmm! then again we havent heard from Seven_Pesos. could it be him taking hostages???

[hillaryin08]

your right whatever the outcome Bush will get the blame.

Maybe its the Breck Girl John Edwards, he has the motive

[jntlw-2009]

Listen to the sicko neocons who are joyous over this. If it happened to Guiliani or Romney you would be furious. You are inhuman and hypocrits. I am ashamed to share the same planet with slimeballs like you!

[hillaryin08]

Paula Jones Husband!!!! Bill you snake!

[shanev137]

So which country will Bush bomb now because of this?