Sparks Fly In New Hampshire

Democratic And Republican Rivals Trade Jabs As Campaign Moves East

(CBS/AP)  Barack Obama's, an Iowa winner seeking New Hampshire spoils, faced stepped-up criticism Friday from Democratic rivals now doubly determined to block his rise in the 2008 presidential race. Republican Mike Huckabee claimed momentum for a hurried five-day primary campaign.

"This feels good," Obama told cheering supporters after a dark-of-night flight from Iowa, where he trumped John Edwards and Hillary Rodham Clinton in caucuses that provided the first test of the race.

Click here for complete Iowa results.

He said he had no plans to revise a winning campaign, but the same wasn't so for his rivals after an Iowa campaign almost entirely free of harsh criticism.

"The last thing Democrats need is to move quickly through this process ... without taking a hard look at all of this," Clinton said as she arrived in New Hampshire. She said of Obama, the first-term Illinois senator, "It's hard to know exactly where he stands, and people need to ask that."

The former first lady is counting on New Hampshire's famously contrarian electorate to give her a chance and to subject Obama to more thorough scrutiny in than he received in Iowa, reports CBS News correspondent Dean Reynolds.

Clinton, the New York senator and former first lady, wound up third in Iowa, and second-place Edwards quickly sought to show her to the sidelines and portray the Democratic race as one between Obama and him.

"Senator Obama has a more philosophical approach, but we're going to give voters in Mew Hampshire a very clear choice between the two candidates who are change candidates," Edwards said on The Early Show.

"They want to have an election, and they want -- they like to shake things up," Edwards added. "I'll fight with everything I've got up here."

"For all the positivity of their victory speeches, Obama, Huckabee and other hopefuls should prepare for negative attacks during the truncated New Hampshire campaign," CBSNews.com senior political editor Vaughn Ververs said.

"If your campaign has suffered a decisive loss and a near must-win contest looming in a matter of days, how should you respond? The lesson plan from campaign 101 class freshman year says the answer is clear - go negative," Ververs said. "Barack Obama, John McCain and, to a lesser extent Mike Huckabee, should expect their opponents to increasingly seek to talk about the 'real differences' between them." (Read more from Ververs in Horserace.)

If the Democratic race appeared ready to turn in a more confrontational direction, the same thing was already under way among Republicans.

"It will be a different race here," vowed former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, defeated by Huckabee's low-budget campaign in Iowa and now confronting a challenge from Arizona Sen. John McCain in the New Hampshire primary.

A compressed calendar gave Iowa's losers only five days to readjust.

Back-to-back debates on Saturday night guarantee the candidates free television exposure. But there is little time for them to replenish their treasuries, conduct fresh polling to guide strategic decisions or air new television commercials crafted to sway large numbers of voters - or to dissipate the momentum that Iowa often bestows on caucus winners.

Obama told supporters that if they follow Iowa's lead, "I truly believe that I will be the next president of the United States." As he well knew, New Hampshire frequently does not follow Iowa's lead.

Further complicating the race was the presence of a large bloc of independent voters in New Hampshire.

McCain benefited from their support in 2000 when he won the state's primary, and he is appealing to the same group to vote for him this year.

On the other hand, Obama profited handsomely in Iowa from the presence of thousands of independents who flocked to the Democratic caucuses, and he no sooner arrived in New Hampshire than he was mimicking McCain's appeal. "We need someone who exercises straight talk instead of spin," he said, a play on McCain's penchant for telling voters he'll give them "a little straight talk" even though they may disagree with what he tells them.

[bhappy2-2]

What we need is a candidate that supports AMERICA. We have had plenty of politicians who support ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADERS. We need to start DEPORTING ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADERS and HEAVILY FINE those who support ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADERS. We MUST SECURE OUR BORDERS and rid OUR COUNTRY of these parasitic ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADERS. If our politicians refuse to do so WE, THE CITIZENS OF AMERICA, need to REPLACE the treasonous politicians with ones who SUPPORT AMERICA. Failure to act now could result in The United States of America becoming North Mexico. They have an army here already, they only need to arm them. Those who claim "they don''''t want to take over" need to look around, see the way they have ALREADY TAKEN OVER our jobs.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! GET RID OF THESE ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADERS, NOW!

[aldee41]

The next President will be a Democrat.
Chose wisely. Chose Richardson.

[starleo146]

Element51 at 07:00 PM : Jan 05, 2008
+ report abuse

Element51 I feel you should just by-pass these people who you can tell there bias is profound and it will do no good at all, keep your principles for they far out weigh anything they can say. In the end what you are saying will prove to come out as the truth so feel good about that I love your post everytime.

[element51]

mrmazerati...Good idea. As you can see pelosistilho thinks i''m a Bozo, among other things. I guess I was just to hard on him/her. Hope I didn''t offend you too. It''s not my intention to make folks mad, just want to discus issues and get new ideas. Oh yes, I''ll vote for Obama if he gets the nomination or Edwards or Hillary or Richardson or....you get the idea.

[element51]

dougandslug...That''s some funny ***** man. Thanks. I needed a good laugh after my exchange with pelosistilho. She don''t like me very much. And about those indian casinos...I have to stay away cause I always leave when I should LEAVE. I''m glad they can have the casinos after what has been done to them over the last 200 years. I know the proceeds go to help give them a better life and that''s a good thing.

[mrmazerati]

I just sent this link to three relatives, who were just as horrified as I was. They have promised to vote for Obama is nominated. They have also promised to send this link to three more friends, who are sure to do the same. So, including my vote, you have just succeeded in getting 13 more votes for Obama with your hateful dialogue. That number is actually likely to grow a lot more as those people send the link to their friends. Keep spewing the filth, I''ll keep forwarding the link. I would also exhort everyone else who reads this and is just as disgusted to do the same. I figure that''s thousands of people. So now you''ve singlehandedly created thousands of new votes for the man you hate. How does it feel?

[element51]

Pslosistilho...Now calm down friend. I have not attacked you. You are making assumptions about me that are so completely off base it makes me chuckle. Why do you assume that I am an Obama supporter? You don''t know that do you? And I''m not a Bozo. In fact, I''ve never even been to a circus. I''m just an old man, a retired high school history teacher, who has seen a lot of life and have always tried to be respectful of my fellow man. That includes you. I hope the best for you in your life. Believe me when I tell you it is short and you need to get as much happiness as you can along the way.

[element51]

Pelosistilho...You may be right. I may not be good enough to shine your boots. But I will say that I am not filled with hate. As odd as it may be, I agree with you about the plight of the Native Americans. It is disgraceful that they have been treated as they have. In fact, it makes me sick. I live in an area where there are reservations and I have for years done what I could to help those people. And I will continue to do so. I do not think that it was only democrats that turned their backs on the Indians, it was both parties. Look at what Jack Abramhof did to the Tigua tribe. If you don''t know about that I suggest you research it. You really don''t need to attack me..I''m no threat to you. Please try to relax a little. Don''t make yourself sick...it''s only politics.

[element51]

Jack3213...Simpleton democrats...evil dems...marxist pigs...Wow, looks like you don''t care much for democrats. Well, I look at what your boy bush has done in the last 7 years and it turns my stomach. His administration has done more to destroy this country than any democrat ever dreamed of. He has betrayed our trust, lied to us over and over, and brought us to the brink of financial ruin. But, even given all this I will not stoop to the low that you do in your post. Your post is vile and disgusting but I do not think that all republicans are bad people. There are many republicans that I admire who are good honest people. You and pelosistilho should get together as you are two of a kind.

[pelosistilho]

Element51,

Go bawl in a towel for all I care. You don''t know me and you don''t know a *** thing about Civil Rights. It''s not about calling the best President in our History a Racist or some "white guilt trip". But if you insist, please go work on a Rez where people who never rioted, who never engaged in drive-bys, who never exhorted "No Justice, No Peace" often live squalid short lives with no electricity or running water - and by the way, its been the oh-so-benevolent Dems who are most silent about their plight.

I don''t like Obama because he is a PHONEY. Period. I will not regurgitate the reasons but he even makes Hillary, a political ''ho and cuckolded shrew if ever there was look good. He''s beholden to Islamofascism and to MoveOn.Org

You wish to answer those charges, then go ahead, but please don''t throw your dirty toilet paper with the word "racist" at me, because frankly, you''re probably not even fit to shine my boots.

[element51]

Pelosistilho....Boy, you are a nasty little fellow. Just about the time I start to think that we are making some headway against racism someone like you comes along and blows it all to he;l. My God, it''s ok if you hate Obama and the democrats but is it really necessary to resort to the name calling and insults? It''s no wonder that black people feel the way they do. You embarass me and you embarass yourself with that kind of sad rhetoric. I really feel sorry for you. It would be sad to have to go through life with the hatred you carry.

[pelosistilho]

No, Boy Obama isn''t going to name Jesse or Al or even that shrew Oprah as his Vice President.

Why should he when he''s always been beholden to the Hitlerjugend of MoveOn.Org''s favorite - the old white-sheeted bigoted fossil himself, the Grand Kleagle of West Virginia, Robert C. Byrd (KKK-D/W.Virginia).

All of the brave dead who were callously murdered at Fort Pillow are turning over in their graves at this moment.

[pelosistilho]

mrmazerti,

you were going to vote for him anyway - and you are probably as much as a RACIST as he is!

I''m watching the REAL Barack Boy Obama on tv right now, Steppin'' Fetchit - except that Steppin'' had honor and dignity - a guy who calls Lincoln a Racist and is a coward on the war on terror doesn''t.

Go and be a rich brain dead Left Fascist Bozo, Mazerti - and throw away your Britney Spears vote.

[weezee4bill]

GET OUT OF IRAQ, SPEND OUR AMERICAN $$$$ ON
EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE, CREATING NEW JOBS FOR A STRONGER & SAFER AMERICA.
VOTE BILL RICHARDSON FOR PRESIDENT.

[neobrian-2009]

Do It For " The Right Reasons"
You Brainless Shrubbie Zombies should all go back to Faux news.You`ll be welcomed there,Not Here.Your bigotry,racism and vulgar comments show your party`s platform clearly.Maybe your type will be declared to be ''Terrorist Organizations''.Then,You`ll be entitled to the treatment you fairly deserve.

[weezee4bill]

This is not a rascist question, just a question.
Obama''s V.P.??? Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson??
Maybe Oprah?? It is up to you now, New Hampshire.
Stay tuned America!

[mrmazerati]

Well, I wasn''t going to vote for Obama, but reading all the racist c.r.a.p. on this comment section has changed my mind. If he''s nominated, I will vote for him.

[candide777]

Besides- if you want change for the better- the thing to do is get rid of the god damned marxist pigs pretending to be americans calling themselves democrats. They have not been cleansed out of washington once since 1940. THAT would be a change that would improve all our lives, and all of USA.
Posted by Jack3213 at 06:14 PM : Jan 05, 2008

Praise the lord! Finally, the voice of reason speaks up! Republicans have been so fiscally responsible! Why would anyone vote for a democrat?! LOL! And evil? No sir, republicans send poor farm boys off to die so that their corporations can get rich off the war. Why that''s the american way, right? Nothing evil about sending poor people off to fight your wars, is there? Telling them how patriotic they are, giving their condolences to their families who bury their kids while republicans shovel the money into their vaults. Jack -- you are a pathetic joke!

[jack3213]

The poor simpleton democrats think that change- any change- for the sake of change- is even remotely congruous to improvement of a situation. You don''t revolt except against evil which precludes by definition even allowing the evil dems to propose change. See, just like with drugs, booze and toxic waste, there is absolutely NO problem for which the answer is a democrat!! Besides- if you want change for the better- the thing to do is get rid of the god damned marxist pigs pretending to be americans calling themselves democrats. They have not been cleansed out of washington once since 1940. THAT would be a change that would improve all our lives, and all of USA.

[pelosistilho]

Yes, Boy Obama DOES have something to say.

It is:

MORE TAXES, FOR YOU RICH IDIOT LIBERALS TO PAY.

MORE ILLEGAL ALIENS TO MAKE A JOKE OF U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND TO TAKE AWAY AMERICAN JOBS.

MORE APPEASEMENT OF TERRORISTS, INCLUDING OPEN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE HITLERS OF OUR TIME. BUT THAT''S SOMETHING YOU BRAIN DEAD LEFT FASCISTS SO PREOCCUPIED WITH BRITNEY SPEARS CAN''T FIGURE OUT IN A MILLION YEARS.

Obama is a guy who called Abraham Lincoln a "Racist" yet this ignorant darkie doesn''t mind sitting down and having dinner with Robert C. Byrd, a guy who''d gladly lynch Obama 30, 40 years ago if not sooner. If Obama was alive at the time of Lincoln or Frederick Douglass, he''d take freedom over slavery, the massa''s watermelon patch and peace over war that would free him.

Don''t like that, bozos - then get a reality check. Don''t need ebonics to figure that out.