New Hampshire Nail-Biter

January 4, 2008

Everybody can now forget Iowa or at least Hillary Clinton hopes that you will. Even Bubba couldn’t bring her a victory, but now it’s on to a totally different environment. And while the Huckster won the vote with the evangelical religious gang supporting him, the lay of the land isn’t all that inviting in New Hampshire. Mitt Romney needs a win as does Hillary in New Hampshire- or there may be no nails to bite come South Carolina time.

New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation primary is set for next Tuesday, and the campaign quickly accelerates into a rush of contests culminating in more than two dozen on Feb. 5; however, New Hampshire could send some campaigns over the cliff. In fact the stop Romney bandwagon has become a legal issue with the anti-Mormon push polls. The New Hampshire attorney general’s office said Thursday it doesn’t expect to identify those responsible for anti-Mormon phone calls that have targeted presidential hopeful Mitt Romney and his faith.

There’s only 24 delegates at stake here, but the publicity is great!

Most polls have John McCain up by about 3 points over Mitt Romney but that’s within the margain or error. Is there any wonder McCain is leading? While Romney is in Iowa, John has been spending the last week in New Hampshire. John McCain completed a six-day barnstorming tour Wednesday, feeling “exuberant” at his surging candidacy, but not predicting victory in New Hampshire’s primary.

The primary is next Tuesday, Feb. 8th.

Sen. Joe Lieberman, of Connecticut, came back to campaign for McCain as well, two weeks after endorsing him. The Democrat-turned-independent senator said losing his party’s nomination in September 2006 liberated him to choose the best candidate of either party. And then there’s Michael Bloomberg. If right-wing, religious Huckabee wins in New Hampshire and gains momentum, Michael will be more convinced America needs his thrid party candidacy.

On the Democratic side it’s going to be another three-way nail-biter unless the Iowa win by Obama helps vault him higher now. Who knows how New Hampshire will see Iowa if at all!

Michigan’s primary is next-Jan. 15, which is followed by South Carolina Jan. 19. So, there’s lot’s of places to go but the real nail-biter now is New Hampshire. I wonder how fast the plane with politicians gets out of Iowa? Can you say as fast as possible? Iowa no longer matters!

Written by Ernie · Filed Under Daily Commentary