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DEL.ICIO.USThe overlooked McCain-Obama race in New Hampshire
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
We just got off the phone with James Sibold, chairman of DeKalb County Republicans, who has been working in New Hampshire this past week for Republican candidate John McCain.
Sibold desperately wants to hear McCain, whose campaign has enjoyed a revival of sorts since last summer, declare victory tonight at his Nashua, N.H., hotel.
“It’s really do or die for us right now,” he said.
But after talking to scores of independent voters on behalf of McCain, Sibold said he’s concluded that McCain isn’t just fighting fellow Republican Mitt Romney for the nation’s first primary votes.
Young independent voters are turning out in droves this year and Sibold, who talked with many of them on McCain’s behalf, said those voters don’t necessarily see today’s primary as a contest between McCain and Romney.
“Independents who haven’t made up their mind yet are saying they’re trying to decide between McCain or (Democrat Barack) Obama,” Sibold said.
New Hampshire independents carried McCain to victory over George W. Bush in 2000, but their ranks have swollen this year primarily because they’ve been energized by Obama’s campaign.
“It’s going to be a much tighter race than it was in 2000,” Sibold conceded.
Comments
By James Mecham
January 8, 2008 7:11 PM | Link to this
McCain cannot offer inspiration. He performed terribly in the debates. Romney was fresh and has experience as an expert innovator and improver. Obama has this freshness. That is why McCain may lose a lot of the vote.
By Galoco_lee
January 8, 2008 8:20 PM | Link to this
McCain will never get the GOP nomination. He couldn’t stop illegals flooding his home state muchless stop a muslim.
By Churchill
January 8, 2008 8:50 PM | Link to this
We regular, republicans need not be looking for trouble right now. Our race begins in a couple a weeks. Let the dems get all hot and bothered. For some reason they have to decide early. Fine. We do not.
By Craig
January 8, 2008 9:16 PM | Link to this
I wondered how long it would take for the Repub smear machine to show up, Lee, and you didn’t disappoint.
By jason
January 8, 2008 9:57 PM | Link to this
Well where are all the Hillary Clinton haters? Surprising that no one has anything to say about her lead tonite! LMAO!!!!! GO HILLARY! HILLARY 08! HILLARY 08! HILLARY 08!
By Barzia Tehrani
January 9, 2008 12:40 AM | Link to this
I think this is only true in a sense that many independent like both McCain and Obama. However, I think polls had a major effect in this election. In fact, polls were not wrong when they were taken, rather polls made the change. What happened in new Hampshire:
Many independent who like both Obama and McCain decided that Obama will win NH anyway (impression given by the polls), therefore they Rush to the republican primary to help McCain who had more chance of loosing and needed more help from independent. That, whoever, didn’t play well as “too many” independent went on helping McCain leaving Obama short of enough votes to win NH.