NASHUA, N.H. — Supporters of presidential hopeful Barack Obama who gathered in a school gymnasium to celebrate on Tuesday what they believed would be victory in the New Hampshire Democratic primary experienced a rollercoaster ride of conflicting emotions.
Many arrived with memories of a rousing victory speech Obama delivered after he defeated Sen. Hillary Clinton at Iowa’s caucuses last week to make him the frontrunner in the race for the Democratic nomination to succeed U.S. President George W. Bush.
They said they hoped for a speech that equalled or even exceeded the Iowa one in passion and drama. But events intervened. Cheers as results started to appear on a giant TV screen in the hall turned to gasps of dismay as they showed a small but persistent lead for Clinton.
One woman held her hand to her forehead in a gesture of disbelief. “We can still win,” shouted one man, throwing his hands in the air as commentators said the race was still too close to call. Few followed his lead. 
When Obama finally appeared on stage to concede defeat, he gave what journalists who cover him said was one of his best speeches, rousing supporters and weaving the result into the narrative of his candidacy as well as the road ahead.
“We know the battle ahead will be long. But always remember that no matter what obstacles stand in our way, nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices calling for change,” he said.
He concluded by reciting a list of some of the times in U.S. history when people had faced adversity and repeated a simple phrase to inspire them.
“When we’ve been told that we’re not ready or we shouldn’t try or that we can’t, generations of Americans have responded with a simple creed that sums up the spirit of a people: yes we can. Yes we can. Yes we can.”
The audience roared the phrase back to him.
The speech had its effect on supporters including graphic design student Jennifer Vivier, 21, who cheered wildly: “It’s like we didn’t lose. It makes you feel like ‘don’t give up. There’s still hope,’” she said.
Many said they were inspired and only one thing could have improved their evening: victory.
Click here for more Reuters 2008 campaign coverage.
– Photo credit: Reuters/Jim Young
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Hillary Clinton Makes History
First Woman to Win New Hampshire Primary
Statement of NOW PAC Chair Kim Gandy
Tonight Senator Hillary Clinton defied the media pundit machine and made history as the first woman to win the New Hampshire Democratic primary for U.S. president.
The women of New Hampshire turned out in large numbers, and their votes helped Senator Clinton break another glass ceiling. NOW PAC is proud to be a part of this history-making campaign. We were one of the first organizations to endorse Clinton because we believe she is the best candidate to move our country forward, and New Hampshire Democrats agreed.
The United States needs strong, experienced and principled leadership to restore faith in our government and repair its credibility at home and abroad, and to end the destructive policies that have eroded women’s rights and civil liberties and increased injustice and inequality in our society.
Senator Clinton is just such a leader. She has a long history of support for women’s empowerment, and her public record is a testimony to her leadership on issues important to women in the U.S. and around the globe. She has eloquently articulated the need for full economic, political and social equality for women in every institution of society, taking action throughout her career - as a lawyer, community leader, First Lady, Senator and candidate for the presidency - to advance the civil and human rights of women and girls.
NOW leaders and activists volunteered in both Iowa and New Hampshire, giving their time and energy to turn out the women’s vote for Hillary Clinton. In her victory speech tonight, Senator Clinton said “We are in it for the long run.” Yes we are.
- Posted by Sheri JacksonCLINTON MAKES HISTORY! FIRST WOMAN TO WIN Presidential Primary election. Sen. Hillary Clinton was down in the polls, written off by the pundit But those contrarian New Hampshire voters did it again. Listen to experience, swooned over rhetoric of Sen. Barack Obama and decided Cinton is the best candidate for President. Analysis: Obama Front-Runner Label Brief
- Posted by Jack(AP) — Barack Obama didn’t even have time to get used to being the front-runner before he was the underdog again. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s unanticipated victory Tuesday night in New Hampshire evened up the Democratic presidential campaign. We are in it for the long run,” Clinton said in her victory speech.
Barack Hussein Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Barack Hussein Obama, Sr., a black MUSLIM from Nyangoma-Kogel, Kenya and Ann Dunham, a white Athiest from Wichita, Kansas.
- Posted by bayouriderObama’s parents met at the University of Hawaii. When Obama was two years old, his parents divorced. His father returned to Kenya. His
mother then married Lolo Soetoro, a RADICAL Muslim from Indonesia. When Obama was 6 years old, the family relocated to Indonesia. Obama
attended a MUSLIM school in Jakarta. He also spent two years in a Catholic school. Obama takes great care to conceal the fact that he is a Muslim. He is quick to point out that, “He was once a Muslim, but that he also attended Catholic school.” Obama’s political handlers are attempting to make it appear that that he is not a radical. Obama’s introduction to Islam came via his father, and that this influence was temporary at best. In reality, the senior Obama returned to Kenya soon after the divorce, and never again had any direct influence over his son’s education. Lolo Soetoro, the second husband of Obama’s mother, Ann Dunham,
introduced his stepson to Islam. Obama was enrolled in a Wahabi school in Jakarta. Wahabism is the RADICAL ISLAMIC teaching that is followed by the Muslim terrorists who are now waging Jihad against the western world. Since
it is politically expedient to be a CHRISTIAN when seeking major public office in the United States, Barack Hussein Obama has joined the United Church of Christ in an attempt to downplay his Muslim background. ALSO, keep in mind that when he was sworn into office he
DID NOT use the Holy Bible, but instead the Koran. Barack Hussein Obama will NOT recite the Pledge of Allegience nor will he show any reverence for our flag. While others place their hands over their hearts, Obama turns his back to the flag and slouches. Let us all remain alert concerning Obama’s expected presidential
candidacy. The Muslims have said they plan on destroying the US from the inside out, what better way to start than at the highest level - through the President of the United States, one of their own!!!!
What is the deal with the RADICAL ISLAMIC crap. I live in Chicago and we have known of this guy for a while and he never said or did anything to make anyone think he was Muslim.
Let’s go Obama. New Hampshire was one tear away from a knockout so lets be resilient.
- Posted by SamGot any reliable references for those claims? Several reputable sources have flatly contradicted the claim that Obama was sworn in on the Koran. For example, see:
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/ statements/238/
Claims that he was indoctranated in radical Islam, or that he follows Islam are highly suspect as well. See:
- Posted by amyhttp://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/mus lim.asp
I’m sick of the way the media displays their biases when reporting on the campaign. Hillary dusts Bill off and rolls him out to make a plea for another term through Hillary. It was clear that he was very upset that Obama was crushing Hillary , and he calls it a fairy tale. She’s not capable of winning the nomination on her own record. She’s obviously not too inteligent since she attacks Obama on inexperience, I guess she got her experience from osmosis for the eight years Bill was in office, then again, she’s pitching to some of the crowd that voted Bush into office so they’ll be good for a couple of bottles of snake oil.M y first reaction to hr sudden and unexpected victory was that she found the machines that Bush used against Gore, but she’ll fade like a puff of smoke.
- Posted by Ron StephensonWhat comeback?
Clinton won by 2 percentage points to a complete underdog after losing on the first try. Typical media circus trying to make something out of nothing. Clinton was busing supporters in from other states to fill the crowds, gee the media forgot to mention that.
Unfortunately General Hillary feels she deserves the Presidency, God help this country if she gets elected.
- Posted by GDBMs Clinton’s emotions may indeed have been genuine, yesterday, but this is not how a political process should work. Votes should not be garnered by sympathy, but rather by substance.
For the same reason that Bush found support with his cowboy swagger and his “I’m a guy’s guy” cockiness, Clinton–whether consciously or inadvertently–has achieved the same in New Hampshire.
Her positions on the issues REMAIN UNCHANGED. Doubtless, Obama has no less conviction, and he is still the only true agent of change with the necessary focus on creating a unity of purpose among Americans.
- Posted by EmlynIf SEXIST Nepotism gets Hillary nominated I’m voting against the Democrats for the first time ever.
America is a Democracy = Not a Monarchy
- Posted by PulSamsaraAlthough Senator Obama narrowly lost the popular vote in New Hampshire, he tied Senator Clinton in terms of delegates won.
Unlike Iowa, New Hampshire isn’t a “winner take all” state, and both Senators were awarded 9 delegates. While the popular vote matters in the sense of expressing the popularity of the candidates who ran in New Hampshire, the only number that REALLY counts toward gaining the party’s nomination is the number of delegates won, and in those terms Senators Clinton and Obama tied.
- Posted by AlanMore proof Obama is not ready to lead this great country! NH debate showed a side of Barack Obama not seen before and it wasn’t pretty especially Asked in the Saturday Democratic debate about her dearth of “likability,” Clinton offered an answer both artful and sweet — first, demurely saying her feelings were hurt and mock-heroically adding that she would try to carry on regardless, then generously conceding that Obama is very likable and “I don’t think I’m that bad, At which point, Obama, You’re likable enough, Hillary.” He said it looking down and with not a smile but a smirk people didn’t like it and since have started to look closer at obama.
Obama has been getting the media free pass, freest of all passes general neglect of the obvious central contradiction of his candidacy — the bipartisan uniter who would bring us together by transcending ideology is at every turn on every policy. Obama doesn’t even offer a modest deviation from orthodoxy. When the Gang of 14, seven Republican and seven Democratic senators, agreed to restore order and a modicum of bipartisanship to the judicial selection process, Obama refused to join lest he anger the liberal base.
Special interests? Obama is a champion of the Davis-Bacon Act, an egregious gift to Big Labor that makes every federal public-works project more costly. He not only vows to defend it, but proposes extending it to artificially raise wages for any guest worker program.
On Iraq, of course he denigrates the surge. That’s required of Democratic candidates. But he further claims that the Sunnis turned against al-Qaeda and joined us — get this — because of the Democratic victory in the 2006 midterm elections.
Obama has yet to have it pointed out to him by a mainstream interviewer that the Anbar Salvation Council was founded by Sheik Abdul Sattar Abu Risha two months earlier. Obama has yet to be asked why any Sunni would choose to join up with the American invaders at precisely the time when Democrats would have them leaving — and be left like the pro-American Vietnamese or the pro-French Algerians to be hunted and killed when their patrons were gone. That’s suicide. The New Hampshire surprise has at least temporarily broken the spell. Maybe now someone will lift the curtain and subject our newest man from hope to the scrutiny that every candidate deserves.
“Mr. Obama has failed to rise to leadership on a single major issue in the Senate,” he had a habit of ducking major issues, voting ‘present’ on bills important to many Democratic interest groups, like abortion-rights and gun-control advocates. Obama is calculating ,For someone who talks about a new, positive style of politics and pledges to be true to his word, Mr. Obama too often practices the old style of politics, saying one thing and doing another.
- Posted by MarkWe need to get the word out and expose this man.
- Posted by E Howard BaileyGoogle “Freedom’s enemies, Barack Hussein Obama”, by Beckwith for the true, amazing facts of this man’s life- with links to back it all up.
(mostly from his own books)