People listen as Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Clinton talks during a campaign stop at Merrimack Valley High School January 5, 2008 in Penacook, New Hampshire. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
by Mike Dorning
PENACOOK, N.H.—Striving to highlight her command of policy issues and perhaps cultivate an image of greater accessibility, Hillary Clinton is reconstructing her campaign style to open herself to lengthy questioning from New Hampshire voters.
At a rally this morning, she jettisoned most of her stump speech and instead opened the floor to questions, devoting more than an hour and a half to answering 22 questions posed by members of the audience.
Reporters who have been following Clinton campaign appearances regularly for the past year said they could not recall the last time the former first lady had allowed such extensive questioning at a rally.
Clinton has developed a reputation for wariness toward unfiltered questioning. Her campaign workers were caught planting questions with an audience in Iowa over the summer, an embarrassing incident was widely publicized.
She did not take any questions at most events during the final days before the Iowa caucuses, although throughout most of the campaign season she followed custom and allowed a short question and answer session at events.
Campaign aides stressed that Clinton would be opening herself to plenty of questions in the three days of campaigning left before the New Hampshire primary.
“The New Hampshire way is to take questions. She wants to take questions from everyone,” said Clinton spokesman Jay Carson. “She has the experience and knowledge to answer questions from everyone.”
So was her more scripted approach in Iowa a mistake?
“We’re in New Hampshire now,” Carson responded. “I’ll let you guys do a post-mortem on past elections.”
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Comments
Here's a question for Hillary: Why are you doing so much to downgrade the first viable black candidate for President in history? For a party that relies so much on the black vote to allow a low-class person like Clinton to try to block our first black candidate with an excellent chance to win says all too much about the Democratic leadership. It's time to tell Hillary to take a hike and for Democrats to walk the talk by getting behind Obama.
Posted by: Deniseg | January 5, 2008 9:45 PM
Why don't more people see through Hillary? She wants to win so much and has changed herself so many times no one including Hillary knows who she is. I am starting to feel sorry for her. We need a leader and Hillary Clinton is not that person. Obama08
Posted by: Ann31 | January 6, 2008 12:35 AM
Why don't more people see through Obama. He's a lightweight that has been made a celebrity in the media. How about understanding the opportunity to have a very smart capable WOMAN as president - that would be a first,too. Hillary, like many smarter and more experienced women in business/politics/whatever, is being undermined by the establishment. Hillary - for real change!
Posted by: lesley Wright | January 6, 2008 1:16 AM
I've never been more embarrassed of the way some Americans (including John Edwards) are acting; like 'hatchet men' against Clinton.
All accusations, tag-teaming, insults are BASELESS - seriously - it's just random litany. Furthermore, to someone think that Hillary Rodham Clinton is 'status quo' is ludicrous...This woman has many 'first' in career and has spent 6 years protecting New Yorkers and American's against Bush!
To all readers, please ignore the 'hillary hater' machine and judge for yourself and judge the experience and power Clinton possesses to change our Country. Thank you.
Posted by: Gavin | January 6, 2008 1:20 AM
I think people are seeing Hillary for what she is: a phony who will say or do anything to get elected. This may have worked in previous elections, but people are getting sick and tired of this partisan politics as usual.
I usually vote Republican, but like many others, Barrack Obama may be the right candidate at the right time. He includes all Americans, of both parties, instead of the paranoid blame game Hillary constantly sticks to (a huge mistake by her machine "geniuses"). Obama is so refreshing and a natural leader.
I wish Hillary did not run, as I respect her, but she is just over her head; she is not presidential material.
Posted by: Josie | January 6, 2008 1:34 AM
Since when do vote because the candidate is black, Deniseg? We should vote because the candidate is right, regardless of the color of their skin. We don't back down from scrutinizing a candidate for the most powerful office in the world because he's the first viable black candidate.
Posted by: Hillary Supporter | January 6, 2008 5:33 AM
As someone who originally supported Hillary Clinton, the more I saw her, the less I liked her. She has had more changeovers than Brittany Spears and thinks the world is out to get her (Hillary, look up a famous quote by Harry Truman, if you do not like the heat- but I warn you, you may not like it because it refers to a "kitchen").
Obama stands out well above everyone else as a true leader, although I also found Biden the best qualified.
My decision is made. Obama is like another JFK.
Posted by: Jo | January 6, 2008 9:50 AM
Hillary's total public service is 6 years in the Senate, giving her much less experience than most of her opponents. Bill Richardson has far above anyone the years and diversity of service, including executive, he's my pick. But I can't discount Obama's ablity to get out new voters, just what this country needs. Why would anyone give Hillary or John Edwards more than a passing glance for the most important position in our country?
Posted by: Al Munden | January 6, 2008 1:47 PM
Hilary and the rest have to be careful or they will be accused on picking on Obama because he is black, not for issues. Too many liberals, I can be included, are happy to see him running, but voting because he is black is wrong, too.
Posted by: reza santorini | January 6, 2008 2:34 PM
Not only did Hillary Clinton oppose the passage of the Civil Rights Act, for which Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his life (as a Goldwater Girl, Hillary was against Lyndon B. Johnson, the president she currently credits for Dr. King getting to the mountaintop), to make matters worse, New York Senator, Clinton was the first 2008 presidential hopeful to invoke 9-11 during her loosely paraphrased speech, taken straight from the base of the Statue of Liberty, on Super Tuesday.
“Help Make History! Paid for by Hillary Clinton for President.” It’s as if Hillary Clinton never even visited the White House from 1992 to 2000. Hillary's current incantation of the events of 9-11 seems only to parallel that of her Civil Rights stance(s). Now Hillary has loaned herself 5 million dollars, of which she only asks 3 million from you in return, in three days. But I remember Hillary’s last invitation to help make history; the call came in California in 1995, and we’re still paying the price: http://theseedsof9-11.com
Hillary Clinton: always trying to feather her nest, always on the wrong side of history.
Posted by: Peggy McGilligan | February 7, 2008 12:27 AM