"I have never seen as big a crowd as this, this early in the primary season," said a principal of the Dewey Square Group, a lobbying and communications firm, Charles Campion. Mr. Campion, a former aide to Governor Dukakis of Massachusetts, has seen his share of primary fights in New Hampshire. Mr. Campion said he is currently supporting Senator Kerry.
Quite a Challenge Set For Clinton at an Obama Rally
By SETH GITELL
Special to the Sun
December 11, 2006
MANCHESTER, N.H. — Senator Clinton can expect a significant challenge in the 2008 presidential primary here if Senator Obama decides to launch his own campaign.
That was the indication from Mr. Obama's appearance here yesterday, when he brought a crowd of 1,500 Democratic activists at the Armory Convention Center to their feet.
Mr. Obama did not criticize Mrs. Clinton directly. But he offered language — "something different," "something new," "America is ready to turn the page" — that at least some in the audience understood as drawing a distinction between the two Democratic senators, one from New York, and one from Illinois.
Mr. Obama invoked his pastor, as well as virtue, energy independence, and democratic engagement — with a notable small d.
"I actually think that the reason I'm getting so much attention right now is that I've become short-hand … for a spirit that the last election we went through represented," Mr. Obama said. "We are looking for something different. We are looking for something new. We are going to re-engage in our democracy in a way we haven't done in a long time. We are going to take control of our collective lives together."
Mr. Obama largely avoided talk of his potential opponents in a 2008 New Hampshire race, but his touchy-feely, nonconfrontational rhetoric, in and of itself, sent a powerful message to Democrats. He will not give them the robotic, scripted sound-bites of his most serious opponent, Mrs. Clinton. He will campaign as a celebrity-prophet, brandishing his two memoirs and a biography heavy on community organizing. His 2008 effort is shaping up as the perfected form of the campaign Senator Bradley of New Jersey attempted to run in 2000 and Governor Dean attempted with more success in 2004.
The speech to the large and energetic crowd was more than an opportunity to appear on local New Hampshire television. Mr. Obama also drew a press contingent of a size more often seen in the few months before the primary election, not more than a year prior. About 150 print and television reporters were on hand, including such national political bigfoots as Adam Nagourney of the New York Times and Jonathan Alter of Newsweek.
Many of the non-reporters in the crowd were the kind of volunteers and organizers that form the backbone of a primary field organization. An operative filled a legal pad with the contact information of enthusiastic attendees who lined a rope line following the event waiting for a chance to meet Mr. Obama. Such a list is a treasure trove for a candidate trying to build an organization.
The mood surrounding a run by Mr. Obama is rapidly approaching that of hysteria. If he jumps into the race and Senator Clinton goes ahead with a presidential run, the contest in New Hampshire could rapidly become a two-candidate race.
The more Mr. Obama says in his nonpartisan, inoffensive, some would say "inspiring," way, things such as "America is ready to turn the page…This is our time…A new generation is preparing to lead," as he did last night, the more he is saying, in effect, listen to me, I'm not Senator Clinton.
That's, at least, how many attendees heard it. They responded to his new-sounding language.
"It was inclusive. He talked about America, not party," said John Decker of Stratham, N.H., as he waited along a rope-line for Mr. Obama to approach. Asked to compare Mr. Obama with Mrs. Clinton, he said, "he has much more charm and panache. He has all the things Hillary's husband has."
Continued
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