Jan 9, 2008 6:55 pm US/Eastern
Pundit: Dem Power Players Will Not Abandon Clinton
Clinton Says Obama-Edwards Double-Team N.H. Turning Point
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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Democratic presidential hopeful and New York Senator Hillary Clinton asks for quiet as she celebrates her victory in the state primary 08 January 2008 in Manchester, N.H.
Stan Honda/AFP/Getty Images
There is new life to Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign for president in the wake of her come-from-behind victory in New Hampshire on Tuesday night.
But what happens now?
Barack Obama isn't wasting a minute. The Illinois senator was in Hillary's backyard Wednesday for a rally and a fundraiser.
There was lingering euphoria Wednesday among Clinton's supporters, but the bottom line is there is now no front-runner in the Democratic race. So on Wednesday, the Clinton camp started preparing for a drawn-out war.
In the Midtown office of the Clinton campaign, phone bank volunteers are already at work lobbying New Yorkers.
This is the face of the Democratic presidential race, one day after Clinton's shocking victory over Obama in New Hampshire.
"I found my voice tonight," Clinton said during her victory speech.
The Clintons spent Wednesday afternoon behind closed doors at their Chappaqua home, mapping strategy for the next phase of the race.
The candidate spoke to CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric there. Clinton cited last Saturday's debate as a turning point in New Hampshire.
"I was laughing because, you know, in that debate, obviously, Sen. Edwards and Sen. Obama were, um, kind of in the buddy system, uh, on the stage. And I was thinking, 'well, whoever's up there against the Republican nominee in the election, uh, debates come the fall is not going to have a buddy to fall back on.'"
It was the same pointed tone she employed in the final few days of the campaign. And with the two rivals headed for a long, grueling campaign now, observers predict things will only get nastier.
"The problem is in order to get some people to stop looking at Barack she's gonna have to go a little bit negative," Democratic consultant Basil Smikle told CBS station WCBS-TV in New York City.
The Clinton machine is already focused on what they're calling Super-Duper Tuesday, Feb. 5. That's when 20 states, including New York, go to the polls.
Obama is waging a fierce challenge to Clinton here, but insiders give the former first lady the advantage.
"The institutional Democratic players here in New York will continue to support her," Smikle said. "They have been all this time. They will not go against her to support Barack."
Much depends upon what happens in the next two weeks in Nevada and South Carolina, the next Democratic battlegrounds. Those contests are looming ahead of Super-Duper Tuesday.
And in wake of last night's surprise, few people are willing to predict the outcome.
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