Exit polls: Women push Clinton to New Hampshire win

[DeepModem Mom]

Source: CNN

MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (CNN) -- Women pushed Hillary Clinton to victory in New Hampshire's Democratic primary while independent voters pushed Arizona Sen. John McCain to the top spot among Republicans, exit polls show. Women, who accounted for 57 percent of those who voted in the Democratic primary, went for Clinton 47 percent to 34 percent for the second-place finisher, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama; men conversely tilted to Obama, 42 percent to 30 percent.

Clinton also held ground among registered Democrats, topping Obama 45 percent to 33 percent, while Obama grabbed more independents voting in the Democratic primary, 41 percent to 34 percent.

While Clinton edged Obama by 3 percentage points among the 17 percent of voters who decided their votes on the last day, she was helped more by those who stuck with her over the course of the campaign. Thirty-four percent of voters said they hadn't changed their minds in the past month; Clinton topped Obama 48 percent to 31 percent among that group.

Meanwhile, exit polls showed 37 percent of those who cast a Republican ballot Tuesday identified themselves as independents, and McCain got the votes of 39 percent of them, compared with 27 percent for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who finished second Tuesday. Romney and McCain were almost even among those who identified themselves as Republicans, with 33 and 34 percent, respectively. I-Reporter Bob Sinkiewicz, an independent, said he was tempted to cast a Democratic ballot for Obama, but was swayed by McCain's experience and consistent message....

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/01/08/nh.issues/index....

[Birthmark]

1. Yup.

Again, the media playing the crying game gave Hillary NH.

[ClintonTyree]

4. Did you read the article?

....."she was helped more by those who stuck with her over the course of the campaign. Thirty-four percent of voters said they hadn't changed their minds in the past month; Clinton topped Obama 48 percent to 31 percent among that group".

A 17% gap there is what put her over the top. I'm a little sick of the whiners who say the media played up Hillary's supposed "break-down" and that's the ONLY reason she won. Sounds like sour grapes to me. She had a loyal base in New Hampshire and HELD IT. Obama did not.

[9119495]

5. Agreed that things were never that bleak here...

but I think exit polls can mislead on the question you mention. I think people don't want to seem fickle when polled so they say, "no, I knew who I was going to vote for a month ago." I do however think she had a loyal base in New Hampshire as you point out. I just think people wavered and came back late.

[Maribelle]

6. Exactly!

She held her base in New Hampshire, which was always rock solid.

[LostinVA]

8. *yawn*

[rAVES]

2. When the margins are so small, youve got to give Obama that .4 or .5% :p

[aquart]

3. Why?

[jasmine621]

7. I really think it's time to put a woman in the WH. Hillary would not be

my choice but I can still hold my nose and vote for her. Since we have a history with the men at the top, why not give it a shot. Now, I realize, what I am about to post does not apply ALL women and that some women can be more unforgiving, racist, and homophobic than a lot of men but I still maintain that there is a difference that needs to be given a chance.

It has always puzzled me as to why a lot of gays give women so much grief. I think a woman would really be great on the gay issues...why? Because they are mothers and grandmothers of gays with feelings different than the fathers and grandfathers of gays.

Same thing is true about war, the environment, the economy. Women have a different understanding and feeling about these issues. AND if they can operate without the control of their husbands, fathers, brothers etc., they could make a big difference.

[bigworld]

10. Welcome, but I disgree!

Welcome to DU Jasmine!!!

But women don't by their very nature feel differently about the environment, about gays, about whatever. Women today have progressed so that they can be as right wing and unfeeling and nasty as many men. (see: Ann Coulter, Lynne Cheney).

Most people on this board don't dislike Hill because of what gender she is, but rather of who she is as a person.

[focusfan]

9. I'm sorry but i think anyone that would vote for Hillary or John McCain

would have to be insane she has took money from lobbyist and
the religion right and John McCain has said the U.S.will not
pull out of iraq if he is president plus he is a Bush lover.