N.H. voters hear competing Democratic views
ROCHESTER, N.H. - Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders called for a "political revolution" to combat climate change and "establishment politics." Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton credited Democrats with battling a "recalcitrant, obstructionist" Congress, and warned against undoing President Obama's agenda.
ROCHESTER, N.H. - Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders called for a "political revolution" to combat climate change and "establishment politics." Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton credited Democrats with battling a "recalcitrant, obstructionist" Congress, and warned against undoing President Obama's agenda.
With the Feb. 9 New Hampshire primary fast approaching, the two Democratic presidential candidates made different pitches to voters as they campaigned in the state this week, even while emphasizing some of the same issues.
Sanders, a longtime senator who has claimed an outsider mantle in the race - and who is leading Clinton in New Hampshire polls - argued that it was "too late for establishment politics and establishment economics" to fix the nation's problems, including income inequality.
"Millions of people, and, significantly, millions of young people . . . have got to stand up, get involved," Sanders said Thursday at Southern New Hampshire University in Hooksett, urging the students in the dining hall banquet room to turn out on primary day. "Our government belongs to all of us and not just a handful of billionaire campaign contributors."
At the Rochester Opera House on Friday, Clinton cast herself as experienced and capable, telling voters she understood the challenges they faced and would "go to work" to create jobs and raise incomes.
"The stakes in this election are really high," she said. "Are we going to try to build on the progress we made under President Obama, or are we going to rip it up and start all over again?"
Sanders has increased his lead over Clinton in New Hampshire as Democratic-leaning voters - particularly younger and nontraditional ones - have become more "energized," said Andy Smith, director of the University of New Hampshire Survey Center. A poll by the center released this week showed Sanders with 60 percent support - a 27-point lead over Clinton.
Among likely Democratic primary voters under 35, Sanders is getting 81 percent of the vote, Smith said. He also noted that between December and January, the top issue for Democratic voters shifted from foreign policy and national security to jobs and the economy.
"That's Sanders turf," Smith said.
Smith's poll found 58 percent of Democratic voters said Sanders had "the personal characteristics and qualities" a president should have, while only 33 percent said Clinton did.
But in a Suffolk University poll released Friday - which showed Sanders with a nine-point lead over Clinton - more likely Democratic primary voters said Clinton had the best chance of defeating the Republican nominee (60 percent) than voters who said Sanders did (27 percent).
Concerns about winning a general election might drive voters like Jeff Winton to go for Clinton - even though, he said, "I don't particularly like her politics and her methods."
"If I thought Bernie had a chance nationally, I would vote for him," said Winton, a retired administrator from New Durham, who attended Clinton's event Friday and said he was "torn" on the primary race. "But if we don't get a Democrat, on the Supreme Court we're screwed for 50 years."
Barbara Robidoux, a retired teacher and Clinton supporter, said Sanders was an "excellent" candidate. But "the death knell for him - he's an avowed socialist," she said. She said Clinton was "tried and true."
Sanders drew fervent fans Thursday, including Karissa Dunn, 20, a Keene State College student. "I absolutely hate corporations," said Dunn, who is planning to be a teacher. "It's all about the fact he's paid for by the people."
Jesse Hovey, 22, who works in retail, called a vote for Clinton "a vote for politics. A vote for Bernie is a vote for passion."
While Clinton has cast Sanders as weak on foreign policy - "it can sound like he really hasn't thought it through," she said Thursday in Iowa - that criticism didn't bother Hovey. "We should fix the infrastructure of our country. We have to fix ourselves," he said.
Unlike her speech in Iowa - where Sanders led in a CNN/ORC poll released this week, ahead of the Feb. 1 caucuses - Clinton didn't name Sanders at the Rochester event Friday. (One political figure she did mention: her husband, who she said was enjoying campaigning on her behalf this week. "I think he'll probably want to set up a residence here," Clinton said, drawing some laughs and applause from the crowd.)
New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, who introduced Clinton on Friday, alluded to Sanders in saying she had worked with "each of the Democratic candidates in this race."
"I want somebody who doesn't just know what we need to do in this country but can get it done," Shaheen said.
Like Sanders, Clinton pledged a tough approach to regulating financial institutions. "No bank too big to fail, no executive too big to jail," Clinton said. She pledged to raise taxes on the wealthy, saying, "I believe it is long past due."
Sanders, who has knocked Clinton for accepting speaking fees from Goldman Sachs, tried to draw a contrast Thursday with Clinton on Social Security. He pledged to expand benefits by lifting the cap on taxable income. Clinton has said she would "look at" raising the payroll tax cap. Her website says she would ask the wealthiest Americans to contribute more to Social Security.
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