YOUR COMMENTS

wrong impression, phil. check out Steve Forbes' result when he spent $3 million (or was it $4 million?) in NH and came in fourth.
- Ellie, Manchester

Despite the 9 months of campaigning to date, we are actually at the traditional start of the primary season. There's a long way to go, and that long way will include potentially campaign-changing events.

One of those is that the Democrats will eventually go negative against each other. The Republicans have already been a bit more in attack mode, and that will sharpen. I can't predict who will go up or down in the polls because of this, but it's a safe bet that the races will tighten.

Second is that the advertising has just begun. The skill with which candidates get their messages out into the broader media market will have an effect.

Finally, there's Iowa. Each party is groping around for a candidate that can win, much like the Democrats were doing in 2004. When Dean lost Iowa, his bubble burst in less than a week. The same could happen to any top-tier candidate of either party who shows poorly in the Hawkeye state.

Whatever happens it should be interesting. Let's just hope this isn't the last instance of a meaningful New Hampshire primary!
- Roy Swonger, Merrimack

What I don't understand is that the polls are showing that Clinton leads the pack in NH. However, I was always under the impression the canditate with the largest war chest usually ends up the winner. A search on the Presidential Campaign Finance site clearly indicates OBAMA with the largest war chest not Clinton. Check yourself.
http://www.fec.gov/DisclosureSearch/mapApp.do?drillLevel=state&stateName=NH&cand_id=P00000001
- phil_leeser, epsom, nH

A very poor display of supposed candidates. Edwards was the winner of this debate, he took a stand and was very clear and concise, showing possible leadership abilities. Clinton appeared to take for granted that she had already won and her comments about her husband were poor ''I will have to ask my husband about that...'' ''My husband is not by my side right now'' ( What would happen if one of the men said ''I have to ask my wife?" ) Obama was weak, showed clearly he has no experiance to lead a country, though spoke fairly well, he jumped around and lost concentration one too many times. None were impressive nor showed consistancey, or credible committment.
- Robert, Concord, NH