MICHELE NORRIS, host:
From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Michele Norris.
ROBERT SIEGEL, host:
And I'm Robert Siegel.
Predictions are always dangerous in the election season, but here's one that's pretty safe now: It's going to be a wild ride to the nomination on both sides. And while campaigns move to Michigan and Nevada and South Carolina, we're going to take a few minutes to take not of what happened in New Hampshire last night.
For the Democrats, the story was largely about women voters. They stayed with Hillary Clinton, allowing her to edge out Barack Obama by three percent. Clinton's fortunes turned, many observers say, in the cafe in Portsmouth, New Hampshire on Monday.
Here's our co-host Melissa Block in Manchester to tell us more about that.
MELISSA BLOCK: The unguarded moment that the Cafe Espresso in Portsmouth came at a gathering of women voters. And it came after a question from Marianne Pernold Young. She said, my question is very personal, how do you do it? How do you keep upbeat and so wonderful? Well, that question brought an emotional response.
Senator HILLARY CLINTON (Democrat, New York; Presidential Candidate): It's not easy. It's not easy. And I couldn't do it if I just didn't, you know, passionately believe it was the right thing to do. You know, I have so many opportunities from this country. I just don't want to see us fall backwards, you know. So…
(Soundbite of applause)
BLOCK: Well, now we're going to here from the woman who asked the question that drew that response, Marianne Pernold Young. She is 64, a photographer from Portsmouth. And what made you ask the question in the first place?
Ms. MARIANNE PERNOLD YOUNG (Photographer): Because I've been watching Hillary for the last year and it just boggles my mind how she keeps going and is still pleasant. And it's mind boggling how any politician does it, actually.
BLOCK: Mm-hmm. What were you thinking when she answered it and when she became emotional there?
Ms. PERNOLD YOUNG: I said, wow. I was honored that she would have that reaction and that she would open herself like that to all of us in that room. You know, when she was having problems with her marriage, she was stoic. And this was wonderful.
BLOCK: You know, a lot of people are now pointing to that moment as being a turning point for her campaign here in New Hampshire. Are you surprised about that?
Ms. PERNOLD YOUNG: Yes, I am. It was just a very innocent, caring question. I didn't know this was going to explode like this. I just wanted to connect with her as fellow woman.
BLOCK: Ms. Pernold Young, whom did you end up voting for?
Ms. PERNOLD YOUNG: Obama.
BLOCK: You voted for Obama after all that.
Ms. PERNOLD YOUNG: Mm-hmm.
BLOCK: And why?
Ms. PERNOLD YOUNG: Because he moves me to tears. And he is a fresh person, a fresh start for our country. And I think we need that right now.
BLOCK: That's Marianne Pernold Young in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
Hillary Clinton went on at length in her answer to Ms. Young's question. Here is more of what she had to say.
(Soundbite of applause)
Sen. CLINTON: You know, this is very personal for me. It's not just political, it's not just public. I see what's happening, and we have to reverse it. And Some people think elections are a game. They think it's like who's up or who's down. It's about our country, it's about our kids' futures. It's really about all of us together. You know, some of us…
BLOCK: That Portsmouth moment has a lot of women talking here in New Hampshire. Today in Manchester, I got together with three women who voted for Hillary Clinton to find out why. They're between 29 and 36. All of them work outside the home. All are married. Two of them have children. They are Jillian Cole(ph), Jessica Say(ph) and Christina Anderson(ph) who begins. She was torn between Edwards, Obama and McCain. Then she saw the video of Clinton at the Portsmouth cafe.
Ms. CHRISTINA ANDERSON: When I saw what I saw, I didn't see an emotional woman. What I saw was a woman who was speaking from her heart, trying to convey why she truly was doing this. There is real passion, real conviction, determination and a sense of real obligation to her country. I really was touched by that absolutely. And I hate to be cliched, but it really actually - it resonated with me very strongly to see her boldly stating her purpose.
BLOCK: Jillian, did you see the video from that moment (unintelligible)?
Ms. JILLIAN COLE: I saw it, but…
BLOCK: What do you think?
Ms. COLE: It made you feel comfort, I think, because she was saying that she knows she can do that in the White House. She wants to do it and it would a shame to have her not in the White House to do it. And I think that that's - I know, it's just - it did, like Christina said, it touched something. And I think she's absolutely what we need.
BLOCK: Let me ask you all to play pundit here, what do you think happened in New Hampshire? Jillian, what do you think happened?
Ms. COLE: I think a lot of people, like Christina, saw her talk in Portsmouth, and I really think that it has an impact and people changed their vote.
BLOCK: You do? Christina, do you think that the polls underestimated women here?
Ms. ANDERSON: I think they did. I think they really, really did. I think that people hadn't really looked at Hillary as a woman. Maybe, it's just my personal opinion. I don't think that people looked at women connecting with Hillary for the opportunity for women to speak to the idea of having our first female president.
BLOCK: Jessica, let me turn to you. Does it mean something to you as a woman that you're voting for a woman candidate?
Ms. JESSICA SAY: Oh, absolutely. Yes. That is a big thing, too, that she's a woman, for sure.
BLOCK: Why is that?
Ms. SAY: I think the United States should have a woman president. I think it's about time, you know, to meet our needs and listen to us and get a woman in there t clean up all the men's messes that they've made over the years. And I think it's about time.
BLOCK: You have kids.
Ms. SAY: Yes, two.
BLOCK: How old are they?
Ms. SAY: I have a 4-year-old daughter, Karisse(ph), 9-year-old son Chase(ph). And my son Chase actually has special needs. He has Down syndrome. So, you know, the whole education and heath care is very important to me.
BLOCK: Do you think about the message to them that this would send to have a woman president.
Ms. SAY: It's funny you would say that, because we were watching last night and my daughter was, like, what are you watching? And we said, you know, we're watching the primary and we wanted - she went with me to vote - so I explained it to her. And I said, you know, we want Hillary to win. You know, she's a woman, and we want - we believe in her ideas, and we want her to win.
So when Karisse when to bed last night, she said, I hoped Hillary wins. And then this morning, when she woke up, the first thing she said to me was, Mommy, did Hillary win? And I said, yeah, she won. And she said, yahoo(ph), Hillary won. So she was excited was and she was telling everybody in the day care that Hillary won.
(Soundbite of laughter)
Ms. SAY: They're like, are you brain washing her already? And I was like, I sure am. So it was pretty fun.
BLOCK: Jessica Say, Christina Anderson and Jillian Cole. Three voters who helped put Hillary Clinton over the top.
I'm Melissa Block in Manchester, New Hampshire.