Is the Former First Lady Feeling the Heat?

I mentioned here Friday that Hillary Clinton had to expect Barack Obama to have a post-Iowa "bump", and according to a poll released today, he's got the bump, and it's very significant. In the latest Rasmussen Poll conducted after the Iowa Caucus, Obama has surged to a 12-point lead over Clinton -- 39% to 27% among likely Democratic Primary voters. In Rasmussen's last poll before Iowa, Clinton had a 3% lead over Obama, evidence of a 15-point swing in the Illinois Senator's favor. That's quite a bump, and it's quite worrisome for Hillary and her campaign.

Indeed, it would seem that Senator Clinton's own internal polling yesterday must have reflected a similar trend, because she showed an uncharacteristic flash of anger and frustration in last night's ABC debate. In a discussion about the candidates' differing health care plans, John Edwards, after first referring to Hillary as "the forces of status quo", then went on to question what he saw as Clinton's newfound claim to be the person who can best bring about "change", and her related "attacks" on her opponents as being less capable at doing so than she. As Senator Edwards rather bluntly put it, obviously aware of Obama's post-Iowa surge in the polls: "...I didn't hear these kind of attacks from Senator Clinton when she was ahead. Now that she's not, we hear them." Clinton didn't seem to take too kindly to this. Have a look for yourself:



Indeed, even in just the few days since Iowa, Clinton has been talking more about her ability to be an agent of change, a marked departure from her previous tendency to tout her experience and qualifications as making her the most "ready" to be president. This would seem to be an effort to tap into what evidently attracted so many Iowa voters to Obama -- the fact that he has not spent much time in Washington relative to others running for the White House, and therefore, that he potentially brings a fresh perspective. In the process of changing her message though, she has begun to "go negative" against Obama, and it was this new tactic to which Edwards was referring when he apparently got under Hillary's skin. It was a telling moment for a candidate who, heretofore, has been remarkably disciplined, perpetually "on message", and who has never seemed to allow herself to be rattled. Her reaction, I think, not only reflected the stress she is feeling, it also was indicative of the fact that Edwards had managed to effectively "zing" her. Unfortunately for Hillary, this is likely the clip that most will see from the debate rather than any of her "better" moments from last night.

So yes, I would say that the former First Lady is feeling the heat. Should she lose New Hampshire by anything close to the margins suggested by these polls, though, Hillary will have her feet held to the fire more than ever before in her political career. It will be interesting to watch how she and her campaign will respond if faced with the very real possibility of losing the nomination to Obama. Stay tuned!