I think we're overlooking the fact that the 40+% of NH voters that are unaffiliated can choose on election day which ballot they're going to take, thus they choose from among both parties.

The exit polling results are shown by primary thus they don't show independents as a group - the combined data could support a thesis that the "late surge" was independents who want a maverick deciding in the last week that their maverick of choice was McCain rather than Obama, thus leaving the Democrat primary more in the hands of party regulars than was predicted, thus giving Clinton the unexpected win:

Clinton won by less than 7,000 votes. She lost independents who voted Democrat by more than 13,000, and won last-week-deciders only by 5000, votes. 89,000 unaffiliated voters chose a GOP ballot and voted for McCain.

Caveat: exit pollers ask voters in the respective primaries to compare and contrast only within the party in whose primary they voted, so it's difficult to confirm this.

Pat Trombly, Winthrop, MA

a woman cries and she wins..a man and he,s a wimp..silly women propel her to a win...will she cry her way to the WHITE HOUSE & cry when things go wrong there.,remember the havoc caused when we had a woman pm here.....Obama is the sensible best choice..well even HILARY..so long as its not those ghastly Republicans

john rogan, LONDON, LONDON