Intelligencer

Clinton Meets Irish Backers

SENATOR Hillary Clinton met with a group of key supporters, including several Irish, on Monday at a midtown Manhattan law firm.

Among the Irish present were Declan Kelly, who has raised over $1.5 million for the campaign, his associate Paul Keary, Irish American Democrats leader Stella O'Leary, attorney Brian O'Dwyer of the top firm of O'Dwyer and Bernstien, and Ciaran Staunton, vice chairman of the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform (ILIR).

All had either been in New Hampshire or Iowa, or both, and it was certainly a different Clinton they met on Monday, brimming with confidence after the New Hampshire upset.

Clinton appealed to her Irish allies to help bring out Irish American votes in Nevada and South Carolina, where she faces the next round of contests against Senator Barack Obama and John Edwards.

As she noted, she won the Irish American vote in New Hampshire by 44% to 28% over Obama, a significant margin among a sub group that represents 18% of the electorate there.

The Irish vote on Super Tuesday, February 5, will also be important. New Jersey, New York and Connecticut are about 40% Catholic, with the Irish making up a large percentage of that. Clinton will likely sweep all three, with Obama winning Illinois and some other states.

It could all come down to California, where Clinton at present has a sizeable lead. But in this year of shocks and surprises, no one can say for certain where it will all end up.

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Nster.com