Mac is Back
They played the "Rocky" theme for McCain's entrance:
"I'm probably too old to use any phrase with the word kid in it, but tonight we sure showed them what a comeback looks like."
"When the pundits asked us how we'd do it, I told them, 'I'm going to New Hampshire where the voters refuse to let you make their decisions for them.'"
He throws in some schadenfreudic shots at Mitt: "I came to New Hampshire and I told you the truth. I'm not the one who told you what I thought you wanted to hear. I didn't tell you what I knew to be false."
The atmosphere here is, of course, rowdy and crowded. There's an overflow crowd in the lobby of the hotel, where I'm sitting on the floor in front of the closed-circuit TVs and blogging.
Update: So, what's up with Clinton leading, huh? This election has been nothing if not humbling for pundits. Sounds like grown-up voters came home to Hillary instead of getting caught up in Obama-mania. Or, as my colleague Amanda posits: "All the young people went to the Obama victory party and were too busy drinking to vote. Kinda like a really awesome tailgate where you forget to go to the game." Heh, I know that feeling. Odd that the young people would come out in Iowa, where it's comparatively difficult to vote, and not in New Hampshire.
Update: This victory speech is dragging quite a bit. A little more sing-songy than fiery. I would have expected more edge from him.