John McCain is now the national front-runner, a new CNN poll out Friday found.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – John McCain's victory in Tuesday's New Hampshire primary appears to be paying off.

The senator from Arizona is now the front-runner in the battle for the Republican presidential nomination, according to the first national poll taken after the New Hampshire primary.

McCain has the support of 34 percent of registered Republicans in a new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey out Friday. That's a 21-point jump from the last CNN/Opinion Research poll, taken in December, well before the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary earlier this month.

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(CNN) — New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary anointed two new front-runners - Sens. Hillary Clinton, D-New York, and John McCain, R-Arizona.

In the latest Best Political Podcast, Senior Political Correspondent Candy Crowley reports on the Granite State primary results, Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider delves into CNN's New Hampshire exit polling data, and Dan Lothian previews the contest for the black vote in the critical South Carolina Democratic primary.

Plus, Sen. Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, discuss New Hampshire's results and some controversial primary eve comments by former President Bill Clinton.

Click here to subscribe to the Best Political Podcast.

–CNN Associate Producer Martina Stewart

Marianne Pernold Young looks on Monday after asking a question that led Hillary Clinton to tears.

(CNN) – Many political observers are crediting Democrat Hillary Clinton's surprise win in New Hampshire to the New York senator's rare display of emotion at a Portsmouth Coffee shop Monday morning.

But Clinton's tearful moment failed to win at least one Granite State voter — the very woman who prompted her response in the first place.

Marianne Pernold-Young told CNN Wednesday she ultimately picked Barack Obama in Tuesday night's primary because of the Illinois senator's performance at a recent rally she attended.

"I was moved to tears. Not once, but twice," she said. "And he has this enormous electricity. And I was just taken aback. And I just had to go with my feelings." (Video: Young speaks on American Morning)

On Monday, Young asked Clinton how she was holding up under the rigors of a presidential campaign — an inquiry that cause the presidential candidate's eyes to well up and voice to tremble.

"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," a teary Clinton said. "You know, I have so many opportunities from this country, I just don't want to see us fall backwards." (Video: Clinton gets emotional)

The moment instantly became the most-covered event on the campaign trail on the day before the critical New Hampshire primary, drawing praise from some who said Clinton had finally bared her true self to voters. The next day, Clinton won among voters who said a candidate who "cares about people" is most important (a category John Edwards won in Iowa.)

Young told CNN she herself was touched by the event, though it was not enough to convince her to support Clinton.

"I was very touched and I was totally in awe that she would open up to us, all of us there," Young said. "But it was a delicate matter."

On CNN's American Morning, Clinton wouldn't speculate whether the moment had put her over the top in the Granite State the night before, but said, "I'm really glad that I had a chance to say what I believe with all of my heart, that politics isn't a game, it's not a horse race. It's about people's lives." (Video: Hillary Clinton on American Morning)

– CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney

CNN's Candy Crowley takes a look at how the results in New Hampshire reshaped the presidential race. (Photo Credit: AP)

Giuliani is out with a Spanish ad Wednesday.

(CNN) — As the New Hampshire primary contest wound down Tuesday, Republican Rudy Giuliani released a new Spanish language television ad in Florida – a state critical to his presidential bid. The former New York mayor has wagered his campaign on the Sunshine State after disappointing finishes in Iowa and New Hampshire.

Illegal immigration is a top issue for Republican voters this cycle, and the candidates have stressed their get-tough position on border security and enforcement. But now the race shifts to vote-rich states with large Hispanic populations — such as New York, California and Florida — which tend to support a slightly different approach.

The 30-second spot — titled “Liderazgo,” or Leadership — stresses his crime-fighting and job creation record. “Se pudo en Nueva York y se puede en Washington. Rudy Giuliani: Experiencia, Resultado, Liderazgo,” says the announcer. (English translation provided by the campaign: “It was done in New York. It can be done in Washington. Rudy Giuliani: Experience, Results, Leadership.”) The ad also features a line from Giuliani himself.

The former New York City mayor spent more time in New Hampshire than any GOP candidate except the former governor of neighboring Massachusetts, Mitt Romney, only to finish a distant third, with 10 percent of the vote – tied with Ron Paul. He finished behind Paul in last week’s Iowa caucuses.

[Full script and campaign translation after the jump]

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McCain celebrates in Nashua after winning the New Hampshire primary.

NEW YORK (CNN) – For six months, John McCain has been slowly clawing his way out of the rubble of a campaign that by all accounts had completely imploded. Since Iowa, Hillary Clinton had been described as a candidate on the ropes.

In a matter of hours Tuesday night, both senators proved the political pundits and pollsters wrong. The people of New Hampshire have spoken, and Sens. Clinton and McCain are riding new waves of momentum.

Clinton capitalized on her strength with women voters, low income earners, and union members to derail what many had started to view as Barack Obama’s runaway train.

In the battle for the GOP nomination, McCain captured New Hampshire’s sizable independent and moderate Republican vote, and benefited tremendously from an electorate extremely disillusioned by the Bush administration. In the increasingly blue Granite State, a full 50 percent of Republican primary voters expressed a negative view of President Bush’s performance. McCain beat his chief rival in this state, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, by 15 points among this surprisingly large bloc of voters.

McCain, the Senate’s most notable GOP maverick, repeated his success from eight years earlier when he trounced then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush by appealing to both the Republican base and, more notably, independent voters. At the same time, Romney’s bid to win over voters by painting McCain as soft on illegal immigration largely failed. Simply put, not enough New Hampshire voters believe that illegal immigration is the most pressing issue facing the country.

And with the United States at war, the decorated Vietnam veteran and former P.O.W. benefited from an electorate that overwhelmingly described him as the best potential commander-in-chief. More than 4 in 10 Republican voters saw McCain as the most qualified to hold this title, compared to only 1 in 4 who felt the same way about Romney.

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CNN's Sasha Johnson reports that when televisions broadcast Barack Obama's comments on the Iraq war, midway through his election night speech, some Hillary Clinton supporters at her campaign headquarters began to boo.

In the New Hampshire Democratic primary

CNN estimates:

* Hillary Clinton has won 9 New Hampshire delegates (3 statewide, 6 district-level)

* Barack Obama has won 9 New Hampshire delegates (3 statewide, 6 district-level)

* John Edwards has won 4 New Hampshire delegates (2 statewide, 2 district-level)

* 22 Democratic delegates were at stake in the New Hampshire primary

* There are also 8 Democratic “superdelegates” in New Hampshire. Of those, 2 support Clinton and 3 support Obama, according to a CNN survey.

***

In the New Hampshire Republican primary

CNN estimates:

* John McCain has won 7 New Hampshire delegates

* Mitt Romney has won 4 New Hampshire delegates

* Mike Huckabee has won 1 New Hampshire delegate

* 12 GOP delegates were at stake in the New Hampshire primary

* All GOP delegates at stake in the New Hampshire primary are statewide

Hillary Clinton celebrates her victory amid a sea of supporters.

(CNN) — Hillary Clinton won the New Hampshire primary despite polls indicating she would lose by double-digit margins because three groups of Democratic voters cast their ballots for her.

Voters concerned about the economy, female voters, and union voters all voted for the New York Democrat by a considerably higher margin than expected.

The economy was the most important issue for Democrats, and Clinton bested Barack Obama by 9 percentage points on the issue. Clinton also did considerably better among women voters — nearly 60 percent of Democratic primary voters — beating Obama there by 13 percentage points. Female voters proved fatal to Clinton in Iowa – she lost among women there to Obama by 5 percentage points.

Finally, Clinton beat Obama among union voters by 10 percentage points. Union voters don’t play a major role in New Hampshire — only 20 percent of primary voters — but are considerably more of a factor in states down the road.

– CNN Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider

(CNN) — Like Iowa Democrats before them, more than half of Democratic voters in New Hampshire ranked "change" as the most important quality they were looking for in a candidate, according to CNN exit polls. Barack Obama beat Hillary Clinton by 26 percentage points in that category.

But Clinton easily bested Obama among voters who ranked two key qualities most important: "experience" (by an enormous 65 percentage points) and "cares about people" (by a 21-point margin).

John Edwards won the "cares about people" category in Iowa, but the former North Carolina senator was much less of a factor in New Hampshire, and Clinton seems to be the clear beneficiary of that. It will be interesting to if Edwards has a similar effect on the race in the upcoming states.

– CNN Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider

Big support from women helped fuel the Clinton win.

MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (CNN) – Sen. Hillary Clinton claimed a come-from-behind victory in New Hampshire's Democratic primary late Tuesday, edging out her Senate colleague, Barack Obama, after placing third in the Iowa caucuses.

Flanked by her husband, former President Bill Clinton, and daughter Chelsea, the New York senator told supporters she "found her own voice" in the five days since Iowa, and promised them "we are in it for the long run."

"I felt like we all spoke from our hearts, and I'm so gratified that you responded," she said. "Now let's give America the kind of comeback that New Hampshire has just given me."

Obama, the first-term Illinois senator, had beaten her in Iowa and saw his lead grow to near-double digits in polls taken just before the Granite State's first-in-the-nation primary. But with 81 percent of precincts reporting Tuesday night, Clinton led the Democratic field with 39 percent of the vote.

Obama had 37 percent and conceded defeat shortly before Clinton spoke. Former Sen. John Edwards, who placed second in Iowa, had 17 percent, while New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich trailed in single digits.

Clinton had worked to blunt Obama's message of change by pointing to her own record as an advocate for children and health-care reform, which she called "the work of my life."

"For all the ups and downs of this campaign, you helped remind everyone that politics isn't a game," she said. "This campaign is about people, about making a difference in your lives, about making sure that everyone in this country has the opportunity to live up to his or her God-given potential."

MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (CNN) – Solid support from registered Democrats and
women were crucial Tuesday as Sen. Hillary Clinton reversed her third-place finish in last week's Iowa caucuses to take a narrow victory over rival Barack Obama in New Hampshire's presidential primary, results from exit polls suggest.

With 72 percent of precincts reporting, CNN projected Clinton the winner of the first-in-the-nation primary with 39 percent of the vote to Obama's 36.

Self-styled independents, who made up 43 percent of all voters polled, said they voted for Obama by a margin of 43 percent to 31 percent for Clinton.

But Clinton was ahead of Obama 45 percent to 34 percent among those who said they were registered Democrats. Those voters made up a majority — 54 percent — of all those respondents.

Clinton also claimed the majority of women's votes, according to the polling. That's in contrast to last week's Iowa caucuses, in which Obama surprised observers by stealing the female vote from Clinton.

According to the exit polls, Clinton had a sizable lead over Obama among women, 47 percent to 34 percent. Analysts say that shift was crucial to the Clinton turnaround.

"If I had a single word, the word would be 'women,' " said CNN political analyst Bill Schneider. "She got the women back."

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(CNN) — President Bush is hundreds of miles away from New Hampshire, but he had a powerful effect on the state's Republican presidential primary, according to CNN exit polls.

Roughly half of Republican primary voters had a negative opinion of the Bush administration, and those voters significantly went for Arizona Sen. John McCain by nearly a 2-to-1 margin. Of the GOP voters who said they had a positive opinion of the Bush administration, 37 percent voted for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

So while Romney tried heavily to be the candidate of change in the closing days of the New Hampshire campaign, voters overwhelmingly believed that McCain better represents the change candidate.

– CNN Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider

Obama: ‘Still fired up’

MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (CNN) — Failing to parlay his win in last week's Iowa caucuses to a victory in the New Hampshire primary, Sen. Barack Obama said he was "still fired up and ready to go."

The junior senator from Illinois congratulated Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York for her win and praised "all the candidates in this race" as "patriots who serve this country honorably."

"But the reason our campaign has always been different, the reason we began this improbable journey almost a year ago, is because it's not just about what I will do as president," he said. "It is also about what you, the people who love this country, the citizens of the United States of America, can do to change it. That's what this election is all about."

CNN projected Clinton to win with 72 percent of precincts counted, basing it on reported results, exit polls and other statistical models.

As she had most of the night, Clinton held a 39 percent to 37 percent lead over Obama with 81 percent of the precincts in.

But Obama assailed critics who he said doubted his campaign and said that the record numbers of voters in Iowa and New Hampshire showed that "there is something happening in America."

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Edwards: ‘Two down, 48 to go’

MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (CNN) – Former Sen. John Edwards painted himself as the candidate of the voiceless Tuesday night after tracking a distant third in the New Hampshire Democratic primary.

Noting that there are "two states down, 48 states to go" in primary and caucus voting, the 2004 vice presidential nominee said that only about 1 percent of Americans had voted so far and that the other "99 percent deserve to be heard."

"We have had too much of voices not being heard," he said to an enthusiastic crowd of supporters. " … That's what this battle is about. It's not about me. It's about the cause of giving voice to all those whose voices are not being heard in this democracy."

Edwards pledged to continue his fight to expand healthcare coverage, to fight global warming, protect the environment, end poverty and create new jobs.

"We know what needs to be done," he said. "The only question is whether we have the backbone and the will and the determination to get there."

"I am in this race to the convention, where I intend to be the nominee of my party," he said. "And I am in this race until we have actually restored the American dream and strengthened and restored the middle class of America."

Edwards narrowly beat Sen. Hillary Clinton for second place in the Iowa caucuses last week, but CNN projected Edwards to finish third in New Hampshire, while the race for first between Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama was too close to call. CNN made the projection with 10 percent of precincts counted, basing it on reported results, exit polls and other statistical models.

With 65 percent of the Granite State's precincts counted, Edwards had 17 percent of the vote to Clinton's 39 percent and Obama's 36 percent.

Related video: Edwards: '48 states left'

MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (CNN) – After a disappointing third in the Iowa caucuses, Sen. Hillary Clinton will win the nation's first Democratic primary, CNN projects with 72 percent of precincts reporting.

CNN based the projection on those New Hampshire precincts that have reported results, exit polls and other statistical models — including the number of votes outstanding in areas where Clinton is expected to do well.

Clinton held 39 percent of the vote to Obama's 36 percent.

(CNN) – New Hampshire Democratic primary voters overwhelmingly believe Barack Obama can better unite the country than Hillary Clinton can, according to CNN exit polls.

Fifty percent said the Illinois senator is the most able to unite, compared to 29 percent who cited Clinton. More New Hampshire Democrats also said Obama could win a general election race: 46 percent said the Illinois senator has the best shot against a Republican, compared to 36 percent for Clinton.

But unfortunately for Obama, electability proved to be the least important factor when New Hampshire Democratic primary voters decided on a candidate. Only 7 percent said they were most concerned with the candidate's chance of being elected next November.

– CNN Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider

MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (CNN) – Hillary Clinton's team still entertains the possibility she will lose. "It's gonna be close," they tell CNN. They are waiting on Hanover — "it's a straight-up college town" — and Durham, two areas they think it is possible Obama will do very well. But they say they are coming in two and three points ahead in areas they expected to lose.

Former President Clinton campaigned with his wife in New Hampshire Monday. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)
(CNN) — The same issue that former President Bill Clinton used in 1992 to propel himself to the White House is key to his wife's strong showing in New Hampshire 16 years later.

The economy was the top issue of New Hampshire Democratic primary voters with 39 percent citing it, according to CNN exit polls. Sen. Hillary Clinton was the clear favorite of those voters as 44 percent of them went for her compared to 35 percent who went for Obama.

Clinton also performed well with those voters who said they were falling behind financially. Nearly a third of Democratic primary voters identified themselves in this category and those voters broke for Clinton over Obama by a 10-point margin.

– CNN Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider