Politics / Barack Obama Clinton Wins By a Whisker Surprise victory goes down to wire; Edwards finishes 3rd By John Johnson, Newser Staff Posted Jan 8, 2008 7:42 PM CST Copied Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., reacts at her Democratic primary election night victory rally in Manchester, N.H., Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2008. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) (Associated Press) Hillary Clinton defied expectations and edged out Barack Obama in today's New Hampshire primary, NBC reports. Clinton's win rights her campaign in the face of surging support for Obama after his victory last week in Iowa. With 98% of precincts reporting, Clinton led Obama, 40% to 37%. John Edwards finished a distant third with 17%. "Over the last week, I listened to you, and in the process I found my own voice," said Clinton. "Now together, let's give America the kind of comeback that New Hampshire has just given me." Polls leading into the primary gave Obama a double-digit lead, and Clinton herself indicated that she expected to lose. Exit polls showed her faring especially well among women. (More Barack Obama stories.) Report an error