Hillary Clinton laughed off the suggestion that her teary-eyed response to a seemingly innocent question in Portsmouth today was a “Muskie Moment” — saying “I think this is so ridiculous. People who have followed me during the course of my life know that, you know, I am a passionate person and I care deeply what happens to people.”

She cited the “intimate setting” and the concern the undecided voters there showed for the country for what was, for the usually stoic senator, an outpouring of emotion. “I am a real person. I have feelings. I care about what I do,” she said. “I am worried about our country and what is going to happen to the next generation. And if I get emotional about that, or if I am passionate about defending myself, I’ll let other people draw their conclusions.”

In an interview with Fox News Political Correspondent Major Garrett — the second in as many days — Clinton also took issue with Barack Obama’s dismissal of her claim that he represents “false hope;” Obama says that argument is like Martin Luther King standing at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington and saying “sorry guys, false hope. The dream will die.”

Clinton said “Dr King’s dream began to be realized when President Lyndon Johnson passed the civil rights act of 1964… That dream became a reality, the power of that dream became real in people’s lives because we had a president who said ‘we’re going to do it,’ and actually got it done.”

The answer fits her “rhetoric vs reality” approach, but as Politico’s Ben Smith points out, it’s indicative of the problem with her basic campaign argument. After all, who would the American people rather support — Martin Luther King or Lyndon Johnson?

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UPDATE: Watch a more formal version of the MLK/LBJ argument at her rally in Salem, NH

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PORTSMOUTH, NH — Senator Clinton made it through questions on jobs, education, and health care at an uneventful forum with undecided voters — but a question on how she gets through every day so upbeat nearly brought her to tears.

“It’s not easy. It’s not easy,” she said. “And I couldn’t do it if I just didn’t passionately believe it was the right thing to do. I have so many opportunities for this country. I just don’t want to see us fall back.”

As she finished her sentence, Hillary’s voice caught and she appeared to well up. The crowd at the small coffee shop applauded.

“This is very personal for me,” she continued. “It’s not just political, it’s not just — I see what’s happening. We have to reverse it. And some people think elections are a game. It’s like, who’s up or who’s down. It’s about our country. It’s about our kids’ futures. And it’s really about all of us, together.”

“And some of us who do this put ourselves out there and do this under some pretty difficult odds. And we do it, each one of us, because we care about our country.”

Pulling herself together, she made the case for her candidacy.

“Some of us are right and some of us are wrong. Some of us are ready and some of us are not. Some of us know what we will do on day one, and some of us haven’t really thought that through enough.”

“And so, when we look at the array of problems we have, and the potential for getting, it spinning out of control, this is one of the most important elections America has ever faced.”

Asked about her reaction, two undecided female voters called the emotional display a positive for them. One who was leaning toward Hillary but considering Barack Obama said that she’d made up her mind to support Sen Clinton.

Watch her full response from my imperfect vantage point, or check out Major Garrett reporting on the incident — complete with a head-on shot.

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Barack Obama has been talking to voters for months now, holding events lasting anywhere from 35 minutes to over an hour. He held five rallies just yesterday, speaking with fervor about his beliefs. So it should come as no surprise that his voice is not 100% - a common casualty of candidates, who spend the majority of their time giving speeches, answering questions from voters, and doing interviews with the press.

Obama’s voice began to weaken the day before the Iowa caucuses and has yet to fully recover - the hoarse candidate has told crowds that although his voice is weak, his “spirits are high.” Just to be safe, though, a doctor was called to Obama’s Keene, New Hampshire, hotel late last night upon the senator’s arrival.

“I’ve been talking a lot,” he told voters in Claremont. “I was a little concerned about this, so I asked a doctor yesterday what they would prescribe and they said, ’shut up,’” he continued to laughs. “So I can’t do that, but I hope you will bear with me.”

There’s no rest for the weary on the campaign trail - After tomorrow’s New Hampshire primary, Obama will likely hold fundraisers and head down to campaign in South Carolina before heading out to Nevada before the caucuses.

Nashua, NH

Romney greeted only about 20 early risers going to work at BAE Systems this morning. The hoard of media made more than a few others go through the side trying to escape the cameras. The event was a short 10 minutes long and Romney wondered aloud after waiting for some hands to shake, “We need some voters.” The governor from the state next door introduced himself to at least three voters, “Hi. How are you? Mitt Romney,” before shaking their hands.

BAE Systems is a defense and aerospace company owned by a supporter of Romney’s who hosted a house party for him just 2 days ago. This is Romney’s second trip to BAE.

Romney was asked by Brian Wilson how he thought he did at last night’s forum. He answered, “that was great, that was great. I loved it.” He added, ” I had a great night last night.”

While some of his rivals hold rallies that are violating fire codes, Romney is instead trying to cover ground with a jam-packed schedule today. He is hoping to find more hands to shake at his next stop, Mary-Ann’s Diner in Derry.

Stop Two, 8AM

Derry, NH

Romney found a few more hands to shake at Mary Ann’s Diner. He went table to table greeting customers, signing autographs, and taking pictures with the mostly receptive crowd. He answered a health care question, but mostly glided from table to table.

At one stop he took a picture with a woman and seemed a bit startled when she put her arm all the way around him, squeezing the presidential hopeful tight. After the picture he shook her hand and said, “Stay Classy.”

A funny moment occurred when he shook hands with a man wearing an Obama T-shirt saying, “Hey Obama man. How are you doing this morning?” Romney walked away after the exchange and a young guy rolled back in the booth saying I missed him! The two laughed to themselves while finishing their breakfast.

Next on the schedule: Romney will address employees at the Timberland Headquarters in Stratham, NH.

Responding to a remark by a Clinton aide belittling his use of Nataline Sarkisyan as a victim of corporate indifference, John Edwards said Hillary Clinton’s campaign “has no conscience.”

Seventeen-year-old Nataline Sarkisyan died on December 20, 2007, while waiting for a liver transplant that her insurance company initially refused to pay for, arguing the surgery was “too experimental.” After protests from hospital staff and Sarkisyan’s family, CIGNA Insurance Company agreed to the operation, but the girl died shortly after they reversed their decision. For Edwards, Sarkisyan’s death has become a symbol of the working middle class struggle against corporate control. Her family asked to join him in New Hampshire.

But today the Clinton campaign criticized Edwards for including Sarkisyan’s story in his campaign. Clinton’s traveling press secretary, Jay Carson, told reporters, “in order to be President, you need to do more than read articles about people who need help and talk about them.” Senator Clinton is “somebody who’s actually going to help people and not use them as talking points.”

At a media availability in Keene, New Hampshire, Edwards responded to those remarks:

“It’s an indication that they have no conscience about what’s at stake here,” he said. “This is not about them. It’s about families like the Sarkisyans…the Lowes…the Lakeys, who desperately need a voice. That’s who it’s about.”

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The dispute came one day after the ABC News/Facebook Presidential debates in which both Edwards and Clinton shared a heated exchange over who among the Democratic candidates were agents of change.

Looking to gain more traction after his second place in Iowa, Edwards said during the debate that he and Senator Obama were the only candidates who stood for bringing about meaningful change, noting “we finished first and second in the Iowa caucus, I think in part as a result of that.”

Alluding to Senator Clinton, Edwards said, “Any time you speak out powerfully for change, the forces of status quo attack. That’s exactly what happens.”

Edwards’ words prompted a fierce response from Senator Clinton, who disagreed with his premise, saying that she represents both change and experience.

“I want to make change, but I’ve already made change. I will continue to make change. I’m not just running on a promise of change. I’m running on 35 years of change,” she said, while citing her work on specific legislation.

“I think I am the agent of change,” she continued. “I think that having a woman President is a huge change.”

Nashua, NH — Put on the defensive about his slipping New Hampshire poll numbers and risky late-state strategy, Rudy Giuliani argued today that he is comfortable with his gameplan–noting that he has already defied expectations. Giuliani also shot back at Mitt Romney today after the former Massachusetts governor asserted this morning that he is no longer the “powerhouse” candidate.

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“My candidacy is an unconventional candidacy. I mean from the day I started I was a candidate that couldn’t get nominated. The Republican party wouldn’t nominate me. I dont know how often I read those stories back a year ago,” he said at a press conference after receiving the endorsment of the New England Police Benevolent Association. “The fact we are where we are has already defied all conventional wisdom. We are running an unconventional strategy. We are comfortable with that strategy and we think this is an unconventional election.”

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Which clip leads the New Hampshire morning show wrap-ups of the debate last night, this:

…or this?

The campaign had some top staff in the spin room at St Anselm in Manchester last night, and they spent a lot of time downplaying the heated tone of the second clip and calling the first one the best moment of the debate. How the media sees it could make a big difference here.

Keep reading to see the clip Hillaryland believes encapsulates her argument against Obama.

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Senator Clinton spoke for about 10 minutes in Penacook, NH in front of a spillover crowd of more than 1,000 people — then took questions for a whopping hour and 40 minutes, fielding 22 in all (23 if you count the “last question” that was basically 3 adorable little girls giving her a NH license plate that read “NXT PRES”).

It’s all part of her new Granite State strategy. After being ripped in Iowa for taking audience questions just 4 times in 24 events over the last week, team Clinton is throwing the stump speech out the window — hoping to prove to New Hampshire voters that she’s “ready to lead on day one” by answering every query they can dream up. She even planned to answer questions from the media for the second time in as many days, but had to cancel since she went so far over her allotted time.

While campaign aides won’t acknowledge that they miscalculated their speech-heavy strategy in Iowa, they will say there’s been a conscious shift in their approach. “Iowa is over,” says spokesman Jay Carson. Taking questions “is the New Hampshire way.” They’re also quick to point out that they hear Barack Obama is only answering two or three at his events here.

Check out Hillary personally making sure the large crowd at her first event could all get in to see her - and read about the rest of her strategy after the jump

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Litchfield, NH — Rudy Giuliani packed a campaign event to the gills today drawing a standing room only crowd at a house party here. Unfortunately for him, it only seemed full because it took place in a small living room/kitchen that only held about 90-100 attendees.

That crowd is fine for an event during the summer, but with hours to go before the NH primary, Giuliani’s rivals are now drawing crowds of more than a 1,000 at town halls across the state. My fellow GOP Fox embeds are reporting that Mike Huckabee and John McCain have drawn more than 1,000 in the last day. Giuliani’s largest crowds in recent weeks here have never been in excess of 200-300 people. (Of course the GOPers are still dwarfed by Obama and Clinton crowds ranging between 2,000 and 4,000 people).

Campaign volunteers are also dispirited as polls now show Giuliani in fourth place and drifting, creating the realistic possibility that Hizzoner could finish as far back as fifth on Tuesday night—behind McCain, Mitt Romney, Huckabee and Ron Paul. Seasoned NH political observers envision a similar scenario.

Yes, the Giuliani strategy is based around a Jan. 29 victory in Florida, but the campaign has been saying all along that they were hoping for respectable performances in Iowa (where they finished in sixth) and in New Hampshire. While the campaign can write off Iowa and its heavily evangelical Christian GOP voters, New Hampshire will be a little more difficult. Additionally, the campaign has spent at least $3-5 million here in NH and made 39 visits to the Granite State–more than any other state– meaning he spent an average of at least one day a week here during the last nine months. As much as the campaign is seeking to downplay a loss here and will still not be gravely wounded by a poor showing here, it will still sting and hurt their image as the best national candidate.

Sen Clinton may not be taking questions from the national media today, but our own Bill O’Reilly found a way around that — he stopped in to a Hillary Clinton event in Penacook, NH and had an audience member ask for him. The question was on Iraq, and Hillary answered it for the young female questioner, and for Mr No Spin himself. Take a look.

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