Candidates Retool Themes on the Fly in NH

Presidential candidates were madly shuffling their messages and tactics in New Hampshire today, applying lessons from Iowa and adjusting to NH’s sensibilities, the New York Times reports. Mitt Romney recast himself as a change candidate, while avoiding former go-to issues such as abortion and gay rights. Hillary Clinton threw out her stump speech entirely, instead taking questions, something she’d heretofore avoided.

She also outlined a plan to help families facing foreclosure and plans to hold an event to woo young, independent voters, who went Obama’s way in Iowa. Clinton and Obama look like each others’ main competition here, but an undaunted Edwards attacked both as well-funded establishment candidates. Romney is in a two-horse race with McCain, who ran adds playing on his 2000 victory. (More Election 2008 stories.)