Obama closing on Clinton in N.H., poll finds

Hillary Clinton is counting on New Hampshire as her safety net to protect her in case she loses in Iowa, but a poll released today of New Hampshire Democrats suggests that her lead is narrowing.

The CNN/WMUR survey put Clinton at 36 percent, down from 43 percent in the same poll in September. Barack Obama is in second at 22 percent, and John Edwards in third at 13 percent. But Bill Richardson is moving up on Edwards with 12 percent.

A Globe poll earlier this month also found the New Hampshire race tightening, giving her a 35 percent to 21 percent lead.

Despite national and Iowa polls that also show Clinton's edge getting smaller, nearly 70 percent of those taking part in the CNN/WMUR poll said they believe she will be the eventual nominee.

The new poll of 389 Democrats was conducted Wednesday through Sunday and has a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points.

- written by Foon Rhee