'This is really Chelsea'

CONCORD, N.H. – As we all anxiously await tonight’s primary returns, we bring you another report from the two hours we spent with Chelsea Clinton yesterday.

The former First Daughter has been reluctant to do much in public for her mother’s campaign besides shake hands on the rope line. But yesterday, as the campaign’s prospects in New Hampshire looked increasingly grim, a few reporters were invited to watch her make a round of about a dozen calls at the campaign’s phone bank in Dover.

After thanking all the volunteers busy making calls, Chelsea quickly sat down in front of a phone, with a call list and a script (which she did not appear to rely on at any point.)

Chelsea expressed frustration when her first half dozen calls all go unanswered. “I’m not having a lot of luck,” she said to the volunteers and staff around her. “They don’t want to take their vacation days around the Iowa caucues and the New Hampshire primary?”

Finally after about 15 minutes Chelsea reached a real voter. “Oh, Louis, hi this is Chelsea Clinton calling. I was calling to talk to you about voting for my mother tomorrow. This is really Chelsea. Have you made a decision yet? It’s very hard. Do you have any questions?

She nodded as the voter spoke. “I can certainly tell you what she has said about Iraq.”

Chelsea then spent several minutes delivering a nearly exact replica of Hillary Clintons’ spiel on Iraq, the need to plan for withdrawal, and to take care of the 100,000 American civilians in Iraq.

“One thing I’m really proud of her for is saying that we have a responsibility to all of the Iraqis who supported us,” she said. “One of my best friends is a Marine captain. She talks about him sometimes, anonymously, in her speeches. He has told us so compellingly that that he never would have survived without their Iraqi translator.”

After a bit more chatting, Chelsea said, “well, I hope you do let that influence your choice.”

After hanging up, Chelsea reported that the voter was a likely Kucinich supporter.