WORLD NEWS GIST: US ELECTION 2016 - Hillary Struggles To Click With Youth Vote in New Hampshire

New Hampshire used to be Clinton country.

Bill became known as the "Comeback Kid" after a good second place here in the 1992 primary that propelled him on to the White House.

In 2008 Hillary Clinton won the primary, beating Barack Obama. It was her comeback moment after she had lost to Illinois senator in Iowa.

But this time the Clinton luck ran out.
Mrs Clinton was convincingly defeated by 74-year-old Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.

"I voted for Bernie," 22-year-old Eric Schaaf told me over a coffee at Murphy's diner in downtown Manchester.

So why not Hillary? I asked him.

"She's kind of old news," he responded. "The Clintons seem to have been around forever. Young people like me are looking for a fresh start."

And that is a view I have heard time and time again in Iowa, Ohio and New Hampshire, especially among younger voters. They see Bernie Sanders as an outsider, non-establishment, a man who questions the political status quo.

His mantra that "Government belongs to the people, not just a handful of wealthy campaign contributors" has real appeal to a new generation of voters.

"The Clintons aren't exactly corrupt," said Mr Schaaf. "It's just that they're so part of the system - Washington insiders. It's like the Clinton dynasty."

So wasn't he troubled by Mr Sanders' socialist tag?

"No," he told me. "It's not got that communist connotation any more."

Dalton Miller thought Mrs Clinton "wasn't very likeable". He saw her as a rather divisive figure. As an Ohio resident he was backing his home state Governor John Kasich. But if he was a Democrat he would support Mr Sanders.

Mary Femling and Amanda Crespo are both aged 23 and both backed Mr Sanders.

"He speaks to us," said Ms Femling. "He's strong on things that really matter to us like college fees and healthcare."

So why aren't young women keen on Mrs Clinton, who is hoping to be the first female President?

"This election isn't about gender," Ms Crespo said. "And we don't see Hillary as trustworthy."

These are issues that could well dog Mrs Clinton's campaign as she tries to recover from this pasting in New Hampshire.

Among so many of the new, young voters I have talked to the former First Lady is seen as yesterday's woman.



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