Opinion: Clinton camp shakeup? Maybe not

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Manchester, N.H. -- Shortly before New Hampshire’s polls closed -- a time when the big question in Democratic political circles was how easily Barack Obama would win today’s primary, not whether he would win -- reports were hot and heavy of an impending shakeup in Hillary Clinton’s camp.

Changes still might come; not so long ago, after all, the party’s nominating contest was considered hers to lose. But as Clinton staked out, and held, a consistent lead in the race -- and with Obama conceding just moments ago -- there were no recriminations emanating from her camp, at least publicly.

Clinton strategist Ann Lewis was asked earlier in the evening about staff overhauls and, The Times’ Peter Nicholas reports, she responded: ‘ We’re gearing up -- not shaking up.’’

In comments to Fox News Channel, Lewis put this spin on possible staff changes: ‘We have always known that as we got past New Hampshire the campaign was going to need to grow, evolve and expand. We’ve got 21 states in all of one day on Feb. 5. That’s a real Super Tuesday. We knew we’d have to be getting bigger to deal with it. ... Again, there is room in the campaign for a lot of smart, hardworking, good people.”

-- Don Frederick