Clinton impresses with handling of hostage drama

By Susan Cornwell

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton was impressive in the cool way she handled the drama of a man seizing hostages at one of her campaign offices, some voters and analysts said on Saturday.

But the incident, which ended with the man surrendering peacefully at the office in the New Hampshire town of Rochester on Friday night, may not have much impact on a tightening Democratic race for the White House.

"If this had happened on the weekend prior to (party caucuses in) Iowa, I think it might have helped Hillary Clinton. But that's 34 days away," said Larry Sabato, a politics professor at the University of Virginia.

Clinton, a New York senator, did the right thing by going into "crisis" mode as soon as news broke about the man taking the people hostage and claiming to have a bomb, Sabato said.

She canceled her schedule and was available by phone to help police as they negotiated with the man, Leeland Eisenberg, for several hours. After the incident ended with no injuries and Eisenberg under arrest, Clinton flew to New Hampshire and thanked police for their efforts to keep the hostages safe.

"She looked good," Sabato said. "I think it's positive but it will dissipate long before the voting."

Stephen Wayne, professor of government at Georgetown University, also saw no impact on the presidential race.

"You have a man who wanted attention," he said of the hostage-taker. "I don't think it would change anybody's vote."