Clinton Suffers Early Setbacks in Pennsylvania Primary

Hillary Clinton suffered an early setback in the Pennsylvania primary today when exit polls showed her negative tactics played badly with a majority of voters.

Although polls suggest Clinton was on course to beat Barack Obama in the primary, the poll taken as voters left the ballot box showed 67% thought she had attacked Obama unfairly. This compared with 49% who thought he had attacked her unfairly.

A win in Pennsylvania would help her case for remaining in the race, though Obama has established an almost unassailable lead with only nine contests left.

A cause for concern for Clinton is that many women, on whom she relies for support, said she had attacked him unfairly.

These are the most negative figures since the South Carolina primary in January where race was an issue, with the Clintons blamed for raising it.

Election officials reported record turnouts across the state - in Philadelphia and its environs which Obama is expected to dominate as well as in the small towns of western and central Pennsylvania where Clinton is believed to have an advantage.

Early concerns about faulty voting machines faded as the day wore on.

By evening, Clinton supporters were quietly confident of a win. Joe Sestak, a former navy admiral now serving his first term in Congress, and a Clinton supporter, told reporters he believed that Clinton would win by at least 5% - a clear victory, but still short of the margin needed to alter the dynamics of the race.

But in central Philadelphia it appeared as if the day belonged to Obama. His supporters were out in force on street corners, handing out leaflets and holding up signs. One volunteer said the campaign had gone to the extent of leafleting lockers in local sports clubs.

Supporters spelling out his name in large blue and white signs and chanting "Barack the Vote" stood in front of the television trucks parked in front of the hotel hosting Clinton's election night party.