ABC's Snow labeled Clinton's discussion of housing issues "tedious"

tedious." Snow said that Clinton spent "10 minutes" answering a question "on real estate insurance," then showed a brief clip of Clinton saying, "I think we should raise FHA [Federal Housing Administration] limits." Clinton has promoted Federal Housing Administration reform, aimed at easing the subprime mortgage crisis and increasing opportunities for home ownership.

Snow did not quote any attendees saying they found her housing-related answers "tedious," nor did she provide any further detail about what Clinton was talking about in her response.

From the January 7 edition of ABC's World News with Charles Gibson:

GIBSON: So we'll begin with the Democrats and ABC's Kate Snow with Hillary Clinton in Salem, New Hampshire -- Kate.

SNOW: Charlie, good evening. Senator Clinton never actually let a tear escape from her eye and roll down her face, but if you were in the room, you could tell that she was clearly fighting back tears. And the question now with her campaign struggling is: Will this one moment help or hurt?

[begin video clip]

SNOW: Clinton had been fielding questions for an hour, sitting in a Portsmouth coffee shop with 17 undecided voters. Her answers were detailed, even tedious -- 10 minutes on real estate insurance.

CLINTON: And I think we should raise FHA limits.

SNOW: And then one final question.

MARIANNE PERNOLD-YOUNG (New Hampshire voter): As a woman, I know it's hard to get out of the house and to get ready, and my question is very personal: How do you do it?

CLINTON: I couldn't do it if I just didn't, you know, passionately believe it was the right thing to do. You know, I have so many opportunities from this country. I just don't want to see us fall backwards. This is very personal for me. It's not just political, it's not just public. I see what's happening, and we have to reverse it. And some people think elections are a game. They think it's like who's up or who's down. It's about our country, and it's about our kids' futures. And it's really about all of us, together. You know, some of us put ourselves out there and do this against some pretty difficult odds.

But some of us are right and some of us are wrong. Some of us are ready, and some of us are not. Some of us know what we will do on day one, and some of us haven't really thought that through enough.

SNOW: We spoke to people in the room, both before and after Clinton's appearance. That moment swayed some voters from Obama to Clinton.

Did that clinch it?

ALISON HAMILTON (New Hampshire voter): Her whole thing today really convinced me, but that really did clinch it for me, yeah.

SNOW: The moment was the talk of New Hampshire politics today. A reporter asked John Edwards to respond to Clinton's emotion.

JOHN EDWARDS (Democratic presidential candidate): I really don't have anything to say about that. I think what we need in a commander-in-chief is strength and resolve. And it's -- you know, presidential campaigns are tough business, but being president of the United States is also very tough business.

SNOW: Clinton herself has taken on the weight of her campaign. It was her idea to take so many questions and confront Barack Obama.

CLINTON: That's not change.

SNOW: Late today, in an interview for tomorrow's Good Morning America, [anchor] Diane Sawyer asked Senator Clinton if different standards apply to female candidates.

CLINTON: Now, as a woman, I know that I've got to be, you know, always presenting a very, you know, sort of organized front, and nobody's ever said that, that wasn't one of my strong suits. But I, also, you know, I'm a person, much to some people's surprise.

SNOW: Clinton is hoping showing that other side will help bring women to the polls tomorrow. Kate Snow, ABC News, Salem, New Hampshire.

show less...