Clinton loses another campaign aide

Trying to overcome a string of losses and a staff shake-up, Hillary Rodham Clinton...

Trying to overcome a string of losses and a staff shake-up, Hillary Rodham Clinton sought new energy from a boisterous crowd of about 12,000 in a state she hopes will provide a rebound in her quest for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Clinton, whose rallies had been overshadowed by rival Barack Obama’s huge crowds, arrived at the packed University of Texas at El Paso basketball arena as voters were giving Obama victories in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC.

But her sights were set on the March 4 Texas and Ohio primaries and on President George W Bush. “I’m tested, I’m ready, let’s make it happen,” she yelled to cheering supporters.

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She slipped into a “you all” and criticised Bush, the former Texas governor. “There’s a great saying in Texas,” she said, “all hat and no cattle. Well after seven years of George Bush, we need a lot less hat and lot more cattle.”

Clinton did not mention Tuesday’s results, but there were lingering signs of the disquiet in her campaign.Her deputy campaign manager resigned on Tuesday, the latest departure in a staff shake-up follows string of losses to Barack Obama. In an e-mail message to staffers, Mike Henry said he was stepping down to allow campaign manager Maggie Williams to build her own team. Williams replaced Patti Solis Doyle during the weekend. Solis Doyle had recruited Henry to join the campaign last year.