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  Hillary's Hostage Situation

  Posted Friday, November 30, 2007 3:37 PM | By Christopher Beam

  "The Democrats, for once, have had a fairly quiet week ..."

  -- Marc Ambinder, Nov. 30, 9:42 a.m.

  And then this. Local networks are reporting that a man strapped with a bomb took campaign workers hostage at the Clinton campaign's Rochester, N.H. offices. Two hostages have been released, but there's still a standoff between the man, who's apparently a well-known local wacko, and the police. The man reportedly demanded to speak with Hillary. The Obama and Edwards campaigns have evacuated their offices. You can watch a streaming local broadcast here.
  

  The Clinton campaign released this statement: "There is an ongoing situation in our Rochester, NH office.  We are in close contact with state and local authorities and are acting at their direction.  We will release additional details as appropriate." 

  UPDATE 5:44 p.m.: Still no word on whether or not there are still hostages inside. Local police captain Paul Callaghan's press conference yielded no new information. The hostage taker is being identified as Leeland Eisenberg, a local kook "well-known to police." (Initial reports said he was Troy Stanley.) Regular updates here and here.

  UPDATE 6:17 p.m.: The standoff seems to be over. Just watched Leeland Eisenberg surrounded by a SWAT team, arrested, and pushed into a police vehicle. He came out of the building right after a last hostage, a young man, was released.
  

  Filed under: Hillary Clinton

About Christopher Beam

• Christopher Beam is a Slate political reporter.

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