COLUMBIA, S.C. – Barack Obama raised the specter of his defeat in New Hampshire during his final pre-election speech to supporters here last night.

Obama finds himself, as he did in the Granite State, with a significant lead in the polls heading into Election Day. But a repeat of his traumatic loss in New Hampshire would deal his candidacy a potentially fatal blow.

Speaking to a capacity crowd at the Koger Center for the Arts shortly after 11 p.m. last night, Obama recalled that "everybody was so excited" after his win in the Iowa caucuses.

"I think people started thinking, 'This is not hard.' But you know that the status quo doesn't give up that easily…The status quo resists," he said.  read more »