The huge crowds turning out for Barack Obama have been one of the big stories of this presidential campaign so far. But we haven't heard a whole lot about what kind of crowds the Republicans have been drawing so far. So here's a look at what's going on in New Hampshire.

Turns out, there are two reasons we're not hearing much.

The Republican candidates may not be able to protect themselves from people who might disagree with them as effectively as Bush has done, but they do seem to be holding far fewer public events than the Democrats. Case in point: Rudy Giuliani, who has been steering well clear of events where he might be challenged.

Other Republican candidates are braving the crowds, though. Only...the crowds aren't that big. Duncan Hunter drew only 35 people in Keene (to be fair, it was a weekday morning). Mitt Romney drew either 75 or more than 100, depending who you ask, for another weekday morning appearance in Keene, and about 120 in Derry (this time in the evening). John McCain is packing them in with a crowd of over 200 in Lebanon.



John McCain in Exeter, NH

(Reuters Photo/Brian Snyder)

It's not just Obama whose audiences are dwarfing those of the Republicans. Hillary Clinton drew nearly 2,000 in Keene. John Edwards drew more than 400 at the University of New Hampshire and nearly 900 in Portsmouth at the end of December. Bill Richardson's audience at Dartmouth last week was about 500.

And Obama? More than 2,000 in Keene.





Barack Obama in Keene, NH

(AP Photo/Jim Cole)

It's pretty clear which party's candidates are producing the most excitement.