Soon after Sen. Hillary Clinton said she's running for president, she began calling New Hampshire Democrats.

Clinton called Bill Shaheen and former Gov. Jeanne Shaheen around noon yesterday, said Bill Shaheen. Clinton got the Shaheen's answering machine and left a message, saying that she was looking forward to the campaign, Shaheen said.

"She said it was very exciting and she was very enthusiastic," he said. "I think it's wonderful anytime someone of her caliber wants to run for president."

The Shaheens attended a town hall meeting for another candidate, Sen. Chris Dodd, yesterday afternoon.

Bill Shaheen, chairman of Al Gore's 2000 primary campaign, said he would join a presidential campaign by the end of spring.

Jeanne Shaheen will not join a campaign while she's the director of the Harvard University Institute of Politics, Bill said. Asked yesterday whether she would run for a U.S. Senate seat in 2008, she said, "I'm haven't made any decision."

Lenore Patton, chairwoman of the Rockingham County Democrats, took a call from a member of Clinton's campaign yesterday morning. The campaign worker told Patton that the senator herself would be calling soon.

"I told her I'd do everything I can to provide information to all the campaigns," Patton said. "If the candidates come in, we'll have them."

Anita Freedman spoke with Clinton and her husband in the past month. Freedman didn't speak with the senator yesterday but sensed from a previous call that Clinton was in.

"There was no question," said Freedman, a former Democratic national committeewoman. "She didn't come out and say it. She didn't have to."

Freedman, of Portsmouth, said she was thrilled with yesterday's news. She already told Clinton that she'll help her campaign.

"I guess when they get ready they'll holler," she said. "I get several people calling to tell me they want to help her."

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By WALTER ALARKON

Monitor staff