Love her or hate her, Hillary Clinton is on the minds of New Hampshire voters. In conversations about the presidential campaign yesterday, the New York senator's name was the one uttered most often.

"I'd like Hillary to make it," said Steve Sinclair, 49, of Concord. "I'd like to see a woman up there."

Jean Jorgensen, 55, of Concord, said exactly the opposite.

"I don't know if we're ready for a woman yet," Jorgensen said. "I don't know if I'm ready for Hillary."

The Monitor's unscientific survey, taken in Concord's parks, shops and Laundromats on a lazy Sunday afternoon, was meant to gauge whether local voters are paying attention to the months-away presidential primary. Sure, candidates are visiting - last week alone saw Democrat Bill Richardson become the first White House contender to visit the town of Marlow, Republican Mike Huckabee jam with his rock band in Concord and Democrat Barack Obama stop by a Laconia burger joint. But are Granite Staters taking note?

The answer, by and large, was yes. (There were a few exceptions, including an "I'm not paying attention and I don't plan to" from a woman who declined to give her name and a man who said "I'm from Massachusetts; I don't vote.") Most of those interviewed said they're keeping an eye on the candidates, especially the front-runners, although they haven't made up their minds.

"I usually don't know (who I'll vote for) until within a month or two weeks before the primary," said Fred Douglas, 56, of Bow. "By November, maybe."

Other voters pointed to the lack of lawn signs and bumper stickers as proof that New Hampshire is taking its time. That seemed true yesterday. A drive around Concord turned up one Obama '08 bumper sticker, affixed to a Volvo, and one red-white-and-blue Ron Paul lawn sign.

Most voters said they hadn't been to any campaign events or watched any televised debates, even those staged in New Hampshire. They said they watched the news - a few mentioned Democrat John Edwards's reported $400 haircuts - and read local newspapers to learn about the candidates.

So far, some like what they've seen more than others.

"Once I start to like someone, I hear something bad," said Debbie Sheldon, 20, of Concord.

As an example, Sheldon pointed to Clinton. She liked the Democratic former first lady until she began hearing that Clinton is leaning too much on her husband, former President Bill Clinton.

"She's been using her husband's status," Sheldon said. " 'Look, my husband can do it, I can too.' "

Trevor Ebel, 41, of Hillsboro said he's "not real excited" about any of the candidates. A self-described most-of-the-time Republican, Ebel said he's watching former GOP senator Fred Thompson, who visited New Hampshire last month and has said he's considering running for president.

Douglas, "a Democrat with an independent mind," predicted that the next president has yet to "come out of the woodwork."

He guessed that New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who's also flirting with a presidential candidacy, will give both parties a run for their money.

Those interviewed expressed mixed opinions on whether the slate of candidates is talking about issues that are important to them. A few, such as Ebel, said the candidates are hitting the main points, including the war in Iraq. The majority, however, said they'd like to hear more about the environment and what the candidates plan to do to help the increasingly cash-strapped middle class.

"The middle class is hurting," said Dara Lehans of Epsom, who declined to give her age. "It's almost impossible to keep up anymore. There's the housing market, taxes, even the cost of food." (next page »)