Few have charged Bill Clinton of being boring.

And even after Tsongas beat Clinton by eight percentage points in the New Hampshire primary, the Massachusetts Democrat seemed to take his victory less well than Clinton took a defeat.

At his victory rally Tuesday night, Tsongas seemed awkward. Of course, few would be their most refined after winning an big election, but Tsongas' repeated fist-clenching arm-flexing gesticulations struck some as rehearsed.

And from his first words, Tsongas' rhetoric perplexed many of those watching.

After hugging his wife, Tsongas took the podium and said, "Well, New Hampshire, you did it again. You gave them hell."

Slightly inebriated party-goers erupted in joyous celebration, but several members of the national media and at least one campaign aide were seen turning to colleagues with a look that said, "What was that supposed to mean?"

And Tsongas grew visibly frustrated as his victory speech was interrupted several times by chants, applause and supportive screams. The rally staples appeared to be causing him to lose his train of thought.

"Hey," he shot in the direction of one outburst, "this is my speech."

Still, Tsongas did go home that night the winner. And for a man who entered the race for the presidency 10 months ago to chuckles by a few and disregard by many (some called him Tstupid), Tsongas has truly accomplished something.

For a man who can sometimes come across as an automation, Tsongas' brand of humor--unique to politics these days--may have something to do with his success.

"I came from a disadvantaged home," Tsongas likes to say at the beginning of his stump speech. "My parents are Republicans."

And in the age of spin doctors and sound bites, Tsongas filmed a television commercial of himself in a swimming pool.

"If you think it's tough to take on a president with a 90 percent rating, try being 50-years-old and having your picture taken in a Speedo bathing suit," reads one Tsongas campaign brochure. "Now, that's courage."

There is something endearing about Tsongas' Letterman-esque humor although, admittedly, he works a harder at it than Letterman needs to and the wit is not at the same level.

Listen to Tsongas on President Bush: