Is New Hampshire red or blue? Actually, the question should also include the color purple during this primary season.
A common sight at candidate events are purple shirted activists handing out purple stickers. They represent New Hampshire For Health Care, a group that is conducting a campaign to raise awareness of the health care issue.The approach is simple and usually effective. They ask presidential candidates of either party to affix on their clothing a purple sticker which bears the message, 'I'm A Health Care Voter.'
So far, most of the candidates have complied with their request. Which means that when all of those news photographers start taking photos of the candidates, the stickers with the health care message are included in the photos. Whenever possible, the activists also position themselves--and their purple shirts with the health care message--in the crowds behind the candidates, ensuring that their message will be recorded by the media cameras aimed at the candidates. On other occasions, they hand out purple T-shirts to people in the audiences, especially those people seated in strategic locations, or more to the point, within view of media cameras.
Yesterday in Manchester, Newt Gingrich, the former speaker of the US House of Representatives, held a book signing event at Walmart. Emmanuel Falck, a purple shirted activist with NH For Health Care, waited in line to meet the speaker. When he reached the front, he presented Gingrich with a book to sign. Gingrich autographed the book. Falck then showed Gingrich the purple sticker and asked him to put it on. Gingrich looked it over with a curious expression and then stuck it on his jacket. The moment represented another successful outing for the folks at New Hampshire For Health Care.
2 comments:
Fascinating to see the republicans going for the purple sticker since the group is backed by SEIU, a union that traditionally sticks with the Dems.
"In the world of politics we have no permanent friends only permanent issues. That's why we must build a strong issues-based political program, driven by grassroots action and beholden to no individual or party." A quote from Andy Stern, International President of SEIU.
As the predident of SEIU Local 1984 (The State Employees' Assn. of NH), I believe wholeheartedly in an apolitical approach to politics. Health care, among many other pressing issues, is an enormous concern for working families. My union's endeavor is to support the candidates that support the issues important to all workers regardless of their political affiliation. If candidates are genuinely willing (and able) to tackle these tough issues then we'll work hard to support their election.
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