Romney, Clinton Continue To Lead Polls

A new Mason-Dixon poll shows Hillary Clinton and Mitt Romney leading the New Hampshire fields. The polls shows Clinton at 26%, Obama with 21%, John Edwards at 18%, Bill Richardson with 9% and Joe Biden moving up to 6%.

In the Republican field, Romney leads with 27%, John McCain is behind with 16%, Rudy Giuliani at 15%, Fred Thompson with 12% and Mike Huckabee moving to 5%.

This poll follows a Franklin Pierce College/WBZ poll that showed Romney leading the race with 28%, Rudy coming in with 18%, McCain at 16% and Fred Thompson at 9%.

"Divided We Fail" Holds Healthcare Forums

The organization "Divided We Fail" is hosting a series of "Deliberative Dialogues" sessions. These sessions are focused on health care and long-term economic security. "Divided We Fail" which is collaboration between the AARP, the Business Roundtable, and the SEIU. All discussions are free, moderated, allow equal participation, and are open to the public.

The group e-mailed presidential campaigns urging their candidates to participate. The e-mail read, "As decision makers, it is our hope that they will utilize these formats as opportunities to listen to what constituents believe are the important factors when considering health care and financial security."

The first session is occurring in Claremont on Monday, June 11th. More information can be found by e-mailing nhaarp@aarp.org or call (603) 621-1002

Gravel To Appear on NHPR

Former Alaska Senator Mike Gravel is scheduled to appear on NHPR's The Exchange this Monday, June 11th, 2007. Gravel will be on from 9-10 am.

Details are on the website: http://www.nhpr.org/node/13070

Fred's Coming, Fred's Coming!!

New Hampshire citizens must begin to prepare themselves for the best thing since slice bread, at least in the eyes of some Republicans.

The Union Leader is reporting that former Senator Fred Thompson will make his first Granite State visit on June 28th. Ted Gatsas told DiStaso that Thompson will appear at a fundraiser for the Senate Republican PAC.

The event is taking place at the Wayfarer Inn in Bedford and a tickets for a private reception, with Fred, are going for a cool $500. $50 will get you through the door for the general reception.

UPDATE: This update, from Steven Smith who is the "Fred2008 NH State Coordinator"

Fred Thompson will headline a NH Senate Victory PAC fundraiser at the Wayfarer Inn in Bedford, NH on 6/28. General reception tickets are $50 per person. Private reception tickets with Fred (and photo op) are $500. We can send invitations to purchase tickets to interested parties. Steve Smith, PO Box 624, Charlestown, NH 03603, (603)826-5940, fred4pres@gmail.com . Please do not send us money.

Carl Johnson Endorses McCain

From the John McCain presidential campaign:

On the heels of a strong performance in the New Hampshire debate, John McCain's presidential campaign today announced the endorsement of former state Senator Carl Johnson. Johnson joins state Senators Gallus, Bragdon, Barnes and Downing on the McCain team.

"I'm supporting John McCain because he's experienced, pragmatic and tested," said Johnson. "I look forward to working on behalf of Senator McCain in the Granite State."

Dodd Reaches Out To NH Peace Corps Volunteers

From the Chris Dodd campaign:

Senator and Presidential candidate Chris Dodd announced today that he has recently sent a letter to retired Peace Corps Volunteers asking them to join his campaign here in New Hampshire. Dodd, who began his career in public service when he served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Dominican Republic from 1966 to 1968, sent letters to over 500 retired Peace Corps Volunteers from New Hampshire.

Dodd's New Hampshire campaign has also announced that Dan Calegari of Deerfield will organize and serve as Chair of Peace Corps Volunteers for Dodd in New Hampshire. Calegari is a retired Peace Corps Volunteer who served in Iran from 1973 to 1975.

"Throughout his career, Chris has shown that he understands the role America and the American people can play in improving people's lives both at home and abroad," said Calegari.

Huckabee

Mike Huckabee's campaign has put together a video of New Hampshire supporters. Here is the video:

Team Huckabee has put together a truly touching video from New Hampshire.

Supporters from New Hampshire give their testimony about the Governor

A must watch:

http://www.explorehuckabee.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Blogs.View&Blog_id=114

Ann Romney Visits NH

Today, June 8th, Ann Romney, wife of Mitt Romney, was in the Granite State. Mrs. Romney spoke to the Nashua Area Federation of Republican Women and visited Robie's Country Store in Hooksett.

Goun Endorses Clinton

Roger Goun, the co-Founder of Democracy for New Hampshire (DFNH), has endorsed Hillary Clinton. Goun said that, "Senator Clinton is clearly the most qualified candidate to lead our country into a much needed period of change." Goun is currently running for the State Senate and is the Chair of the Brentwood Democratic Town Committee.

Clinton To Appear on WMUR

Hillary Clinton's New Hampshire State Director announced that:

"On Friday at 7:30 p.m. WMUR is going to air its "Conversation with a Candidate" program that features an in-studio town hall with Hillary and about 50 New Hampshire voters. Hillary will be answering questions posed by WMUR anchors and undecided New Hampshire voters, and I think she will demonstrate why she deserves your vote."

Sarah Huckabee: Dad Gaining Ground

The Huckabee campaign released a statement from his daughter, Sarah. In her statement, Sarah, discussed the debate weekend and said that "we are certainly gaining ground." Here is a part of the statement:

Thank goodness the weather the last few days in New Hampshire hasn’t reflected the spirit of the people here. Over the last couple of my days my dad has visited with people from all over the state and has had an extremely warm reception.

Whether it was the group of businessmen dining in the restaurant with us who just couldn’t get enough of my Dad on our way out or the cashier at the Manchester Wal-Mart who had just turned 18 and couldn’t wait to vote for Mike Huckabee, the truth is our numbers are growing.

Obama Promotes "Walk for Change"

This weekend, Barack Obama's New Hampshire campaign is urging its supporters to participate in a statewide canvass. The Obama canvass labeled "Walk for Change." Here is a copy of the press release:

In the Democratic debate last Sunday evening, Barack demonstrated his leadership and presented his bold, optimistic vision for America's future. Now he needs your help to share that vision.

This Saturday, we need you to tell your neighbors about Barack's vision for change. There are already 16 organized canvasses all across New Hampshire - including one near you - as part of an unprecedented national Walk for Change.

Paul Supporters Pack Taproom

Ron Paul supporters held a post-debate party at Manchester's Taproom. We're told that there was almost 400 people at the event. Here are some photos from the debate and post-debate party.

http://www.nhlibertycalendar.org/ronpaul.php

Dems Rally Before Debate

Here is a link to a video of the intense rally before the Democratic debate on Sunday.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLfk-mxHeSY

Clinton To Keynote Central HS Graduation

Hillary Clinton will deliver the keynote address at Manchester's Central High School. The New York Senator will give the speech on June 14th at the Verizon Wireless Arena. Clinton becomes the first presidential candidate to deliver a speech at a Central High School graduation.

Elephant vs. Donkey

An devout reader e-mailed us their thoughts on the debates.

Republican crowds pale to Democrats outside debate hall

This AP headline says it all...

There were at least 25% less reporters in the hall

The student ' lounge' was almost empty on Tuesday night; it was SRO on Sunday.

AND THE WINNER: The Democrats

My two cents: Also, Lou Dobbs wasn't in New Hampshire for the GOP debates, but was at St. Anselm for the Sunday Democratic debate.

Kucinich Buys NH Campaign HQ

Dennis Kucinich's campaign now has a New Hampshire headquarters. The Ohio Congressman's office is in Dover. Here is the address and phone number:

340 Central Ave Ste 205
Dover, NH 03820
603-749-2818

Lamontagne: Romney Clear Choice To Lead America

From The Romney campaign:

"Tonight, Governor Romney demonstrated that he is the best candidate to bring Granite State values to Washington. With his entrepreneurial leadership style and vision, he showed that he will strengthen and protect the American people by supporting our families, strengthening our economy and letting them keep more of their own money while expanding the military to ensure our national security. Governor Romney is the clear choice to lead America forward."

Ovide Lamontagne
1996 Republican
Gubernatorial Nominee
June 5, 2007

Spaulding: McCain Dominated Issues

From the McCain campaign:

Peter Spaulding, New Hampshire Campaign Chairman for John McCain 2008, issued the following statement on tonight’s Republican presidential debate.

“Senator McCain demonstrated his strength and conviction tonight as he proved to voters why he’s prepared to lead on day one. Part of what makes John’s leadership style so unique is his willingness to engage voters in straight talk – and that’s exactly why he continues to be the favorite in New Hampshire.

“Possessing a superior command of the issues, Senator McCain talked about the importance of reducing America’s dependence on foreign sources of energy, cutting wasteful spending and protecting American soil from Islamic extremism. Tonight’s forum allowed the Senator to draw on a lifetime of honorable service, and show voters why he’s the strongest and most prepared Republican to lead.”

In My Humble Opinion (Part 2)

Here are some observations from the Republican debate.

-Did anyone else see Dr. Dante Scala behind WMUR's Spaulding? Take about product placement!!
-The clear winner in all this was St. Anselm College. They got lots of name recognition and has already landed debates with ABC and Fox.
-Iraq and immigration dominated the debate. Though, it was interesting that question topics included evolution, English and homosexuals in the military.
-All in all, in my humble opinion the field does not change...that is until Fred and/or Newt joins the race.

Note: The St. Anselm College Portraits Magazine reads, "In addition to hosting the debates June 3 and 5 with CNN as the lead sponsor, Saint Anselm College has agreed to two national media partnerships for the 2008 primary season--one with ABC News and the other with Fox News.

Seven Exciting Edwards Events

Here are "Seven Exciting Events" that John Edwards will be participating in. Senator Edwards is scheduled for a New Hampshire visit, this weekend.

Friday, June 8 Events

12:30pm
House Party in Rochester
Home of Jack and Abigail Collins
61 Fiddlehead Lane
Rochester, NH 03867

3:00pm
Town Hall in Derry
Books and Beyond Bookstore
37 Crystal Avenue
Derry, NH 03038

4:30pm
Town Hall in Nashua
Amherst Street Elementary School
71 Amherst Street
Nashua, NH 03060

6:15pm
Town Hall in Manchester
Victory Park
119 Concord Street
Manchester, NH 03101(Note: In case of rain, this event will be moved to the NH Institute of Art at 148 Concord Street, Manchester, NH 03101) RSVP to any of these events: http://johnedwards.com/r/16420/868911/

Saturday, June 9 Events

10:30 AM
John Edwards Speaks at 4th Annual Democracy Fest
Wayfarer Inn121 South River Road
Bedford, NH 03110

12:15pm
Community BBQ on the Green in Franklin
The Historic Green (outside the Seufert Law offices)
59 Central Street
Franklin, NH 03235

3:00pm
Town Hall in Exeter
Home of Julie and Greg Gilman
96 High Street
Exeter, NH 03833

RSVP to any of these events: http://johnedwards.com/r/16422/868911/

In My Humble Opinion...

I recently posted this on the Saint Anselm College debate blog. The post was entitled, "In My Humble Opinion."

Since the entire media has already covered many aspects of the Democratic debate, here are some quick observations:
- It was disappointing to see that the CNN Express Bus replaced the view of Alumni Hall. Sunday morning viewers had a clear shot of the building, but by the afternoon that view was blocked by the giant bus.
- I feel bad for the CNN sound crew. Fahey's mic did not work (twice) and the "back chatter" of the candidates could be heard throughout the debate. Columnists from The Politico, The Hotline, and others wrote on the topic.
- It's disappointing to see little focus on the Biden, Dodd and Richardson. The Big Three were able to debate between each other, while the second-tier candidates were constrained. Even, Ray Buckley is complaining that NBC 's fall debate better not follow the CNN route.
- Finally, a student from the Saint Anselm College student body should have been given the opportunity to ask a question.

http://blogs.saintanselmcollege.net/2007/06/04/a-few-observations/

Note: The last sentence of this post was edited by the St. Anselm College press office. Originally, it stated "Finally, a student from the Saint Anselm College student body should have been given the opportunity to ask a question. Replace professors with students. Professor Masur is great, but students pay tuition."

Ambinder Starts New Blog

The Hotline's Marc Ambinder has started a new website. Ambinder is now an Atlantic associate editor and will be "blogging the 2008 presidential election from the roadshows."

Check out the site here: http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/

Lobsterman Offers Complimentary Lobster Dinners

The Lobsterman e-mailed the following statement, announcing his presidential intentions:

JEFF "Lobsterman" COSTA for PRESIDENT 2008 Jeff Costa NH's only homegrown Presidential candidate and self proclaimed "WORLD's BIGGEST LONGSHOT" in the race for the White House as a WRITE-IN Candidate today is issuing a message to all potential voters who may see him as a viable alternative to the current wave of Candidates seen on the recent Debates that COSTA has not been invited to.

"If I Jeffrey Costa The Lobsterman am elected President of The United States of America through the support of write-in votes that are counted manually not electronically and prove that I and no other running Candidate have been voted for by the people as the Popular choice as President. I WILL MAKE SURE EVERYONE THAT WROTE IN A VOTE FOR ME IS SUPPLIED WITH A COMPLIMENTARY LOBSTER DINNER FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY TO CELEBRATE MY VICTORY"

We are aware of the logistical problems that may arise arranging these dinners and we are working on a plan for the Celebration dinners as the Campaign progresses.

Romney Names NH Business Coalition

From the Mitt Romney campaign:

Today, Governor Mitt Romney named the Romney for President New Hampshire Business Coalition. Led by Statewide Chairs Ben Gamache, Steve Griffin and Ray Pinard and the County Chairs for each of the ten counties across the state, this group of business leaders will work to ensure New Hampshire voters know that Governor Romney is the candidate who will bring real change to Washington by using techniques he learned in the business world.

Huckabee Calls For Tougher Borders

Photo is: ©Chris Fitzgerald/CandidatePhotos.com

In this picture, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee holds a girl that he struck up a conversation with during a meet-the-candidate house party at the Jackson residence in Francestown, NH. During a Q&A session with party goers, someone asked him about his views with respect to the notion of permitting marijuana use for medical purposes. Huckabee stated that he was opposed to the idea, which led him to a conversation into the immigration issue. He argued that the borders needs to be closed. In regards to oil Huckabee said that, "The U.S. is being held hostage to foreign oil. The country should really seek energy independence within the decade." More can be found here:

http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Huckabee+calls+for+closing+borders%2c+trade+negotiations&articleId=73e208a1-62e5-45e9-a7b7-16b4d2d7f9a2

Dems Release Press Releases

Several Democratic Presidential campaigns have released press releases on their performances. The releases read:

Clinton: "The Reviews Are In: 'She Won,' 'It Was Hillary's Night,' 'Dominate' The release was a composition of quotes from David Gergen, J.C. Watt and Rick Klein and others

Dodd: "Dodd Demonstrates Presidential Leadership In Second Debate" The release stated that, "Despite the disproportionate amount of time alloted each candidate Chris Dodd again demonstrated that he is the only candidate with the conviction and boldness to solve the challenges the country faces."

Edwards: "Strong Preformer"; "Smart" and " Bold" This release also was comprised up of quotes from politicos such as Chuck Todd, Donna Brazile and Larry King.

Huckabee Visits Darthmouth CRs

The Dartmouth College Republicans e-mailed us the following story:

Over 70 students turned out as the Dartmouth College Republicans hosted former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, even though some students had already left campus. The Governor joined the CRs for a pizza study break during Dartmouth's finals weekend. He discussed some of his ideas, took questions from students, and then mingled with those assembled. Reviews from students were consistently positive, even from the few Democrats who decided to attend.

Granite Status: Ryan Joins Biden, Soucy Endorses Clinton

The Granite Status is reporting that Franklin State Representative Jim Ryan will be joining Joe Biden's campaign as a "paid senior adviser." Also, Donna Soucy has endorsed Hillary Clinton.

Elizabeth Edwards To Speak At City Year

Elizabeth Edwards will be speaking with Governor John Lynch, U.S. Senator Judd Gregg, and Timberland CEO Jeff Swartz at the cyzygy'07 Day of Service Kickoff in downtown Manchester's Veteran's Park on Friday, June 15th at 9:00 am. Over 3,000 volunteers - including over 1,000 AmeriCorps members with City Year - will serve at projects throughout the State of New Hampshire.

Debate Links

Photo is: ©Chris Fitzgerald/CandidatePhotos.com

Because there is so much to post on the presidential debates, I have included a couple of blogs that covered the debates:

The Hotline:
http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/

The Politico's Ben Smith:
http://dyn.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/index.cfm/category/Debates

Saint Anselm College:
http://blogs.saintanselmcollege.net/category/nhprimary/debates/

First Read:
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/