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NH-01 Congressional Candidates
If looks could kill: Sean Mahoney and Frank Guinta sat beside each other for 90 minutes without acknowledging each other or making eye contact.
Sean Mahoney: Hard right ideologue (traditional variant rather than tea party variant). Strong support for nuclear power and keeping troops in Afghanistan. Mentioned potential military conflict with North Korea, Iran, and China. Talking points: repeal "Obamacare"/cancel stimulus/cut taxes. Describes himself as small businessman, not a lobbyist or politician (ignoring tenure on RNC and two failed attempts at elective office); an "outsider not afraid to break some china."
Rich Ashooh: Personable. Youngest of seven children. Initially talked more about personal qualities than ideology. Then casually unloads whopper: 25% across-the-board cut to federal budget. Proposes Congress pass law to reinterpret 14th amendment (huh?). Forgets to mention career as lobbyist for defense contractor.
Frank Guinta: Described himself as a proven and tested conservative. Cited track record as mayor of Manchester, cut taxes, cut spending, etc. Standard talking points: stimulus bad, unions bad, department of education bad, etc. Seemed a bit lethargic and out of it.
Bob Bestani: The "serious" one. A boring, accountant-type. I don't remember him mentioning family or personal life, but I may have dozed off. Studied under Milton Friedman. Appears now to be to be to right of Friedman. Stimulus bad, money wasted on transvestite sex and stuff (huh?).
Lightning Round: Agreement all around. Typical question: "Are you in favor of providing social security benefits to illegal immigrants? The exception: Should the proposed mosque be built near Ground Zero? All said no, except Mahoney who passed, saying it should be a local issue.
U.S. Senatorial Candidates
Biggest Laugh: What the moderator tried to say: "I'd like to give a special thanks..." What she actually said: "I'd like to give a spank..." (Bender lit up.)
Second Biggest Laugh: Question: Do you think English should be the official US language? Gerard Beloin: "Oui."
Bill Binnie: Smooth and articulate. Surprisingly compelling personal stories. Only candidate to answer "no" to "Are you a social conservative?" Typecast for role as U.S. Senator: polished, dapper and well-groomed. No sign of the prickly, thin-skinned personality he's exhibited before.
Kelly Ayotte: Describes herself as tough, smart, and courageous. Simplistic answers bracketed by sound-bites. ("Watch out Scott Brown, because I can drive a truck with a snowplow on it.") Related getting call in middle of night to make tough decision charging someone with a capital crime. (Really?) Her raspy voice has a fingernails-on-a-chalkboard quality.
Ovide Lamontagne: Tea party favorite. Passionate about Constitution as a "limiting document not a living document." Typecast for role of televangelist or flamboyant defense attorney.
Jim Bender: The "other" businessman whose name starts with a "B". Comes across as back-slapping, frat boy. Typecast for role of popular, handsome, not-too-smart, high school football star. Generic.
Lightning round: All agree English should be official language of U.S., all describe themselves as fiscal conservatives, all would have opposed Elena Kagan, all agree global warming not proven to be man-made, all support term limits, all would abolish Congressional pensions, all agree we're losing our personal freedom.
Cross-posted to Miscellany Blue
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