Prog Blogs, Orgs & Alumni
Bank Slate
Betsy Devine
birch, finch, beech
Democracy for NH
Live Free or Die
Mike Caulfield
Miscellany Blue
Granite State Progress
Seacoast for Change
Still No Going Back
Susan the Bruce
Tomorrow's Progressives
Politicos & Punditry
The Burt Cohen Show
John Gregg
Krauss
Landrigan
Lawson
Pindell
Primary Monitor
Primary Wire
Scala
Schoenberg
Spiliotes
Welch
Campaigns, Et Alia.
Paul Hodes
Carol Shea-Porter
Ann McLane Kuster
John Lynch
Jennifer Daler
ActBlue Hampshire
NHDP
DCCC
DSCC
DNC
National
Balloon Juice
billmon
Congress Matters
DailyKos
Digby
Hold Fast
Eschaton
FiveThirtyEight
MyDD
The Next Hurrah
Open Left
Senate Guru
Swing State Project
Talking Points Memo
50 State Blog Network
Alabama
Arizona
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
What a breath of fresh air it is to read a journalist who, instead of playing election season stenographer, actually takes the statements of a candidate and puts them in the context of real life consequences.
When others simply note the arrival of Ayotte's new ads on the Addison death penalty conviction, John Gregg of the Valley News adds this discomfiting insight:
The killing of a police officer, and the imposition of the death penalty, are solemn issues; whether it's appropriate to try to derive political advantage from such a case is a question each of us can answer for ourselves.
When others duly noted the opposition to Kagan that is basically pro forma among GOPer candidates, Gregg takes careful note that Ayotte didn't even bother to wait for hearings before declaring her judgment. After listing the support Kagan received from several prominent Republican legal minds, he adds:
And U.S. Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., who has endorsed Ayotte as his replacement, last week said he will vote for Kagan, saying, "Ms. Kagan and I may have different political philosophies, but I believe that the confirmation process should be based on qualifications, not ideological litmus tests or political affiliation."
All of which raises the question: When it comes to the great value New Hampshire voters place on independent thinking and analysis, is it Elena Kagan who is out of the mainstream, or Kelly Ayotte?
So says John Gregg of the Valley News (h/t Pindell):
Fernald, a 50-year-old lawyer from Sharon, N.H., plans to formally announce his candidacy next week in what is expected to be a crowded Democratic primary to replace U.S. Rep. Paul Hodes, D-N.H., who is running for U.S. Senate next year.
"We have to recognize that there are certain values all Americas share, and they should be guiding our politics. We should have a tax system that is fair, not one that gives special breaks to the rich," Fernald said in a phone interview yesterday. "We should have a health care system that serves everybody, not one that leaves 50 million people out in the cold."
Speaking of Pindell, I have to say I agree in the main with this likely scenario:
Kuster's road to the nomination becomes complicated as the number of candidates increase. It appears that Swett, a centrist Democrat, is weeks from formally entering the race and Kuster, who is more progressive, would prefer as clean of a Democratic primary as possible against Swett. If other progressive candidates like Fernald get in the race it is likely he would take votes away from her. DeJoie, a fire-fighter, could also hurt Kuster's base in Concord and possibly siphon off labor support.
It's clear to me that Kuster - who posted her announcement release right here on BH - is the candidate most closely aligned with the Obama campaign in New Hampshire, and that might be enough of a rallying cry to be the Not Swett candidate. Or it won't and we may have a classic case of ticket-splitting. Remember when Clegg was supposed to be the Republican nominee and Steiner's Concord support handed it to Jennifer S. Horn-Palin?
Speaking for myself, I'm at the very early stages of learning about all of these candidates. I come from a post-Fernald world, if you will, so I don't have the same ties to past races and impressions others may have. And before anyone assumes I'm against her because I threw my support behind Steve Marchand, I should hasten to add that there were elements of Katrina Swett's senate campaign the last cycle that I found very impressive.
One thing I'd love to know is where all of these candidates stood on marriage equality - prior to yesterday's success (with the exception of John DeJoie, who we know is a supporter). If anyone has anything you can point me to, I'd appreciate it. It's not a litmus test for me, just a way of seeing what they were saying (or not saying) when the outcome was in doubt.
John Gregg of the Valley News is the reporter to read for the gathering storm of the marriage equality bill in the senate, imho, since his beat also covers Vermont, giving him a great perspective to view the issue as it moves across state lines:
Legalization of gay marriage in Vermont and Iowa in the past seven days certainly puts New Hampshire in more of a national spotlight in terms of the gay rights battle.
...Given their majorities in both the House and Senate in Concord, aren't Democrats going to have some explaining to do to key constituencies around the country if Iowa allows gay marriage, but the Granite State doesn't?
...It would take a little pop out of that rah rah "first-in-the-nation" stuff when it comes to the primary, wouldn't it?
But read the whole thing. In it is re-confirmed Matt Houde's support for it, and - grrr - Bob Odell's likely no vote. Deb Reynolds, who supports civil unions, is quoted in the piece as well about the bill's first steps in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
As the out-of-state circus comes to town and the pressure mounts, it will be especially important to get your own Granite State support for this bill in to you senator. You can make your voice heard here.
