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(Frank Guinta continues to hide from voters and their pesky questions. - promoted by Dean Barker)
I am at the Temple Adeth Yeshurun in Manchester for the traditional final debates. Frank Guinta is not showing up, which is pretty rude, since this is his adopted home town where he was mayor and he knows this is a traditional must stop before general election. He is dis'ing the Queen City.
Kelly Ayotte is not showing up either, which also shows a certain tone deafness, but at least she isn't from Manchester.
So, we will hear from both CSP and Paul, and see the final debate between Governor Lynch and Johnny Stephen.
And ask, why is Frank afraid to face the hometown crowd?
Adding (Dean):
GOTV! GOTV! GOTV! GOTV! GOTV! GOTV! GOTV!
Call NHDP at 603-225-6899 to find out how to help.
Call the Shea-Porter campaign at 603-531-9653 to find out how to help. ALL HANDS ON DECK: WE CAN WIN THIS RACE!
In case you hadn't noticed, John Lynch took it to John Stephen last night. His viz was stellar. Stephen had bullies with bullhorns, shouting ignorant and hateful lies with great vigor and venom. Team Lynch was in uniform, under control and passionate as well.
The governor was crisp, his answers on point. Even the stingy grading Professor Pindell gave him an A.
The campaign he has run since day one, has shown a sharp, clear understanding of the stakes, the playing field, and the strategy of the opposition. Make no mistake, Johnny Stephen is no stumbling Guinta or bumbling Bass. He made a deal with the devil, a.k.a., the Roves, Murdochs, Smiths and Carneys of the world, and has had from some estimates 4-8 times the money to spend on TV, than Lynch. His out of state hidden donors had a willing recipient of their ownership. He will do their bidding. They bid up the cost of airtime and tried to drown Lynch out. Not gonna happen.
Are there enough donuts in Massachusetts to make up for this sweep? (No, of course the UL doesn't count.)
UPDATE: And here comes the Laconia Citizen!
Lynch has succeeded in steering this state through treacherous waters these past two years. He has managed to accomplish this without resorting to a sales or income tax. Moreover, he has not yielded to the enticements of those who push for expanded gambling.
Meeting this challenge has not been easy and, yes, there have been missteps. But Lynch has remained focused and sensible. He has been even-handed and serious. And, most importantly, he is someone who is widely respected, both in government and in the private sector.
Senate Bill 500 (SB 500) reforms New Hampshire's prison parole and probation guidelines, emphasizing community supervision of inmates leaving prison. John Stephen and his supporters have made it the centerpiece of a vicious, negative campaign, calling it, "John Lynch's sex offender release bill.”
Over at Front Door Politics, Michael McCord and Hilary Niles separate fact from fiction in a dispassionate, week-long series on the new law. The series begins with a look back at the legislation’s background.
Before it became an election season issue for New Hampshire, Senate Bill 500 was hailed by Republican and Democratic lawmakers alike as an innovation in criminal justice. It would deal with the state’s problem of recidivism, fueled largely by parole and probation violations. It would reduce incarceration rates. It would improve public safety and save money along the way.
The series continues by fact-checking the SB 500 campaign ads. Upcoming articles promise to compare New Hampshire's new law with similar initiatives from other states and provide perspective from candidates and residents alike to determine what the new law really means for New Hampshire.
Followers of Stephen have exploited [SB 500] irresponsibly, including one mail piece that depicts photos of Lynch and several sex offenders and calling the group "Team Lynch."
We've seen negative campaigning aplenty, but this attack by Cornerstone Action was particularly troubling and shameful.
...But of all of Stephen's claims, his allegation that Lynch is not a leader rings the most hollow. Lynch is a populist. It's hard to imagine a hand in this state he hasn't shaken in his nearly six years of leading New Hampshire.
There were many reasons for the Telegraph to endorse Lynch. But in my fantasy version, it was Cornerstone's disgusting act which was the deciding factor.
Will any paper outside of the Union Leader go for the donut guy?
Even through difficult economic times, New Hampshire has fared well under Democratic Gov. John Lynch. He has earned re-election to a fourth two-year term.
Under Lynch, job growth has occurred at the second fastest rate in the nation, second only to Kentucky. Unemployment has been moderate, with the seasonally adjusted rate for September at just 5.5 percent, well below the national average of 9.6 percent for the same month.
Lynch has tackled the recession head-on with an innovative programs to limit job losses and get people back to work.
Adding: We're all a little busy right now with the election right on us, but after Lynch wins a historic fourth term, I think I am going to spend a fair amount of time on Cornerstone for their Karl Rove/Lee Atwater mailer. It is easily the sleaziest, most shameful ad I've ever seen in New Hampshire politics. And considering some of the slime that has passed through the pipes from the GOP or pro-GOP groups in recent years, that is really saying something. John Stephen deserves to lose solely on the basis of not publicly rebuking that ad. Here's hoping WMUR's Josh, who has really been a great debate panelist these past two nights, brings it up tomorrow.
In 1998, Karl Rove’s mentor, Lee Atwater, masterminded an infamous political ad that played on racial fears and portrayed Gov. Michael Dukakis as soft on crime. The Willie Horton ad featured the menacing mug shot of Horton, an African-American convicted of assault, armed robbery, and rape while out on a prison furlough. The ad was roundly condemned as racist and Atwater eventually issued a deathbed apology to Dukakis.
Histoy repeats itself in a direct mail piece attacking Gov. John Lynch. The mailer from Cornerstone Action attacks Lynch for his support of SB 500, the prison parole reform bill Cornerstone describes as "John Lynch's sex offender release bill." The mailer features Lynch in a line-up with four sex offenders, including two African-Americans and a Latino.
Why hasn't John Stephen denounced this mailer? Where's the outrage?
(It will be very interesting to see if any paper stoops low enough to justify endorsing Mystery Money man. - promoted by Dean Barker)
In today's edition, the Portsmouth Herald endorses John Lynch and Carol Shea-Porter! Here are the links:
http://www.seacoastonline.com/...
http://www.seacoastonline.com/...
More (Dean): Money quote:
The rich and powerful in this country can buy all the people they need to work for them. The other 99 percent of voters in New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District are lucky to have Carol Shea-Porter working for us.
(How ironic that a group with alleged Christian values is basically, and falsely, equating John Lynch to a sex offender. John Lynch, who has been more successful than any other governor in keeping poverty at bay for his citizens. Disgusting. NB: both links are in .pdf format. - promoted by Dean Barker)
ACTION ALERT: MAKE SURE YOUR NEIGHBORS KNOW THE TRUTH!
A vile, outrageous and false attack from the National Organization of Marriage/Cornerstone Action arrived in many of mailboxes across New Hampshire this week. We need your help to make sure your neighbors know the truth!
The mail piece, which you can see here, continues John Stephen and company's false attacks on Gov. Lynch's strong record of public safety.
Here's how you can help. Print out this flyer and distribute it your neighbors so that they know the truth: John Stephen's attacks are what the Portsmouth Herald has called "a cheap political trick."
The UNH Survey Center results for the gubernatorial race are in. Nothing terribly surprising, given that we've already seen the crazy demographics in the house and senate polls. Giant registration edge given to Republicans (particularly in the 1st), dramatic undersample of 18-34, no cellphones, an implausibly large number of Tea Party supporters.
And even with all the edges that Andy Smith can manufacture, John Stephen still can't break 40%.
(Funny - even FOX's favorite pollster can't help Stephen. FOX, which gave a million to the RGA, which is filling our airwaves with attack ads against Lynch. - promoted by Dean Barker)
Imagine you are John Stephen. Imagine that you have entered into another dimension, a dimension where tons of cash from Craig Benson, Benson's buddies, mysterious donut store operators, and other sources are showered upon you for reasons unrelated to your talents or abilities. A dimension where shadowy secretive out of state groups like NOM, AJS and the like run ads for you, and against your opponent. A dimension where the only state wide newspaper runs daily stories attacking John Lynch. It seems that you have unlocked the door to a future of unlimited possibilities - but there is one problem,
Despite the ads, despite the money, your poll numbers are going down, down, down. Even Rasmussen has you down by ten points - after showing you in statistical tie just a few weeks ago.
You are slipping into the Twilight Zone.
Golden Earring video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...
Governor Lynch had some good news to announce for a change today: the state actually ran a budget surplus of $70 million in Fiscal year 2010 (July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010). This is not a structural surplus: the next budget will still start out several hundred million dollars in the hole. But nevertheless the state government actually has positive cash flow.
$20 million of the surplus comes from larger than expected lapses: the last budget anticipated $23.6M in lapses, but there were $44M. Lapses are money which is appropriated but not spent when (for example) a worker leaves his or her job and the state doesn't have to pay the salary while a replacement is being recruited.
Please take some today to read the Concord Monitor's editorial calling John Stephen out on his misleading claims and scare tactics about New Hampshire's corrections reforms.
"The public should be insulted, not frightened, by Republican gubernatorial candidate John Stephen's shameless demagoguery. He is waging a campaign of fear in his zeal to unseat Gov. John Lynch that should not be rewarded ... Stephen knows all this, of course. But he also knows that if he can frighten people enough with his talk of rapists in the streets, he might get elected. That's unconscionable."
I am at NHPR waiting for today's gubernatorial debate. Outside the Lynch crowd vastly outnumbered the Stephen's crowd, both in people and enthusiasm!!! Jonnybbad was wearing his original 2004 Lynch shirt and saving enthusiastically. Saw the Governor, who is in a great mood, John Stephen kind of grimaced.
Don't know if I can live blog or not, if It is allowed to keep gadgets on I will try to do some highlights and lowlights.
In past www.BlueHampshire.com blogposts and in public interviews during the past several years, I have frequently said that Governor John Lynch's courage in publicly signing both the Civil Unions bill in May of 2007, then the gay marriage bill, HB 436, in June of 2009, saved lives. The pictures and stories of each signing were widely distributed in the news media throughout not only the nation but the world.
In 2007, the signing received wider distribution throughout the world that week than any other story tracked by Google News -- thousands of news sources picked it up. The gay marriage signing story in 2009 received just a bit less distribution internationally because it was a busy news week, but nationwide it was similar to the Civil Unions bill of 2007.
Saved lives? Yes. I believe it did. I know a lot of people asked Governor Lynch to publicly sign each bill, and as part of my urging I told him that the second leading cause of suicide among teenagers is, in fact, questioning one's sexual identity.
John Stephen's allies at the National Organization for Marriage have just bought $425,000 in advertising for next week, presumably to resume their attacks on Gov. John Lynch.
As you know, Gov. Lynch is the only Governor to sign a standing marriage equality law -- and NOM has publicly said it intends to make an example of him because of it.
NOM's media buy is 10 times what our campaign is currently spending on advertising.
I appreciate Dean's comments earlier about our efforts to fight back. But we can't fight back successfully without your help -- both with your time and your campaign contributions.
While Rasmussen and ARG aren't to be trusted, this is going to be a tough race. We cannot underestimate John Stephen's willingness to mislead in his efforts to get elected.
Please sign up today to volunteer or contribution at www.lynch10.com.
Administrative Services, Not Change in Technology, Put an End to Stephen Billing Taxpayers for Household Expenses
Stephen Continues Pattern of Not Telling the Truth About His Record to Media, Public
MANCHESTER - Contrary to the Stephen campaign's statements to the Concord Monitor, the Department of Administrative Services - not a change in technology - put a stop to John Stephen's practice of billing taxpayers for "common household" expenses, including his home internet - and even his home cable box.
"John Stephen has established a clear pattern of failing to be honest with the public and the media when confronted with facts about his record," said Pamela Walsh, campaign manager for New Hampshire for John Lynch.
"John Stephen helped create or raise 162 fees in just four of his 20 years as a career bureaucrat. And as health and human services commissioner, John Stephen billed taxpayers for his home internet and home cable box. When confronted with these facts by the media, John Stephen did not tell the truth about his record. We can't trust what John Stephen says about his record or his attacks on Governor Lynch."
The Concord Monitor reported on Sunday that John Stephen billed taxpayers for his home internet and cable box from 2004 through 2006. When confronted about the charges, Stephen's spokesman said the practice ended "when Stephen acquired a broadband card for his state-issued laptop."
But documents obtained through a right-to-know request show that it was the Department of Administrative Services - not a change in technology - that ended Stephen's habit of billing taxpayers for his personal costs.
In May 2007, in response to a new series of bills from Stephen, an Administrative Services business supervisor denied the reimbursement request.
"I still don't think the state pays for these kind of expenses. The fact that it has been paid in the past doesn't indicate to me that is approved, but more likely it was overlooked or not questioned when it should have been," the business supervisor wrote. "High speed internet is a common household expense and, if approved for the commissioner, one could argue that there are hundreds of other state employees that could also justify this cost."
Stephen is establishing a pattern of refusing to be straight about his record.
On Monday, when asked by WMUR about the 162 fees he helped create or raise, Stephen claimed: "Commissioners don't increase ... fees."
But RSA 126-A5, IV says: "Pursuant to RSA 541-A, the commissioner shall have the authority to establish fees, copayments or any other charges for services or assistance provided by or on behalf of the department." Neither the full legislature, nor the governor, was presented with Stephen's fee increases for approval. He submitted his fee increases to the Joint Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules.
In addition, while assistant commissioner of Safety, Stephen helped created or raise more than 20 fees in just a two-year period, for example publicly urging lawmakers to pass a bill increasing license plate fees by $1.50 and vehicle title fees by $5. (Associated Press, April 9, 2002)
