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Pretty sure that was John Sununu Sr. I heard on Laura Knoy this morning. I confess that even for people I agree with, I have a hard time listening to them natter on and on when a short answer would do just fine. And I only caught about 20 minutes of the show.
That said, he was icky. He was governor before i moved here, so this is basically the first time I've heard him.
He was asked how Republicans should connect to young people. He said there are lots of issues that need to be framed in a way that young people can relate to, and then, of all things, he picked social security to make his point with! Now I understand that it is of long-term importance to that age group, which was his point, but still -- what an example!
Then a caller asked why the former governor hadn't talked about bi-partisanship. He said that when Democrats ask that question, what they mean is how can Republicans help the Democratic agenda. But what it really means is how can the Democrats help the Republican agenda, which reflects traditional New Hampshire values, and he would of course reach across the aisle to encourage Democrats to vote for traditional, Republican, values. Wow, that's bi-partisanship!
Fergus the Former penned this little masterpiece in 2006.
SEASON'S GREETINGS from the O'Bama family in Blue Hampshire! As we write this year's holiday form letter, our excitement following November's elections is tempered by our usual December outrage at the seasonal assault on the separation of church and state.
Ah, Fergus, Fergus - trying to fan the flames of Billo's war on Christmas - the war that years later isn't being fought by anyone but right wing ideologues.
Take a moment to read the prose of the bard of the NH GOP - and reflect. This letter offers some real insight into why the NH Republican Party is continuing to lose membership and elections.
The Associated Press has a story out today about how New Hampshire Republicans plan to become relevant again in the Granite State.
The story quotes some big-shot Republican pols waxing philosophical about the thorough spanking they took in the election two weeks ago.
Joe Kenney, the poor chap who was trounced in his bid to unseat our Governor, demonstrated what an incredible class act he is by saying "the Democrats could very easily fall flat on their face in the next two years". What a nice guy! And what a gracious loser Mr. Kenney is!
But my favorite is this fellow called Fergus Cullen, who is chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Committee. Get this, and I am not kidding: His ideas for bringing the state GOP back to life include:
• a stronger GOP pro-education message
• a stronger GOP pro-conservation message
• a stronger GOP health care message
That's right, my friends. Mr. Cullen wants the New Hampshire GOP to totally-completely-profoundly-amazingly reverse itself. He wants the party that has fought against education to become the party OF education. He wants the party that has fought conservation to instantly turn itself bright green. And he wants the state GOP - the party that disgustingly sides with the health insurance industry time and time again- he wants the GOP to say something "stronger" about health care. What possible "stronger statement" would that be?
In point of truth, our good friend, Mr. Fergus Cullen, the chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Committee, is actually describing a modern day road to Damascus Republican-to-Democrat conversion. I can see a movie deal in all of this with Russell Crowe himself reprising the role of the brave Mr. Cullen. Because that nice man, Charlton Heston is no longer available.
The only Republican quoted in the story who made any sense whatsoever was former Governor Walter Peterson. Mr. Peterson spoke wistfully of a time when the GOP represented "social tolerance".
Republicans? Social Tolerance? That must have been a very long time ago!
The Conway Daily Sun used to be a fairly right wing publication. In the last 8 years it's become a far more moderate paper. I can't give links to their endorsements this week - they're behind a paywall.
As many of you know, I write editorials for the Sun. Even though I've been writing for them for over a decade, I have no insight into their political analysis, and every endorsement always comes as a surprise to me. The latest round is no exception.
So far the paper has given endorsements for US Congress, US Senate, and President.
I'm at CR Sparks in Bedford, waiting for the debate to start. As I pulled in, there was great highway vis for Carol along Rt. 3, with tons of people and signs. A few Bradley supporters were visible. There were more Carol supporters in front of the building with huge signs. No Bradley folks, just signs.
Carol's mom is here - attracting some groupie attention, "we've seen you in the ads!" Ray Buckley and Mike Brunelle are here. Steve Marchand works with AARP so he's here. Lots of seniors, of course. The room is definitely filling up. I didn't know I'd be able to blog, so I didn't make a big deal of it, but I'll be doing some live-blogging.
I do not care if a candidate is a war hero, I do not care is a candidate is a Republican or a Democrat. I do not care is a candidate is black or white. All I care about is if the candidate is intelligent enough to get this nation out of the mess we are in now.
I am a Republican but I will not be voting for John McCain. Why? Because, with the problems in the US and the world is facing today the nation needs intelligence in the White House.
Lets see my choice is John McCain or that smart black man Barack Obama?
McCain who does not know how to use a computer but is willing to learn if we elect him - I'll just vote for that smart black man.
John McCain who says the economic downturn is psychological? - Na! I'll vote for the smart black man.
McCain who says you are better off under George Bush? - Nope I'll vote for the smart black man.
Mc Cain who wants to continue killing more people looking for weapons of mass destruction that do not exist? - Gee! I'll vote for the smart black man.
McCain who believes that we should stay the course but is not willing to support the people he puts in harms way. - I'll take a chance on the smart black man.
Should I vote for a man that does not know that 9-11 was caused by Osama Bin Laden not Sedam Hussein? - Easy! I'll vote for the smart black man.
Vote for the man who does not know if the Sunnis or Sheits are our enemies? - No way I'll vote for the smart black man.
Vote for the man who helped put our government on the China, Saudi Arabia credit card? - Not a chance I'll vote for the smart black man.
Vote for the man with the worst temper in the Senate to have his finger on the nuclear button? - No way - I'M VOTING FOR THE SMART BLACK MAN, Barack Obama.
When I was growing up, reasonable people agreed on the facts and disagreed on the solutions.
Yet now, and especially over the last six years, our political discourse has grown ever more shrill, especially on the Republican side, with name-calling, demonizing and attacking the messenger, personal insults - anything to draw attention from the truth.
What are the Bush/Cheney administration and their Republican apologists afraid of? What is the dirty and terrible secret they are apparently frantic to protect?
Foster's Daily Democrat, which is not a Democratic-leaning newspaper, says the war is lost and we need to let Iraq's leaders know that we have a plan to get out.
If you're not part of solution, you're part of the problem. Clearly, the United states is no longer part of the solution in Southwest Asia...
No, we're not suggesting a rerun of the last helicopter lifting from the roof of the U.S. embassy in Saigon, but the time has come to admit political and military failure in Iraq and quietly tell Malaki we have a plan in place.
It was never intended, but too many brave men and women already have died in vain.
Every now and then, we lose a friend. When it happens, all things about politics -- the issues, the arguments, the positions, the controversies, the votes -- all things are put into perspective. Somehow, they don't seem so important anymore. Of course, they are -- but losing a friend leaves a void.
A few days ago, I learned that New Hampshire State Representative Don Buxton of Epping died that morning, probably of a heart attack the story says. He was only 71 -- "only" because I'm just a dozen years younger, and as one gets older we don't think of ourselves as old. Not really. It all goes so fast. People who are in their 20s or 30s now will find that out soon enough.
Don was a Republican, true to his ideals. We didn't agree a whole lot, but wow he was a friendly guy. I could always depend on a nice big smile whether I saw him in a hallway or on the House floor.
