The Show Comes Early Up North
New Hampshire's primary is months away, but the frenzy has begun
More than 600 credentialed media members descended on Manchester for the two debates sponsored by CNN last week. And in the post-debate "Spin Room," it was difficult to imagine that the nominating conventions were more than a year away. Foreign reporters encircled syndicated columnist and PBS political analyst Mark Shields to get his take. Ohio representative and presidential wannabe Dennis Kucinich talked about a department of peace. Elizabeth Edwards was spinning for her husband, and pollster Celinda Lake talked about how well her guy, Delaware Sen. Joe Biden, had done—"we have a slow building" strategy, Lake said.
Streams. The intensity of the show has only been heightened by the participation of live bloggers and freelance reporters streaming live video on websites. Police arrested a credentialed freelance reporter who was hounding Giuliani pollster Ed Goeas after the Republican debate with questions about conspiracy theories involving the former New York mayor and 9/11. "If this were 10 years ago," Goeas said of the incident, "they'd be throwing pies in our face."
But at the McCain fire hall gathering in Gilford and the Giuliani stop in New Castle, the real value of this strange quadrennial primary process was on vivid display. At 9 o'clock on a Tuesday morning, the Gilford fire hall was packed with serious locals holding McCain accountable—on immigration, the Iraq war, taxes, global warming, and healthcare. A military wife took exception to the senator's assertion that military men and women receive fair compensation. Another woman pressed him on what he means by "affordable" healthcare—suggesting that the senator might have a different concept from hers. And McCain was questioned about his support for immigration proposals being debated in Washington, and the burden illegal aliens place on medical and education systems.
Voters like Edward Grevatt, a registered Democrat who buttonholed McCain to ask about nonmilitary ways to combat terrorism, say they take their influential role seriously. "I'm an enthusiastic New Hampshire voter," said Grevatt, a retired minister, "and understand we have a unique place in choosing the president. Nothing comparable to this exists." Amen, reverend.
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