Granite Slate

Democrats Circling the Wagons

   Another day of scorched-earth politics, another day of Democrats wringing their hands and using poker analogies. Dr. Bill Siroty sounds off here today, inferring Hillary Clinton should fold 'em for the sake of their party. He blogs of Clinton's doggedness to campaign for another three months to try to capture the nomination. He asks, "Will there be a Democratic Party left by then?" Then he drops the fallout question:

"What will this do for our chances in New Hampshire to keep our majorities in the Legislature, Executive Council and re-elect Gov. Lynch? The only winner in the battle will be the Republicans. We have to stop this insanity now before we destroy ourselves."

   To stick with the gambling theme, Clinton's smart enough to never count her money sitting at the table, but the dealing has got to be nearing an end. This will all be over by Feb. 5, Clinton and others offered three months ago. Smart money has this nomination battle ending sometime in May. Anyone want to bet?

Jeb's Representative Army

  Former Congressman Jeb Bradley has rolled out an impressive list of state representatives supporting his bid to return to Congress. The list of 69 Republicans is about 75 percent of the Republicans serving in the Legislature from the 1st Congressional District. He and John Stephen are battling for the grassroots, one root at a time. In landing the endorsements, Bradley relied extensively on his old friends in the state House of Representatives, where he served for 12 years and where he was known as a bipartisan lawmaker. He and Democratic Gov. Jeanne Shaheen got along swimmingly on such famous ventures as electric deregulation.

It's Her Party

  It's her party and Hillary Clinton can stay if she wants to. Sens. Patrick Leahy and Chris Dodd are the latest urging her to abandon her pres idential hopes. They said she's hurting the eventual Democratic nominee, Barack Obama. There's more than one road to the White House and, apparently, more than a few interpretations on when a candidate is winning and when she's losing. Obama cast their race as a movie that has gone 90 minutes too long. Quipped Clinton, "I like long movies." No word yet on whether the genre is horror, sci-fi, or drama for the Mile High Party.

Third Term's a Charm

   Howard Dean's been bashing John McCain for months now, using his consultants and press secretariats to c all a McCain election "a third Bush term." The Democrats have tested this out time and again, and it's surely effective for their party and some independents. But not so fast, David Brooks writes here in the Times. He points out three McCain speeches where the guy's challenged the status quo and spoken frankly about what is and what is not judicious use of military force.

Another Roadside Attraction

   Gone skiing. I posted the note and left town for a few days, off to ski the eight peaks of Sunday River. Almost to the mountain, I nearly veered off the road as I beheld ... the world's largest snowman! Or, as the Telegraph of London corrects us, the world's largest snowwoman. Or snow person, Maine journalists have gone so far as to write. The town of Bethel named the 122-foot (plus 1 inch) giant after Sen. Olympia Snowe, and the play on the name goes on in other press accounts of this stupendous occasion. It's a monster. Pine trees for arms. Downhill skis for eye lashes. She's a real beaut. What really strikes me, as my friend Bernie captured in more colorful language over beer, was the town coming together to make this a reality. Some of the towns he's lived in over the years couldn't come together to hold a simple bean supper. Folks in Bethel are a little different. They've built the world's largest snowman before. They'll likely do it again -- a town in competition with itself, a town in a class by itself -- to build a better roadside attraction.   

Who's Vetted Now?

  "I've been vetted. Everybody must be vetted." So said Hillary Clinton in her New Hampshire days, Washington Post article on vetting as she referenced the New Coke candidate, Barack Obama. Well, he's vetted now. The press this week is all over stories of Democrats worrying about the famed Clinton attack machine hurting Obama, should he be the nominee, or herself, should she battle back and snatch the nomination. Nothing drives up one's negative ratings like being so negative. But what goes down, can rebound. Just see Mitt Romney, who's campaigning today for Republican nominee-in-waiting John McCain.

Clinton Under Fire

   Is the "battle-tested" Hillary Clinton really tested in battle. She and her advisers are saying she simply erred in using loose words about her trip, as First Lady, to Bosnia in 1996. “I remember landing under sniper fire," Clinton said a day ago. "There was supposed to be some kind of a greeting ceremony at the airport, but instead we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base.” Here's the NYT account Clinton says she 'misspoke'. Did she leave out the bit on executing a combat roll and pulling out a Glock from her pocketbook to return fire? 'That is the sound of the AK-47,' you can imagine Clinton telling Chelsea. 'That is the preferred weapon of our enemy.' The question, you can bet Obamaphiles are screaming, What else is she over-exaggerating?

Clinton jujitsu

  Clinton jujitsu: a method developed in Arkansas of defending oneself without the use of weapons by using the strength and weight of an adversary to disable him. This skill in Hillary and Bill Clinton helps understand how Hillary Clinton is attacking Barack Obama this week over the train wreck Michigan and Florida nominating contests. The states held their primaries in defiance of Democratic Party rules, leaping ahead of the early and traditional states. Clinton won Michigan and Florida, and wants those delegates seated at the national convention in Denver. But the DNC stripped the states of their delegates for their violation. There have been talks of do-over primaries and mail-in votes, all of which are more complicated than they at first appear. Democrats behind Clinton argue their party cannot afford to disenfranchise voters in those key states. Democrats behind Obama argue the results from those two states are skewed, especially in Michigan, where Obama and John Edwards, among other major candidates, were not even on the ballot. Clinton spokesman Phil Singer said yesterday,

When it comes to the Michigan and Florida primaries, Senator Obama seems to only be capable of saying no: No to honoring the January elections, no to holding a new primary vote, no to a vote by mail. The only thing he seems to be for is divvying up delegates in a way that doesn't reflect the will of the electorate. Senator Clinton disagrees with solutions that exclude voters and believes there should be new primary elections in Florida and Michigan if the January votes can't be honored. It is unacceptable to disenfranchise the voters who participated in January and if Senator Obama allows that to happen, there will be implications for Democrats in the general election.

Obama calls Clinton "disingenuous" regarding this latest argument. Clinton contends Obama previously violated the early-state pledge. Here's her campaign statement from Jan. 21, 2008:

"The Obama campaign today began airing paid television advertisements in a national cable buy that include advertising in the state of Florida. There is no question that these ads are a clear and blatant violation of the early-state pledge that Senator Obama and the other leading Democratic candidates signed last year. The early state pledge was crystal clear in its prohibition against any kind of campaign activity (outside of fundraising) in states that do not adhere to the DNC calendar. There is no ambiguity. Among the list of prohibited activities are “electronic advertising that reaches a significant percentage of the voters in the aforementioned state.” The Obama campaign knows this, but has chosen to violate the pledge regardless.

Just last week the Obama campaign snubbed the people of Florida in a memo that stated that Florida did not matter in the nominating process. After consecutive losses in New Hampshire, Michigan and Nevada, they appear to be changing course. Senator Obama’s flagrant disregard for the pledge that he signed is disturbing and calls the integrity of the pledge into question."

If Obama has violated the early-state pledge, Obamaphiles say it stands to reason that Clinton herself has violated the pledge. The last paragraph of that four-state pledge, which touts respect for the DNC nominating calendar established a year before, reads:

THEREFORE, I _______________, Democratic Candidate for President, pledge I shall not campaign or participate in any state which schedules a presidential election primary or caucus before Feb. 5, 2008, except for the states of Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire and South Carolina, as “campaigning” is defined by rules and regulations of the DNC.

Campaigning is one thing, participating quite another. In hindsight, it looks like Clinton was a participant of some degree against the formidable "uncommitted" on the ballot. In hindsight, it sure looks like some Clinton jujitsu is in play. Obama is not only off message more than he'd like, the guy's on his heels yet again.

Michigan still irrelevant?

   As Hillary Clinton continues to opine about Barack Obama ignoring the Michigan electorate, with a do-over nominating contest seeing its death knell this week, I crawled back to October and what the New York senator had to say about Michigan. Conspicuously absent from the candidate's press release archive is anything to do with Clinton's decision to take the early-state pledge while staying on the ballot in Michigan at the same time (depends on the meaning of "pledge"). The pledge was crafted by those in the lead-off states, including Iowa and New Hampshire, asking candidates not to campaign in states (Michigan and Florida) that leapt ahead of the sanctioned DNC calendar. Interestingly enough, here is a brief Oct. 9 statement from New Hampshire Democratic Party Chairman Raymond C. Buckley II:

"Today's turn of events only further amplifies the fact that the Michigan primary is irrelevant. Our Secretary of State, Bill Gardner, now has more flexibility in his scheduling decision because the Michigan event is no longer a 'similar event' to the New Hampshire primary."

   Do-over or not, Michigan is far from over. Irrelevant? No chance, either in Denver or in the general election.

Political Boundaries 'Up In Smoke'

  Puff, the Magic Dragon, lived free and died. ... The House vote to decriminalize pot is creating a real smoke show in the not-so-invisible gubernatorial race. Manchester Mayor Frank Guinta called on his city's school department spokesman to resign because David Scannell, as a state rep from ManchVegas, supported the bill in question. Oh, and Scannell's a Democrat. Online postings on today's New Hampshire Union Leader story on the controversy are decidedly against Guinta, a Republican who is considering a run against Democratic incumbent John Lynch this year. Here's the UL story and buzz. Seems like everyone's chiming in on this one.

March (Reefer) Madness

   A hue and cry arose over the land as the New Hampshire House of Representatives passed a bill yesterday to decriminalize marijuana. The Senate will kill it before Governor Lynch gets to make good on his veto threat, making this another of those stories about the maverick, skipping heart pulse of state representatives. It gets better. The legislation in question came to the full House with an "Inexpedient To Legislate" committee recommendation. So, in what used to be more of a rare occurrence, the House overturned the majority report. That was the high point of the day. That and passage of a bill to ban drivers from text messaging. There were dozens of more important bills, some of which get taken up today. But nothing gets people out of joint as a debate on dope. 

Tax Attack: "Easily Dismissed"

  A curious, little article cropped up on Town Meeting warrants some 15 years ago. It asked for support, community by community, for a coalition of towns to fight the state over the funding of public education. The Claremont-led coalition complained about getting the short end of the stick because local property taxes bases varied town to town. It just wasn't fair. You know the rest of the story. But in those early days, these warrant articles were something out of the norm. Easily  dismissed, went one line of thinking. Then, here and there, towns struggling with property taxes chipped in -- some with financial donations, some with a voice of solidarity. This visit down memory lane is courtesy of the Granite State Fair Tax Coalition, yet another coalition, and one spearheading this year's warrant articles asking voters to dismiss The Pledge against a state income tax and sales tax (Former gubernatorial hopeful Mark Fernald, who ran on an income tax, sits on its board of directors). The New Hampshire Advantage Coalition dismisses their effort. While the "fair tax" folks claim victories this week, the other coalition claims the Advantage. Chairman Mike Biundo said the critics of The Pledge are ignoring the fact that voters also opposed big-ticket items this week. "We think it’s telling that all over New Hampshire taxpayers are saying no to the out of control spending in Concord and in their communities," Biundo said in a statement. "It is unfortunate that The Granite State “Fair Tax” Coalition is using their masquerade party as a way to prey on those same taxpayers fears of higher taxes." Consider this but a battle in the war on taxes. This year's warrant articles, while easily dismissed, are not so easily ignored. As Claremont showed us: There is nothing so powerful as grassroots.

"Ax the Tax" gets diced

   Mel Thomson's rolling over in his grave. The former New Hampshire governor and fiscal and social conservative, the man who campaigned on a slogan of "ax the tax," would not believe that 89 towns are considering a rejection of The Pledge during Town Meeting today and this week. The Pledge has become a staple of New Hampshire politics. Pols promise to oppose a broad-based tax. It's a rally cry against a state income tax and sales tax. Political gamesmanship, certainly, but it's taken root statewide. The towns considering the citizen petition are asked to sound off on fair taxes. But it is a non-binding vote. It is, much like The Pledge itself, a piece of political gamesmanship.

Client No. 9

   Just when we needed a break from the political fortunes and twists and turns of Clinton v. Obama, the news gods give us Client No. 9. The client in question is New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, allegedly ensnared in a high-rollers prostitution ring Spitzer said to be weighing resignation. So tantalizing and so unbelievable, given Spitzer's tough-on-crime resume. The Democrat is holed up in his office, conferring with advisers and working, as he says, to regain the trust of his family.

The Clinton Monster

   Hillary Clinton's been called a lot of things over the years, but monster? So it is that a key adviser to Barack Obama, accusing Clinton of dirty politics, called the senator and former First Lady a monster. Samantha Power, a Pulitzer Prize winning author and faculty member of the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, resigned today from the unpaid position as Clinton's campaign began issuing calls for her head. In an interview with The Scotsman in London, Power let loose her fury, then tried to say it was off the record. Here's the two explosive quotes from the story:

"She is a monster, too – that is off the record – she is stooping to anything."

"You just look at her and think, 'Ergh'. But if you are poor and she is telling you some story about how Obama is going to take your job away, maybe it will be more effective. The amount of deceit she has put forward is really unattractive."

   Power won acclaim for drawing attention to genocide. She was in New Hampshire often during the 2004 presidential cycle as a supporter of retired Gen. Wesley K. Clark. She is smart, funny, beautiful (see mensvogue.com photo above), and a helluva writer and thinker. She also has a new book coming out, and this monster controversy has got to please her publisher. Coincidence?

No, Danny Boy

   My friend Caroline can grumble and roll her eyes all she wants. So can Allison, Jenny, Maggie and Suzie. The songs crooning their names are nothing compared to the lasting legacy of "Danny Boy." Just imagine being raised a Danny in an Irish-American family. Every St. Patrick's Day, uncle Dave Murchie or another family friend would belt out those sad lyrics of "all the flowers are dying" and "if I am dead, as dead I well may be," and I would ask myself, "what the hell is this song about?" I still wonder, even after reading Malachy McCourt's book on the beloved Irish ballad, aptly titled "Danny Boy." (yep, a loved one gave it to me.) Somehow, I still like the song I once knew by heart. Still, I got a certain pleasure today upon learning Foley's Pub in NYC has banned "Danny Boy" for the month. Owner Shaun Clancy tells AP No Danny Boy. "It's overplayed," he says. "It's been ranked among the 25 most depressing songs of all time, and it's more appropriate for a funeral than for a St. Patrick's Day celebration." Oh, well, whack fol the daddy oh. There's (always) Whiskey in the Jar.

Democratic Do-overs

  The mess that is the Democratic presidential nominating calendar grows richer by the day. The DNC and Chairman Howard Dean's folly in trying to create an organized string of contests is unfair to Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Now there's talk of do-overs and alternate plans to seat delegates from Florida and Michigan. Regardless, whoever wins the nomination may deserve an asterik affixed to their name. Excerpts from Dean's statement yesterday:

"We're glad to hear that the Governors of Michigan and Florida are willing to lend their weight to help resolve this issue. As we've said all along, we strongly encourage the Michigan and Florida state parties to follow the rules, so today's public overtures are good news. The rules, which were agreed to by the full DNC including representatives from Florida and Michigan over 18 months ago, allow for two options. First, either state can choose to resubmit a plan and run a party process to select delegates to the convention; second, they can wait until this summer and appeal to the Convention Credentials Committee, which determines and resolves any outstanding questions about the seating of delegates.

The Democratic Nominee will be determined in accordance with party rules, and out of respect for the presidential campaigns and the states that did not violate party rules, we are not going to change the rules in the middle of the game.

Finally, a winner

   John McCain finally reached the magic number -- 1,191 -- to capture the GOP nomination. Democrats Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama appear to have many miles to go before their party's nominee is settled. Clinton yesterday won Ohio, Rhode Island and Texas; Obama handily won Vermont. Obama still leads in delegates. It's a long way to Tipperary, and to Denver for the 2008 convention. And now Republican Mike Huckabee has finally ended his heart-strong campaign, likely positioning for a place with McCain or another run in 2012.

Obama flash ads

   This surprised me, too. Surfing The Dallas Morning News web site this morning to check out local coverage, I noticed a huge, blue banner ad for Barack Obama. At first I thought I'd clicked onto Obama's site. Rare is the newspaper that sells front-page ads, though the state of the industry is changing standard operating procedures. Turns out, as the Globe reports here, there's big buzz whether such ads are hunky-dory. Or, do they cross the line?

Dems vie for own March Madness

    Two months after the New Hampshire Primary, Democrats Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama go to battle at least once more in a set of nominating contests today. The polls show the races to be tightening, with Clinton eating away some of Obama's momentum thanks to her constant attacks on his readiness to be commander-in-chief. Seems like forever since the snows of New Hampshire. But the candidates are in familiar climes: It was snowing and raining in parts of Ohio this morning. The Enquirer of Cincinnati reports an energized electorate of unprecedented proportion in the Buckeye State, while The Columbus Dispatch questions this morning whether lousy weather will hurt voter turnout. In Texas, it is a "Democratic nail-biter," according to The Dallas Morning News. The Lone Star State is frigid, too. It's 35 degrees there this morning. And get this, it snowed overnight in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

New Hampshire's failing government

   Let's see the spin on this one. A 50-state assessment of state government operations ranks New Hampshire in last place with a D+. The Government Performance Project state-by-state stats here by Pew Charitable Trusts evaluated each state on a range of issues, from budgets to financing of roads and bridges. States with the highest grades make better management a top priority, according to Pew. New Hampshire has "limited cost and performance information and are not closely managing resources."

The Honorable Representative from Alton

   Mike Whalley took me to the Wood Shed once or twice. A tall man, he would transfix with a stoic gaze as he delivered a point, offered an argument or asked a question. I never saw him lose his cool. And somehow the exchange was always edifying. I'd walk away with more respect for the man. Whalley, the New Hampshire House Minority Leader, died yesterday of complications related to a cancerous brain tumor. He was 54. He is survived by his wife, Purr, and two children. He was born in Boston, but Whalley was a New Hampshire man through and through. He graduated from Bishop Brady High School and the University of New Hampshire. He loved antique boats, snowmobiling and motor sports. His success as a businessman allowed him to serve as a citizen legislator. He was gracious with his time, whether explaining tax inequity or some arcane legislative rule. When he spoke from the House rostrum, he always looked to me a bit like Al Gore. But in the New Hampshire tradition, he was a resolute Republican. He was smart. He was firm. He was funny. As a reporter who once spoke with him daily, I think of a Mark Twain quote on a coffee mug that sat on my desk in the Tibbetts press room. "In the long run always do right. This will gratify some people, and astonish the rest." Today, upon learning of the death of the Honorable Representative from Alton, I have to say I'm a little bit of both. Rest in peace, Mike.

Clegg and his Deep Pockets

     Bob Clegg has established quite a network of businesses and lobbyists to tap for donations to his congressional campaign. Rifling through only the most recent financial report he filed with the Secretary of State as a state senator from Hudson, one learns the Republican has pocketed contributions from just about every major lobbyist in New Hampshire. The extensive list includes Big Tobacco, major power companies, drug companies and their associates, lawyers and time-honored leaders of state racetracks. The report filed Aug. 23, 2006 shows he collected $113,175 in receipts to that point, including a $42,255 transfer from his 2004 campaign committee, leaving him with a surplus of $101,302. Not bad for a state senator earning a $200 stipend. I took a spin through Bill Gardner's files after reading former Senate President Tom Eaton's quote last week, as he endorsed Jennifer Horn for the 2nd District, instead of his old Brother in Arms from the New Hampshire Senate. Said Eaton,

"She is a new face on the campaign trail and is not beholden to any particular group or special interest."

   It's hard to believe Eaton would be talking about anyone but Clegg, the only Republican candidate (so far) with a substantial voting record and a track record in these affairs. His New Hampshire state finance report reads like a who's who of power brokers -- The Demers Group, The Dupont Group, The Parker Group. There's even a contribution from former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's Commonwealth PAC, which gave Clegg $1,000 in 2006 (Clegg's a Huckabee man). Donors also include representatives of Insurance Agents of New Hampshire, KeySpan Energy, Merck & Co., Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), Public Service Co. of New Hampshire, RJ Reynolds, Council of Independent Tobacco Manufacturers, Independent Oil Marketers Association, TDS Telecom, UST, Verizon, Wal-Mart, and Personal Watercraft Industry Association, which generously gave $2,500. If nothing else, Clegg's demonstrated he can raise some serious cash.