Granite Slate

Bumper Sticker Politics

    Now that the main party nominees have arrived, bring on those -- yawn -- conventions. Bring on, too, the avalanche of slogans, chants, taunts and political paraphernalia. Today, we salute the bumper sticker. Skipping through Urbandictionary.com, we come across two contemporary definitions of bumper sticker:

1.) A lower back tattoo, usually on a woman.

2.) A small free speech zone that can be placed on the back of a car.

   Let's stick to the latter definition. Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain have their official bumper stickers, "free speech zones" that reflect their campaign brand and colors. Now the e-market is seeing a flurry of new stickers and some, like those on Bumperactive.com, where people can make their own. Bumperactive, one of the pro-Obama sites (or is it PrObama?), seeks to drum up support for its candidate and have a little fun along the way. Their NH design, which no one has purchased as of this morning, is to the left.

   No wonder people drive crazy out there.

Sunday Snapshot: A Political Animal

                                                

United They Grin

   Now that Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have kissed and made up -- however ackwardly -- will likely Democratic voters? In this photo, Bucky Demers of Cornish shows off his 2008 Monte Carlo Pro Stock race car outside the rally yesterday in Unity, NH.   

Shaheen under tax attack

   Today's mailer courtesy of Americans for Job Security. They don't call New Hampshire a battleground state for nothing. This takes shots at the former three-term Gov. Jeanne Shaheen, D-Madbury. U.S. Sen. John E. Sununu, R-NH, defeated her in 2002. They've a rematch this year.

The Pledge gets Red Flagged

   The Pledge of Allegiance is back in the news. A ZBA member in a Seacoast town, who happens to be a Vietnam War veteran, refuses to say The Pledge at meetings. Here's the local skinny on what continues to be a fat, fat story. We cannot wait for the Fourth of July. Meanwhile, let's just say it: What a country.

Current Events

                                                                             It's that time of year when lifeguards declare: Beware the Rip Current.

   There was actually an official rip tide awareness week earlier this month, thanks to the dedicated folks over at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Click the chart for what to do if caught by the undertoad.

Firefighters to Fight for (or over) Obama?

    The powerful and seemingly tireless firefighters' union is going to endorse presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, according to the Greenbay Press-Gazette. The paper covered Harold Schaitberger when the IAFF president spoke to the Wisconsin International Association of Fire Fighters two weeks ago. Read the Press-Gazette story here. The IAFF union helped secure the nomination for Sen. John F. Kerry in 2004. It endorsed Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd this cycle. While it may seem like a logical extension, given its Dodd support, an Obama endorsement was never a given. In fact, at least one firefighter at the Wisconsin event commented on the Press-Gazette web site to dispute the story that Schaitberger was ready to pop the cork on an Obama endorsement this month.

   Will the firefighters fight for Obama? Or will they fight over Obama? The union's membership is pretty split between Democrats and Republicans. And the union has endorsed Republicans, especially here, in the past. We'll give a call over to the Professional Firefighters of New Hampshire tomorrow to see if they have any information on the Who, Where and When of a possible endorsement. For the record, AFSCME has endorsed Obama, but its official blog notes that, as of late last week, the IAFF has not announced a new endorsement since Dodd faded away.                     

    (Above: Gov. Bill Richardson jokes with Michael Mullane, a Mass. IAFF officer, during a convention last year in Portsmouth, NH. // Dan Tuohy photo)

A Fishy Story in Gloucester

  So 17 teens in Gloucester, Mass., make a pact to get pregnant. Or, maybe not. The scandal reported by Time magazine is now disputed by Gloucester Mayor Carolyn Kirk. The high school principal used the term "pact," but he tells Time he cannot remember where he heard that word used. A sensational story in which the next chapter will do nothing to ease that community's concerns. Blame "Juno." Or blame the media. The best retort is a comment posted last night on The Lede, the news notes blog by The New York Times. A writer named Carolynne offers:

"Un huh - and the Mayor proclaimed there were no sharks in the waters off Amity either. :D"

 

Granite Chips

•    Executive Councilor Raymond S. Burton, Republican of Bath, does have a challenger for his District 1 seat, after all. The Democratic Party recruited J. Michael Cauble of Effingham. Burton's running for his 16th term.
•    Fergus Cullen, chairman of the Republican State Committee, captured 51st in the annual Mount Washington Road Race on Saturday. He finished in 1:15:10. The race is to the top of the tallest peak in the Northeast, at 6,288 feet. The race is the true Beast of the East. I hiked up and watched the finish a couple of years ago and it is just a sick, sick competition. The race also has the best slogan: "Only One Hill."

Unity? Why, a photo op, of course

  Hillary Clinton campaigners just loved holding that rally in Victory Park in Manchester. The name lent a certain panache, certainly back when she was mistakenly labeled the front-runner and inevitable nominee. On Friday, Barack Obama returns to New Hampshire for his first campaign stop with Clinton. The goal: Stanch party blood letting. The place: Unity, NH. Or, as a few of my old Sullivan County neighbors call it: Unit-Y.

  Clinton won the New Hampshire Primary and earned the stale moniker Comeback Kid. She and Obama actually tied in Unit-Y, population 1,700. Each received 107 votes. On the GOP side, John McCain won with 81 votes to Mitt Romney's 70 votes.

   Ah, Unity. Too bad there is no Victory. But there is Success, an unincorporated place in Coos County. And, you know, we will always have Freedom (NH).

Carlin: No freakin' gentleman

  That piss-ant George Carlin is dead. Long live the #@*+&!.

   That's about as far as I will go, tipping my hat to the cultural icon and comedian's seven words you can never say on TV. His early shock-and-awe routine seems kind of quaint today, but he long since emerged as a social commentator with bite, if not substance. Let's just say those seven words, some in no short supply, were voiced by supporters on the campaign trail this season. (Mitt Romney, of course, is the alter-Carlin, famously sprinkling his comments with the likes of "gosh" and "golly.")

   Carlin died of heart failure over the weekend. He was 71. He was scheduled to perform at the Hampton Beach Casino & Ballroom on July 24. His was a love of language, clean or dirty, to underscore that we're all in this together.

   Why not have some freakin' fun while we're here?

"In America, anyone can become president. That's the problem."    — George Carlin.

Smile, it's summer

  Anton Chekhov said, "People don't notice whether it's winter or summer when they're happy."

   Well, tonight it is officially summer and a growing number of Americans are wicked ticked off. Nearly eight in 10 people in a recent AP-Ipsos poll say the country is moving in the wrong direction. AP reports today that the general level of pessimism is the worst in almost 30 years. The glass is half empty and the sucker's sprung a leak.

   Everybody notice that it's summer out there? 

(San Gabriel Mountains/2006. 2e photo)

If I Had a Billion Dollars

   Barack Obama's decision to privatize means he will try to leverage record numbers of small donors to give to his campaign. And it comes as no surprise that 2008 will be the most expensive presidential election in history. The numbers are already staggering. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Obama has raised $265.4 million to John McCain's $96.6 million. Other candidates and their total raised include Hillary Clinton, $214.8 million; Mitt Romney, $104.7 million; Rudy Giuliani, $58.3 million; and John Edwards, $51.8 million.

   By the way, the FEC says 33 million taxpayers have contributed $3 of their federal tax to the presidential election campaign fund in each of the last five years. And you thought nobody checked "yes" on the federal income tax return.

Obama Follows the Money

   Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama announced today he will not participate in public financing, forgoing more than $80 million for the general election. Republican John McCain's camp is already calling him out on it, calling Obama the typical pol who will say anything to try to get elected. In a video on his Web site, Obama says,

It’s not an easy decision, and especially because I support a robust system of public financing of elections. But the public financing of presidential elections as it exists today is broken, and we face opponents who’ve become masters at gaming this broken system. John McCain’s campaign and the Republican National Committee are fueled by contributions from Washington lobbyists and special interest PACs. And we’ve already seen that he’s not going to stop the smears and attacks from his allies running so-called 527 groups, who will spend millions and millions of dollars in unlimited donations.

Budget gives NH the chills

   A hiring freeze here, a spending freeze there, and some budget trouble averted. Or so that's the game plan from the corner office, where Gov. John Lynch this week signed his eighth and ninth executive orders of the year. The latest executive order calls for a budget cut of about $30 million. It lasts until June 30, 2009, or until terminated. Of the nine orders, five are related to the state budget. Click here for list of orders. Budgeting by executive order, per approval of the Joint Legislative Fiscal Committee, extends a freeze on state purchasing to cover all but essential equipment and commodities. A hiring freeze and a freeze on out-of-state travel are still in effect. State tax receipts for June should signal how badly the national economy is hurting the locals. By all indicators, though, this is the summer of the Big Chill.

Primary Squeeze

New Hampshire, where anyone can run for office and have a fair shot. Or so everyone like's to think.

   No sooner had the state filing period closed, the Strafford County Republican Committee announced the first debate in the 1st Congressional District. But only two of the four candidates are even mentioned in this "rumble in the jungle" match between Jeb Bradley and John Stephen. Bradley is a former congressman from Wolfeboro. Stephen is a former state health and human services commissioner from Manchester. In 2002, they were in a field of eight GOP candidates. The other two candidates this year are Dave Jarvis of Hooksett and Geoff Michael of Merrimack, according to the Secretary of State's office. No Democrat is challenging incumbent Carol Shea-Porter for her party coronation. The GOP debate, with or without Jarvis and Michael, is Friday in Dover. Were they even invited? Will they crash the party? More importantly, will one or both of these second-string candidates siphon votes come Sept. 9?

Another view: "Daisy" ad powerful still

The creator, Tony Schwartz, died today. He was 84.

Remembering Russert

   "Our issues this Sunday ..."

   Tom Brokaw leads today's "Meet the Press" show, a compelling montage of journalist Tim Russert's career. Several luminaries speak of Russert, who died Friday at 58 from an apparent heart attack. Russert would begin every show with those four words. "Remembering Tim Russert" is the must-see program of the weekend.

   Go to www.nbcnews.com

Oh Lucky Day, Here Comes Ray

   The filing period for state offices closes tomorrow, Friday the 13th. On the eve of this lucky day, Raymond S. Burton is without a challenger for the District 1 seat on the Executive Council. He's seeking his 16th term and stands to set a record as the longest serving member of the executive branch body popularly known as the Governor's Council. Bernie Streeter served 15 terms.

   Burton has served with nine governors and worked with 130 interns. By geography, his is the largest district. Burton, 68, says organization is key to a job well done. He says email has made his job a lot easier. "I get back to everybody," he recently told me. "They may not get the whole loaf, but they will get what is available to them."

   His constituents know him for his campaign swag, too. The Republican has handed out thousands of combs over the years. I still have a blue "Ray Burton Executive Council" comb, one he threw my way years ago with a joke, something like, Hey now, comb that mop! When I told Ray I still have that comb, he didn't miss a beat. Referring to today's Republican red and Democrat blue color code, he fired back,

   "Next time get a red one."

Carr backs up, runs over Kerry again

   An update on Sen. John F. Kerry's primary interests. He'll have a challenger after all, though it may be a modest exercise in democracy. The David in question is Ed O'Reilly, a lawyer from Gloucester. It's a little summer gift for Boston Herald columnist Howie Carr, no friend of the junior senator from Massachusetts. Carr fires away in his column today that the primary contest will steal beach and windsurfing time from the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee. It appears O'Reilly is not keeping his powder dry. He says to Carr:

“The bottom line is, he’s arrogant,” O’Reilly says. “The rules don’t apply to him. He announces, there’s a thousand-dollar minimum to attend, if you want to go to the private reception it’s $2,300. Do you know how many people I talk to who say the only place they’ve ever seen him is at the airport? . . . He flies down to Bali to give a speech on global warming - how many gallons of fuel do you think that used, just so he could say he delivered a speech?”

Celebs and Society Rot

   Bonnie Raitt sings for Democrats from Downeast to Vermont. Chuck Norris swings a proverbial roundhouse kick for Mike Huckabee. Good God, you know that awful Susan Sarandon lurks somewhere in the wings. And here's this ridiculous line from today's Boston Globe:

"The Celtics fell in LA last night before a celebrity-laden crowd."

  How is that news and why should we care? It makes one wonder. Who is Miley Cyrus, aka Hannah Montana, going to endorse this fall? Never matter that the saccharine 15-year-old can't vote.

Ready for Their Close-up

   Sound bites have come back to bite Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama this year, just as they are every politician these days. Now, as the U.S. Senate race between Republican incumbent John E. Sununu and Democrat Jeanne Shaheen gets started in earnest, the two candidates confront a powerful force they did not see in 2002: YouTube. Their parties have posted ads and stinging critiques. Their campaigns have posted inspiring videos. And special interests are bound to get an all-day pass to play this election season. These clips capture their comments and promises in past debates, and they sure can capture a voter's imagination.

   Here appear to be four of the most viewed videos, one pro and one con for each, with clips they or their associates submitted followed by an upper cut from the opposition:

State (Political) Flower: Purple Lilac

   Democrats in New Hampshire, shortly after the Jan. 8 presidential primaries were vote certified, were practically giddy with what they saw as an infusion of new voters on their rolls. John McCain won the GOP primary with 88,571 votes. Hillary Clinton won the Democratic primary with 112,610 votes to Barack Obama's 105,008 votes. Together, the top two Democrats pocketed nearly 220, 000 votes. The big question is which candidate is more attractive to independents, especially since the undeclared or unenrolled voting bloc is the biggest in the Granite State. Sitting presidents excluded, McCain is the most successful White House hopeful in New Hampshire history. His roots are deep with two primary victories, 2000 and 2008.

   But is any of this enough for a game changer?

Kerry-ing Favors

   John F. Kerry, propelled by winning the New Hampshire Presidential Primary in 2004 to capturing the Granite State that November, has a challenger for his "safe" seat in the U.S. Senate. The Globe has the story here: Kerry seeks to head off primary battle . Let's just say, for the sake of argument, that the lanky Lefty is a shoo-in. But let's see if the Massachusetts Democratic Party, which treats its elder statesmen like British Royalty, can respect the value of a primary and the will of the people.

Left, King Edward. Photo by stock.xchng/sxc.hu

Wiretaps back to the fore

   Charlie Savage is back at it. The former Boston Globe journalist, and Pulitzer Prize winner, is now writing for The New York Times. Today in the Times, Savage writes that a top adviser to John McCain says the presumptive GOP nominee backs President Bush on warrantless wiretapping of international phone calls as a measure to combat terrorism. Here's Charlie's story.

What does Bill want?

   Advice on use of the third person: Three's a crowd. Sen. Hillary Clinton spun a third-person question in delivering her non-concession speech Tuesday: "What does Hillary want?" Maybe we will never know after she and party show-stealer Barack Obama met privately last night, without any pesky journalists around. Did they clear the air? Did they talk ticket? Did Obama call her sweetie? Was tea served, or were there shots of booze? Where was President Bill Clinton?

   And, it must be asked, what does Bill want?

Dean, a "feckless" chairman?

   Dan Payne, a Boston-area media consultant who has worked for Democrats around the country, offers that assertion in an op-ed, "It's the delegates, stupid," in today's Globe. He lists observations and reasons why Barack Obama was the last candidate standing in the Democrats' title match. One of them:

"Superdelegates have got to go. This 797-member House of Lords and Ladies was designed to prevent the rabble from nominating someone who was a sure loser or not to the taste of the party establishment. Instead, their holding back only prolonged the inevitable. Superdelegates have long known whom they support and should have been forced by feckless party chairman Howard Dean to announce their choice months ago."

   It dredges up one of those footnote* questions: How has the chairman escaped the heat from the Florida and Michigan debacle and overall nomination cockamamie?

* We've no idea.

Swing State Dynamics

   New Hampshire is a swing state every year. Or so it seems. Not long after the first caucus Jan. 3, party insiders on either side of the aisle were saying the Granite State would be a battleground come November. John McCain won the NH GOP primary and Hillary Clinton won the NH Democratic primary. Will Barack Obama, now that he is the presumptive Democratic nominee, be able to capture the same loving feeling?

Madam Vice President?

   Attorney General Clinton. Governor Clinton. President Clinton. Senator Clinton. Vice President Clinton? History books years from now will be remarking on the dynastic proportions, should Sen. Barack Obama choose Sen. Hillary Clinton as his running mate and the two can rally another comeback against Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. You can just hear some Barack Obama supporters saying, "Say it ain't so, 'Bama?" But this is crystallizing quickly this afternoon as the final Democratic Party primaries wrap up and the former First Lady lets her colleagues know she'd gladly take the No. 2 spot. You know, just in case. And what of William Jefferson Clinton?

Friends like these, Martha?

   "Some of the Clinton supporters were unbelievably over the top," state Sen. Martha Fuller Clark, a Democrat from Portsmouth, tells the Portsmouth Herald's Michael McCord about the DNC rules meeting Saturday. McCord writes about it here in his "Out On A Limb" column. "They came after me with vicious personal attacks."

   And "personal-space violations," whatever those are, were numerous. Battle-worn Democrats may need to schedule a few unity luncheons and suppers this year to go with the usual we're-all-in-this-together breakfast.

   For the record, Martha's an Obama girl.

The Bubba Bubble

   David Gergen perhaps said it best on CNN last night. He said President Clinton sometimes explodes "like Mount Vesuvius." Only rarely does Bubba do so in public. Bubba is furious with Vanity Fair for a story rife with ethical questions and allegations of on-the-road affairs. He was "apparently seeing a lot of women on the road," an anonymous source said. The story is rife with anonymous sources, too. Clinton lashed out, calling reporter Todd S. Purdum a "scumbag" and "a real slimy guy." Here's Purdum's story: Bubba Trouble: The Comeback Id. Clinton later offered an apology, of sorts. Gergen et al underscored that it's a difficult thing for a candidate to lose a race after investing so much time, energy and money into it. It can be tougher for the spouse of the loser. Especially one named Clinton.

The McCain Ticket in NH

    John McCain is still vetting vice presidential picks, but his campaign in New Hampshire is encouraging residents "join the McCain Ticket." Peter Spaulding, the senator's New Hampshire chairman, delivered the pitch in an email blast today. He wants locals to run for public office. He says,

"Here in New Hampshire we have a strong tradition of citizen participation in government this is evident from town meetings to town hall forums with presidential candidates. You too can be part of Senator McCain's team and help bring about real reform by running for office this year on the Republican ticket."

The state filing period opens Wednesday and closes June 13.

Fired Up: Ready to Quit?

   Sen. Hillary Clinton trounced Sen. Barack Obama in Puerto Rico yesterday, setting the table for a Last Hurrah in tomorrow's final contests. As such, she's keeping all her options on the table. Today's press describes a campaign weighing all the pros and cons and a candidate markedly different from the one of a few weeks ago, the one bashing Obama as an elitist who is out of touch with Middle America. Newsday reports Hill and Bill will hole up in their NY mansion to decide what to do next. Newsweek: Clinton seeks to go after Obama. Time asks:

"The math is done. Obama has the nomination. Will Clinton be his veep and will her supporters vote McCain?

The New York Times Clinton weighs her options story today quotes a frustrated Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, 

“We are willing to go on, and we understand the inevitability of this, but we are filled with disappointment and amazement: Why haven’t these results caused the superdelegates to come around?”

CNN, FOXNews and AP lead their coverage with former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, a national co-chair for Clinton, saying this race is over. He says, "After Tuesday's contests, she needs to acknowledge that he's going to be the nominee and quickly get behind him." We'll just see about that.