A quick note on Nashua, NH

[WillyBrandt]

I held up signs and did all I could for Clark from 11am to 8pm in the freezing, blistering cold. It was exhilirating seeing all the Democratic energy there, and while there were a very mild unpleasantries between various camps, the feeling was overwhelmingly ABB.

I'm exhausted, and the blizzard on the way home nearly caused me to crash about ten times, so I suppose I'm doubly lucky that Clark edged out Edwards, and that I lived to post about it.

Tomorrow I'll offer a fuller report.

My advice to everyone: get the fuck off of DU, and volunteer--IN PERSON! You'll feel much better.

One other thing: I hope the delegate ain't chosen until the Convention. I like when our side hogs up the media oxygen for once.

Night!

[Tesha]

1. Which ward? (NT)

[molly]

2. Good for you!

:toast:

[creativelcro]

3. Clark came 4th in Nashua...

What's wrong with Nashua ? Why do they seem to care for Kerry so much ? Was Kerry there?...

[Tesha]

4. There are several possible answers to your second question.

What's wrong with Nashua ?

Answering this question would require WAY too much
speculation! :)


Why do they seem to care for Kerry so much ?

I think there are several possible answers.

One possibility is that Nashua is a bedroom community to northern
Massachusetts (including Boston). More of the residents of Nashua
probably read the Boston Globe than the Manchester Union Liar, and
they almost certainly watch the Boston TV stations as well as or
even instead of Manchester's WMUR. These folks are probably more
familiar with "Senator Kerry" and "Senator Kennedy" than they are
"Senator Gregg" or "Senator Sununu".

Another possibility was that Kerry was clearly the annointed one
of the NH Democratic machinery. Former three-term Governor and
failed US Senate candidate Jeanne Shaheen was leading his campaign.

Another possibility is that Manchester and Nashua both tend to be
pretty Republican/Libertarian (of late), so maybe Kerry in those
two places winning isn't quite the joyous message that many Kerry
supporters are sure they heard last night.

Tesha

[creativelcro]

6. Thanks. I was thinking along those lines. Are you from there?

I was looking at the map. Dean got a beating from the Hillsborough and Rockingham counties (these are the ones with the most votes, I think):

Dean Kerry
Hill: 13130.00 24240.00

Rock: 11108.00 19647.00

So, you say they tend to be Republican. That, with the fact that they are bordering MA and many people there are from MA (and may still work in MA), may explain a lot... And not generalize at all about Kerry strenght... This pisses me off...

[Tesha]

7. Southern NH is heavily populated by Mass ex-pats...

So, you say they tend to be Republican.

Southern NH is heavily populated by Mass ex-pats who "escaped"
across the boarder to Southern NH in search of lower taxes,
less government, and lower housing prices. Many have a definite
Libertarian streak and many vote fiercely Republican, often
against their own best interests.

For a long, long time, I've thought that the Democrat's best
interests were NOT being served by the NH Primary. When all
is said and done, I believe that 2004 will be yet another
proof-point of this theory.

Tesha
(Underemployed in NH)

[creativelcro]

8. That's it. The order of primaries should rotate.

Given that they give "momentum" to whomever wins, and in doins so it influences the elction course. What would be the process to have that done? Who decides?

[MaineDem]

5. I agree about volunteering

It's great to channel energy that way. You meet wonderful people and have a feeling of accomplishing something in a positive way to get a Democrat into the White House.

Thank you for taking the time to stand there. It's important to the process.

[Jerseycoa]

9. Good job, Willy!

We're coming out of New Hampshire right where we should be, thanks to hard-working volunteers like you. You missed a humongous thread in which we Clarkies suffered a collective nervous breakdown, a quick recovery, a slow slide back into tied for fourth while returns were stuck at 97%, only to be lifted again into third by morning. We had lots of drinks and burned a thousand candles and put our trust in a mascot named Blackie. Blackie came through!

We were effing nuts, Willy! :crazy:

We look forward to hearing the backstory of your trip once you have rested. ;)

Say thank you to windansea's pal, Blackie, everybody: