The New Hampshire Secondary

You are looking at the home of "Gore 2008" in Manchester, New Hampshire. It has a nice venue, and is right across the street from the University and adjacent to the sports facility. There is a "Chili's" Rib shack one block up.

In 2000, the last "open" primary, there was almost $50 Million dollars spent by the major campaigns in a state that has 1.2 million people living in it. And that is the money that was recorded, and doesn't include incidentals like food, bribes and all the other day to day expenses that every good campaign incurs. For context - that is LESS than was spent on Ohio in the last presidential election. You know, that state that determined the winner between Kerry (D - War Hero) and Bush (R - War Zero)?

Having spent the past weekend in New England, I can say three things without any trepidation what-so-ever:

1) New Hampshire is exactly like Ontario north of the Highway 7 - white, underdeveloped, and full of Moose;
2) New Hampshire is hardly representative of America, let alone New England; and
3) I feel sorry for professional politicians who have to defeat New Hampshire like the Boss at the end of level two of Double Dragon before moving onto bigger battles.

Recent history has marred New Hampshire as the "Presidential Selector" - recent "winners" include Buchanan (R - Soviet Canuckistan) and McCain (R - Hanoi). It does, however, have a state law that requires it to have its primary first. The Democrats have skirted their way around this one by having their Nevada Primary (not the "full" primary) right before it.

Even a fake President on TV (Bartlett (D - Sheen should run as Bartlett) finished third in the 1996 NBC - primary despite being the current Governor of the state everyone else had to fly to) didn't win the New Hampshire primary and still won the White House. His successor was critical of the process - being a Latino from Texas (D - LA Law) had nothing to do with it.

NBC's actual point was one that I have made myself, though without the Prime Time budget - the New Hampshire Primary a) openly favours white candidates and b) is not a true indicator of the National Mood or values.

On the one hand, maybe a pie eating contest would be more effective. On the other hand, I would love to watch Barrack Obama (D - Not ready yet - slooooooow down) go huntin' moose - to prove just how folksy he can be. Being President is about so much more than the smartest guy in the room, and sometimes, you don't even need to be that - it is about small town politics.

There are about 15 important people in New Hampshire- and they all control a list of names. The New Hampshire primary is all about grassroots political movements. If it was timed at any other point in the Calendar it would be about as important as Delaware's primary. Circular logic? Absolutely - but it is necessary to vet out candidates on an intimate level and it might as well be rooted in tradition. Besides, if you can't get to level three of Double Dragon, what good are you?

Do you want to be the guy who suggests we put those 15 people out of work before you know if they are, uh...required, knowing that they will just be replaced by 15 other people from Iowa?