Tuesday, January 08, 2008
IPLawGuy is alive, and being wooed by the French...
Apparently, IPLawGuy (pictured above) gave an interview to France 24 while campaigning for McCain in New Hampshire. Here is part of his astute analysis of the political scene there today, translated into English:
There were between 4-7 of us McCainiacs at Manchester's Ward 5 polling place along with some retired union guys from Albany and other "old line Democrats" there for Hillary, a bunch of younger folks for Obama and some very committed people for Ron Paul. We were all friendly and had a good time. The Hillary people even shared their pizza with the rest of us. I wish the foreign press would come take pictures of scenes like this or of the public demonstrations in which I participated in downtown Portsmouth, NH on Sunday and Monday. We were there for McCAin in force along with packs of Ron Paul supporters, Kucinich people, Hillary die-hards, Obama lovers and a couple of Edwards supporters and even some Romney people. Really haven't seen much evidence of Romney's campaign except on TV. I thought he looked terrible during the Sunday night Fox debate but the Frank Luntz focus group disagreed. I don't get it. I think Tyd's right about his character.
Anyhow, there are tons of McCain folks in NH, but the most vocal groups are the Kucinich and Paul supporters! They seem to know where the TV cameras are and have packed the main street of Manchester. -- too bad most of the voters are in neighborhoods and apartment buildings, not the central business district.
From 6-9 AM a group of us did a "sign wave" at a major intersection in Manchester, then went to breakfast at local legend the Merrimack Restaurant. We saw both Paul and Kucinich. The latter stopped by our booth and we spoke pleasantly -- he knows my Uncle, a liberal Democrat in Cleveland.
At lunch we saw a third party candidate named Christopher Popham-Smith, from the new "One America" party. We think his platform is that Muslim extremists are bad. We also met "Citizen Kate," a video blogger from Chicago. She started a blog to learn about politics. Or something like that.
I did get a chance to say hello to my old boss John McCain and his wife last night at a final rally for friends and family. He was in good spirits and still telling his patented corny jokes.
We feel like he will win today, but the press built him up too much once again, so today's message has been that Romney is surging.. Why? How?
Who knows. We'll find out tonight.
Oh, and Obama is going to win big on the D side. The Hillary people are working hard, but the sentiment is clearly not with her amongst the voters I saw. I feel sorry for her. I think she'd be a fine COO, but Obama clearly has the "temprament" to inspire. His voters BELIEVE. I just worry about the whole "cult of personality" that develops around all politicians, especially the super -charismatic ones.
Comments:
<< Home
The France 24 reporter WAS quite attractive, but she was no Iplawife! And she was Scottish, not French.
By the way Portsmouth, NH is now one of my favorite places. What a beautiful tonw. Nashua and Manchester are nice too.
By the way Portsmouth, NH is now one of my favorite places. What a beautiful tonw. Nashua and Manchester are nice too.
# posted by 
: 5:37 PM
: 5:37 PM
Oooops! I was wrong about the Democrats. Hillary kicked Obama's butt!
Here's the the totally unofficial theory from the McCain camp:
There were two elements to Obama's loss. First of all, the energy and enthusiasm that surrounded Obama was not necessarily generated by New Hampshire residents and voters. Much of it came from out of staters, esp. college students. Yes they were enthusiastic, but THEY DON'T VOTE and if they do, they don't vote here.
Secondly there was competition for the independent voters all the candidates and McCain won. The independents (or undeclareds) showed up today and voted for McCain, not Obama. The number of undeclareds voting in the GOP primary was high and according to exit polls they went for McCain.
So all the work that the hundreds of volunteer McCainiacs did over the past several weeks and days, knocking on doors, making phone calls, doing sign waves and working the polls paid off! According to exit polls there were lots of "late deciders" and they decided for McCain.
Here's the the totally unofficial theory from the McCain camp:
There were two elements to Obama's loss. First of all, the energy and enthusiasm that surrounded Obama was not necessarily generated by New Hampshire residents and voters. Much of it came from out of staters, esp. college students. Yes they were enthusiastic, but THEY DON'T VOTE and if they do, they don't vote here.
Secondly there was competition for the independent voters all the candidates and McCain won. The independents (or undeclareds) showed up today and voted for McCain, not Obama. The number of undeclareds voting in the GOP primary was high and according to exit polls they went for McCain.
So all the work that the hundreds of volunteer McCainiacs did over the past several weeks and days, knocking on doors, making phone calls, doing sign waves and working the polls paid off! According to exit polls there were lots of "late deciders" and they decided for McCain.
# posted by : 12:07 AM
: 12:07 AM
I love Kucinich. He does not have a prayer but I wish he did. I think Hillary won this time because she cried on TV. It was a risky move because it was a very girly thing to do, but it worked I guess.
I love McCain. Love Love Love him. My husband does not, used to love him but now after some thing where he I don't know the other GOPs were mean to him, and instead of fighting back he just caved and now Bill does not like him. I am not sure of the details..
I think he is awesome, and I loved when he sang Barbra Streisand songs on SNL.
Bill is a Dem and says he cannot vote for Hilary or Obama or Edwards. SO I am like WHO THEN? Ralph Nader?
I am undecided I guess but McCain looks good to me. but then, he is 71. That is kind of old you know? But then, I like Hilary and Edwards and Obama.
I guess the first order of business is to decide whether I am a Democrat or Republican. I really do not know anymore. I just want the war to be over all those guys to come home and all of that stuff you know? I hate the war.
My vote for Pres would be Ed Begley Jr.
Pretty sure he is not running though.
Iplaw.... When are you gonna get off the Campaign trail and come back home to Iplawtoddler Mamie Eisenhower and Iplawwife and Iplawbaby to be, little Hadley Oona? Oops I mean, BabyLadyBird...
Now if you will excuse me I am late for my shift at YEAR ROUND SANTA Inc.
I love McCain. Love Love Love him. My husband does not, used to love him but now after some thing where he I don't know the other GOPs were mean to him, and instead of fighting back he just caved and now Bill does not like him. I am not sure of the details..
I think he is awesome, and I loved when he sang Barbra Streisand songs on SNL.
Bill is a Dem and says he cannot vote for Hilary or Obama or Edwards. SO I am like WHO THEN? Ralph Nader?
I am undecided I guess but McCain looks good to me. but then, he is 71. That is kind of old you know? But then, I like Hilary and Edwards and Obama.
I guess the first order of business is to decide whether I am a Democrat or Republican. I really do not know anymore. I just want the war to be over all those guys to come home and all of that stuff you know? I hate the war.
My vote for Pres would be Ed Begley Jr.
Pretty sure he is not running though.
Iplaw.... When are you gonna get off the Campaign trail and come back home to Iplawtoddler Mamie Eisenhower and Iplawwife and Iplawbaby to be, little Hadley Oona? Oops I mean, BabyLadyBird...
Now if you will excuse me I am late for my shift at YEAR ROUND SANTA Inc.
Tyd, I agree about Kucinich . . . I wish he had a chance, but he doesn't . . . and my favorite memory of McCain was on SNL playing the ponytailed, pot-smoking, Hawaiian-shirted art teacher. Hilarious. IPLG, does he have any of that in him for real? Because I am encouraged if he does, though like Bill it seems to me McCain has gotten perhaps more socially conservative over the years, and of course he has to market himself that way now to a certain extent. But I keep thinking he must have a wild side.
# posted by : 6:15 AM
: 6:15 AM
Well maybe not the pot smoking, but you know, is he still a maverick, not afraid to do what he believes in and buck the party line?
I guess the SNL appearances, and nowadays the Leno appearances, contribute to the cult of personality, don't they?
I guess the SNL appearances, and nowadays the Leno appearances, contribute to the cult of personality, don't they?
# posted by : 8:20 AM
: 8:20 AM
Well, girls, whatever you do, be certain not to pick a candidate based on issues or anything!
# posted by : 9:42 AM
: 9:42 AM
McCain most likely never smoked pot and I don't think he drinks much if ever. He used to have some nice scotch in his house that a fellow staffer raided once at a party about 24 years ago. But as to his sense of humor, yes, that's really him.
Someone asked him about his age at a rally and he gave a good answer about his schedule, his vigor, etc. He recounted that his mother tried to rent a car in France last year, but they turned her down as being too old, so she bought a car instead.
He concluded by saying to the questionef, "Thanks for bringing it up, you jerk."
One of his best qualities is that he will go off unscripted and say what he really thinks -- gets him in trouble, but that's part of the reason we like him. As an example, Monday night in Portsmouth, NH he grabbed an "end global warming sign" and talked about how climate change is real and that he WILL do something. Photo ended up on the Drudge Report and the right wing kooks are going nuts! I hope the Prof's and Tyd's friends in Michigan forgive him!
As for Kucinich, he's an interesting fellow, but we're trying to elect a President, not the guy you'd like to have teaching poly sci 101. He's NOT an executive, as his tenure as the Mayor of Cleveland proved. Talk about someone who couldn't work and play well with others!
Post a Comment
Someone asked him about his age at a rally and he gave a good answer about his schedule, his vigor, etc. He recounted that his mother tried to rent a car in France last year, but they turned her down as being too old, so she bought a car instead.
He concluded by saying to the questionef, "Thanks for bringing it up, you jerk."
One of his best qualities is that he will go off unscripted and say what he really thinks -- gets him in trouble, but that's part of the reason we like him. As an example, Monday night in Portsmouth, NH he grabbed an "end global warming sign" and talked about how climate change is real and that he WILL do something. Photo ended up on the Drudge Report and the right wing kooks are going nuts! I hope the Prof's and Tyd's friends in Michigan forgive him!
As for Kucinich, he's an interesting fellow, but we're trying to elect a President, not the guy you'd like to have teaching poly sci 101. He's NOT an executive, as his tenure as the Mayor of Cleveland proved. Talk about someone who couldn't work and play well with others!
# posted by : 10:10 AM
: 10:10 AM << Home
