Mike Hoefer Posts

Is the Charlie Bass Ad of Annie Kuster's stunt double dancing a new low for a NH political ad?
Not only is it sexist, In my mind it crosses the line of being overly personal, but as we have recently seen Charlie has no problem crossing boundries in order to depress voter turnout.
The ad also quotes NH Journal as if it was a legit news source, and throws in some fear mongering about state income tax as if it were a federal issue.
Charlie's core competency seems to be making fun of people, remember this video from 2006?

The only possible way for Charlie to win on November 6th ...

SNL takes on the Undecided Voter

This is an open thread.

Charlie Bass has added his signature "Charlie" to his latest batch of yard sign across NH-02. Perhaps it's supposed to intone a kinder gentler Charlie?

Meanwhile his field staff get aggressively bully Ann McLane Kuster with video cameras. Not cool.

I suppose I could have gotten in the face of Congressman Bass while he was "Working" for UPS in Keene recently, I could have asked him about his real positions on unions and labor. I guess I'm too polite and have respect for those who seek to represent me in DC.

Bullying opponents is not a New Hampshire value and we certainly do not need more of it in DC. Let's help Congressman Bass return to the private sector.

Volunteer or Donate to help send Ann McLane Kuster to DC where she will stand up for NH's Middle Class.

Kuster Campaign Statement below the fold.

STATEMENT FROM ANNIE KUSTER ON CONGRESSMAN BASS' POLITICAL BULLYING

Annie Kuster released the following statement regarding political bullying by Congressman Bass' campaign:

"Political bullying by Congressman Bass and the House Republicans has resulted in a failed, do-nothing Congress. Bass's political bullying hasn't worked in Washington and I won't let it intimidate me or my campaign in New Hampshire.

This weekend, Congressman Bass sent a campaign staffer to a public event I was attending, which all candidates for public office expect. However, after the Bass staff member repeatedly interrupted a private conversation I was having and nearly hit me in the face with his video camera, I briefly took the camera from him and asked one of my supporters to return it moments later. The final thirty seconds of this episode were included in a video that the Bass campaign anonymously leaked to a Republican blog in an attempt to deceive voters and distract from his own failed leadership.

This type of political bullying aimed at keeping Congressman Bass in political power at all costs is exactly what is wrong with Congress. This is not what leaders do to bring people together to solve problems. It's what politicians do to try and save their political careers.

I am eager to debate the issues with Congressman Bass in a respectful and civil way, but I won't tolerate the Bass campaign's attempts to intimidate me."

Carol Shea-Porter's return to congress just got a bit easier.

The Hill Reports:

The National Republican Congressional Committee has no airtime reserved for three of its most vulnerable incumbents, a sign they may think Reps. Joe Walsh (R-Ill.), Frank Guinta (R-N.H.) and Roscoe Bartlett (R-Md.) are beyond saving at this point.

Of course your standard caveats apply. Work hard, take nothing for granted etc.

Perhaps you would like to Get Involved or contribute a few dollars the campaign.

According to my Twitter machine Maggie Hassan and Ovide Lamontagne will have their first debate this morning at 9AM on NHPR. Tune in and comment here.

Susan has chosen to step down from front page responsibilities here at Blue Hampshire. She will continue to blog and be a strong progressive voice in our state at Susan The Bruce you should check it out and bookmark it.

Don't be surprised if you see her diary or comment here once and a while, but she will not longer be responsible to help feed the beast that is the Front Page.

Blue Hampshire will be less diverse without her voice, and I'll miss her her passion and alternative view points on a wide variety of issues.

Thanks for all the time and effort you have put in to Blue Hampshire Susan.

8 weeks from tonight, just 56 days, we will all be doing the same thing we were tonight; huddling around our screens (big or small), watching twitter, getting text messages from one another.

Will it be a good night? It's up to us.

We have a great ticket, with Obama polling strong I think 2012 will look a lot more like 2006 than it did 2010.

What we do over the next 56 days can make a difference. How quickly we can come together to work towards our common goals will make a difference. How quickly we can move on from real or perceived trespasses will make a difference.

I'm looking forward to the next 56 days,  I hope you are too!

I was up early to dress some polls in Swanzey and Marlborough. Rode bike to Keene Ward 5 to vote then to Ward 2 to report bellwether numbers.

What are you doing/seeing out there today?

Will leave this up all day for your posting enjoyment. Probably use this as the results thread this evening as well.

A bit of a late start but here is a thread if you want to jibber jabber.

Invesco Field 2008

Twitter is full of kudos for John Kerry. Maybe we'll see him up here in NH in the next few weeks?

I think we can all agree on how great this speech was.

What were your favorite parts?

P.S. Anyone that tries to make this about NH-Gov get banned! ;-)

Use this thread to post your comments and thoughts about the proceedings and speakers you are watching to night. Maybe we will even get a comment from the floor.

Have only caught the last few minutes of the debate. What do you think? How did our Democrats do? How did the hosts and panelist do?

Keene Sentinel Endorses Maggie Hassan

But one candidate stands out more as an outstanding leader who will bring a collaborative approach to government. Such an approach will surely be needed in the coming years to drag our state out of its financial mess and ease the political in-fighting and pettiness that has so often these days made Concord look like little more than a schoolyard at recess.

That candidate is Maggie Hassan.

They close with what is on many of our minds

Choosing between these two gifted candidates was not easy. Through her rejection of The Pledge, Cilley is making great strides in raising a much-needed conversation about the source of our state's revenue and we have, in the past, used this very space to highlight the need for such tax reform discussion. However, in the current political climate, when nearly any topic can become instantly polarizing, such a stance could stifle thoughtful debate on other big-picture issues facing the state and be replaced by vitriolic rhetoric focused solely on taxes. That's why at this moment so critical to New Hampshire's future, Hassan presents Democrats with the most persuasive, yet inclusive voice in her party for fundamental change in Concord.

This is big win for the Hassan campaign in this blue corner of the state.

We have had a long standing policy of "paid" campaign staff required to disclose the fact, particularly if the are posting about their candidate or their opponent.

While the policy was put in place during a time when most folks used "screen names" on the internet it is still an important ethical disclosure today. Particularly if a person is not posting with their real name. This is our policy.

There needs to be further discussion about this though as "Paid-Staff" may not be an accurate measure of when a relationship needs to be disclosed.

I like it... getting a bit more focused on issues, and real world accomplishments of Maggie's time in the State Senate.

What I really like is a Dem on the Air so early in a race where name recognition will be a major issue.

PPP Poling has Maggie +3 on likely GOP Nominee Ovide Lamontagne. Since the last poll Ovide is up 3 points and Maggie is up 6... In other words she is accelerating against Ovide.

The Dem race is wide open with 46% undecided. This gives supporters of each candidate plenty of phone calls to make and doors to nock final weeks of the primary campaign which ends on September 11.

Nice 30 second spot from the Kuster Campaign that targets Annie's natural strength with pragmatic independent voters.

(Will update as other statements are released)

NHDP Chair Raymond Buckley

Mitt Romney has picked a leader of the House Republicans who shares his commitment to putting tax breaks for the wealthiest before middle-class families. The radical Ryan budget plan supported by Charlie Bass and Frank Guinta would end Medicare as we know it by turning it into a voucher system and adding thousands of dollars in health care costs to seniors, in order to pay for new tax cuts for the richest Americans.

NH Dem Gov Candidate Maggie Hassan

"Ovide Lamontagne, Kevin Smith and Paul Ryan all share the same goal of dismantling Medicare, a program which is critically important to New Hampshire's seniors," said Hassan. "They want to let the legislature take over Medicare and strongly support Ryan's plan to dismantle the program."

Senator Kelly Ayotte

New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte says Mitt Romney has made a ''fantastic choice'' in picking Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan to be his running mate.

NH-02 Congressman Charlie Bass

We know our nation is at a crossroads and it will take real leadership, real ideas and the ability to work together to get us back on track - ideals that are embodied by the Romney-Ryan ticket.

NH-02 Candidate Ann McLane Kuster

Congressman Bass' support for Paul Ryan's budget plan has drawn sharp criticism from New Hampshire voters - and for good reason. His budget would end Medicare as we know it and make devastating cuts to education, research, and infrastructure while at the same time giving more tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans, oil companies, and outsourcers. That's a plan to move our country backward, not forward.

Just noticed a new feature in the The Contributor Admin area that reports out on the Top 10 Posters and Commenters... thought you all might like a look

Posts

* Dean Barker: 4,061

* elwood: 939

* hannah, 538

* Rep. Jim Splaine: 375

* Mike Hoefer: 374

* Kathy Sullivan 2: 328

* Mike Caulfield: 320

* susanthe: 302

* William Tucker: 287

* Jennifer Daler: 281

Diaries from this group represent 54% of all the posts on BH to date (14,412). Heck Dean alone is responsible for 28%!

Comments

* elwood: 11,239

* Dean Barker: 7,637

* JimC: 7,230

* JonnyBBad: 6,537

* Douglas E. Lindner: 6,482

* hannah: 5,618

* Jack Mitchell: 5,302

* Kathy Sullivan 2: 4,183

* susanthe: 3,898

* Dartmouth Dem: 2,911

Comments from this loquacious group represent about 47% of all the comments on BH to date (128,012).  

Someone asked me about the Top Diaries the other day so I thought I would do a post on in.

This is based on total page views to the diary detail page, diaries that appear in full on the front page are some at something of a disadvantage as their content is viewable without a visit to the diary detail page.

Top 20 Diaries over the last 12 months are...

1. NH's Rep. Notter Claims Birth Control Causes Prostate Cancer
2. NH Gov Straw Poll #3
3. Union Leader says DJ Bettencourt (did not graduate from Law School)
4. NH Gov Straw Poll #2
5. Welcome to My World--Words Fail Me Edition
6. NH-01 Straw Poll #2
7. Equality Watch: HB 437
8. Questioning Speaker O'Brien-- Voter Suppression is No "Joke"
9. Bob Perry Wins Special Election
10. Keeping Marriage Equality: 211 to 116. Amazing!
11. What Will Bill O'Brien Do About This Disgraceful Behavior?
12. Frank Guinta Gets Schooled by Constituent
13. The HB 542 Veto Override. It wasn't even close!
14. Hair-raising development
15. Pledge Politics and the One Percent
16. Why Dems will lose the governor's race
17. Marjorie Porter's House Floor Unanimous Consent
18. President Obama's Incredible Failure of Leadership
19. A Partisan Analysis of the Senate Redistricting Plan
20. Bill Clinton is Coming to Nashua

You all sure do love you some straw-polls!

What do you think this list says about the State of the State? The State of BH?

One of the critical pieces in the this year's election is to restore a Democratic majority to the Executive Council. This somewhat obscure, but critically important, political body has significant impact on the direction of our State (EC Background/History)

A Democratic Council with a Democratic Governor will help move our state forward. As a defensive play, a Democratic Council with Republican governor will help to keep things in check.

Obviously we are all working towards the former, but the later is important to keep in mind as well.

The NH Executive Council is where:

• The crusade against Planned Parenthood was kicked-off in New Hampshire last summer when the Council voted to defund birth control pills and other preventive health care for thousands
• Partisan opposition successfully halted the study of passenger rail from Boston to Concord this winter
• Close-minded ideology has eroded our consumer protections and stopped efforts to help our businesses find cheaper health insurance.
• All appointments of judges, state agency heads, members of state board and commissions, and all significant state contracts are voted on.

We have great candidates for this important legislative body

• District 2- I'm supporting Colin Van Ostern. A smart, politically shrewd, and outspoken defender of reproductive rights. As a young father you know he will keep the next generation in mind as he makes decisions. Website | Donate
• District 3: Bill Duncan is a businessman, Navy veteran, and public education advocate running to represent the Seacoast and Southern Tier. Website | Donate
• District 4: Chris Pappas is co-owner of the Puritan Backroom restaurant, former Treasurer of Hillsborough Co, and is running to represent Greater Manchester and Eastern Merrimack Co. Website |Donate
• District 5: Deb Pignatelli is a former Executive Councilor and State Senator running to represent Greater Nashua , Eastern Cheshire and the Souhegan Valley again in the State House. Website |Donate

Please consider a small donation to one or more of these great candidates and remember to spread the word to your friends and neighbors about in importance of the Executive Council.

(Post inspired from Colin's eMail Blast today)