But privately, he told aides that he would consider the role of vice president, and favored the position of attorney general, which would appeal to his experience of decades spent in courtrooms as a trial lawyer in North Carolina; and his desire to follow in the footsteps of Robert F. Kennedy, one of his heroes.Now, that's the way to do it. Edwards as the AG would almost be as good as Ralph Nader being the AG. That's the way to go. Let's hope Obama is smart enough to make this move.
Members of PrioritiesNH and New Hampshire Citizens Alliance "stirred it up" Thursday, as they celebrated their "mixer" over ice cream treats with Ben & Jerry's co-founder Ben Cohen.
PrioritiesNH, the campaign for sensible budget priorities known for its colorful pie charts and eye-catching vehicles, has become a project of New Hampshire Citizens Alliance. The PrioritiesNH campaign calls for cutting off funds for Pentagon waste and obsolete weapons and using the savings to fund priority programs like education, healthcare and energy independence.
As an affiliate of US Action, New Hampshire Citizens Alliance promotes the Invest in America's Future campaign, which calls for safely, responsibly ending the U.S. occupation of Iraq and making public investments in the same priorities: education, quality, affordable healthcare for all, and energy independence.
As a special guest of the "Stirring Committee" of the two groups, Cohen launched the "mixer" by stacking Oreo cookies to demonstrate the lopsided priorities of the federal budget. "We're still spending about $60 billion a year on weapons that are designed to fight the Soviet Union," said Cohen. "That money could be used to renovate and rebuild all the schools in the U.S., or provide healthcare to all the kids who don't have it, or help us gain energy independence."
NHCA Board of Directors Chair Margaret Duffy said, "There's great momentum here to build on. Bringing our organizations together strengthens our work to shift national priorities in directions that better meet the needs of us all."
Bob Marley's "Stir it Up" played in the background as the crowd at the Common Man Restaurant in Concord enjoyed Ben & Jerry's ice cream treats and wrote their ideas for the next phase of the campaigns on giant sheets of paper on the walls.
| North Carolina |
| President - Dem Primary | |
| 721 of 2817 Precincts Reporting - 26% |
|
| President - GOP Primary | |
| 714 of 2817 Precincts Reporting - 25% |
| Name | Party | Votes | Vote % | ||
 | McCain, John | GOP | 135,172 | 75% | |
| Huckabee, Mike | GOP | 21,271 | 12% | ||
| Paul, Ron | GOP | 13,274 | 7% | ||
| No Preference | GOP | 6,983 | 4% | ||
| Keyes, Alan | GOP | 4,338 | 2% |
| Indiana |
| President - Dem Primary | |
| 3537 of 5230 Precincts Reporting - 68% |
|
| President - GOP Primary | |
| 3540 of 5230 Precincts Reporting - 68% |
| Name | Party | Votes | Vote % | ||
| McCain, John | GOP | 233,606 | 77% | |
| Huckabee, Mike | GOP | 31,365 | 10% | ||
| Paul, Ron | GOP | 23,124 | 8% | ||
| Romney, Mitt | GOP | 14,678 | 5% |
Editor's Note: After the 2006 election, I found out that one of the new representatives to the New Hampshire Legislature was a blogger. Margaret Porter ousted Republican insider Tony Soltani for the seat. I decided to send her a follow up email to see what she thought of her first term.
First, have you decided whether you will be running for reelection?
I've already committed to running for re-election, and earlier in the year informed both my town committee and the Majority Office.
What do you think you have accomplished as a state representative in the last 18 months?
Where do I start? Such a busy, productive time!
It has been a pleasure and a privilege to vote in support of legislation that I feel benefits New Hampshire's citizens and their quality of life. Defining an adequate education, raising the minimum wage, re-establishing job training funding, providing financial support to higher education, ensuring civil unions for same-sex couples, expanding health care and preventative health care programs, eliminating straight-ticket voting, supporting small business and agri-business, approving North Country employment initiatives, protecting the state's natural resources, and providing a funding source for the L-CHIP program.
In the aftermath of the recently completed Fish & Game Department Performance Audit, I was appointed to the legislative subcommittee that will review some of its recommendations and craft appropriate legislation.
Within my district, I've closely tracked the environmental studies and findings related to the flooding of the Suncook River, which has had considerable local impact. I participated in the naming of the Epsom Traffic Circle for Officers Michael Briggs and Jeremy Charron. Recently, at the instigation of Congressman Hodes, I became involved in economic stimulus efforts in Pittsfield and attended the recent summit he convened in the town.
I'm responsive to the individual constituents who contact me--about pending legislation, or for assistance or information or resources. I help them to the best of my ability.
Two of the biggest issues, tax policy and education funding, still seem unresolved. Do you have any thoughts on why they are unresolved? In addition, what do you think will occur during the next session to remedy these issues?
Tax policy cannot be substantially altered by the Legislature as long as there is a Governor unwilling to approve any substantial change in the status quo. With regards to education, the Legislature has followed the timeline set by the court: last year, in bi-partisan fashion, we defined the components of an adequate education by the deadline imposed. In the next few weeks we should complete the adequacy costing analysis. The funding source can't be determined until the costs are known. I'm afraid I can't predict how these issues will be resolved in the next session...it depends on numerous factors. For example: how the costing formula turns out, whether the Governor takes The Pledge again, if his Constitutional Amendment makes it onto the ballot in November, the decline in the economy, our state revenue shortfall, which party holds the majority.
Lastly, has it hurt or helped you to have come in as a writer/blogger/concerned citizen instead of a retiree and attorney?
I like to think that my background and all my life experiences provide a useful perspective. Certainly it helps that I'm accustomed to reading and analyzing printed materials--we deal with a lot of paper! My public speaking experience came in handy on occasion when I addressed the House. Though there are plenty of retirees in the House, their professions and expertise are broad and varied. I've encountered relatively few attorneys. In the area of Representatives Hall where I sit, there are young or middle-aged professionals. And college students!
Democrat Rep. Margaret Porter serves Merrimack County District 8 which represents Allenstown, Epsom, and Pittsfield. Her Web site is margaretporter.com."I didn't tell him what I should have told him: That I had this feeling that if he stayed in the race he would win 300 or so delegates by Super Tuesday and have maybe a one-in-five chance of forcing a brokered convention. That there was a path ahead that would be extremely painful, but could very well put him and his causes at the top of the Democratic agenda. And that in politics anything can happen -- even the possibility that in an open convention with multiple ballots an embattled and exhausted party would turn to him as their nominee. I should have closed my eyes to the pain I saw around me on the campaign bus, including my own. I should have told him emphatically that he should stay in. My regret that I did not do so -- that I let John Edwards down -- grows with every day that the fight between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama continues."Ya know Joe, your regret is ours too. Now we are stuck with two mediocre candidates - one who is a borderline empty-suiter and the other who is obsessed with power. Next time, like in the past, don't hold back it and keep it on full throttle. I predicted almost two years ago that there might be a brokered convention. I still think there might be. But if Edwards had a few hundred delegates, he could have been a bigger player.
