August 8, 2008 - 11:06am
Shea-Porter's month of opportunity
By James W. PindellNew Hampshire 1st Congressional District remains an enigma even to those who closely watch politics here. The head-scratching general election will follow a confusing Republican primary race. What is more clear is that August is Carol Shea-Porter's month of opportunity.
This is likely to be the month that Shea-Porter will look back on five years from now as the moment where she either did what was necessary to make her a safe incumbent or didn't do enough, eventually either knocking her out of Congress or setting up another tight re-election.
Let's examine how we got here. When Shea-Porter defeated the establishment-backed state House Minority Leader in the 2006 primary and then beat a sitting two-term Congressman in the general, many New Hampshire Democrats agreed with Republicans that Shea-Porter was an accidental Congresswoman buoyed by historic straight-ticket Democrat voting. They thought there was no way she couldn't raise the money to win again and even if she did she wouldn't have a clue what to do with it.
Her decision not to participate in the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's fund-raising program only continued the narrative. One prominent New Hampshire Democrat vowed "to get Carol re-elected whether she liked it or not." It was a generous thought since Washington Democrats left her for dead. Some Democrats even whispered thoughts of a primary just to save the seat.
That made Shea-Porter's number one objective bridging her credibility gap. With the help of campaign manager Pia Carusone, Shea-Porter has, in fact, navigated something resembling a credible campaign. Sure the Washington circle of Democratic consultants I hear from still look at the latest UNH poll numbers showing her losing to Bradley and see the $250,000 she raised last quarter and say it is still over.
I see something different.
I see Shea-Porter as the candidate who last quarter raised what her two Republicans raised combined. I see a bloody Republican primary that will leave the nominee broke and unable to get back on his feet through September. (While this is a top five House race nationwide Republicans aren't exactly raising money like the good old days of 2002.) I also see a Shea-Porter where a third of likely voters in her district don't know who she is or what to make of her. Challenger Jeb Bradley is better known.
If Shea-Porter's first challenge was to gain credibility, her challenge now is to define herself before her Republican challengers even get a shot. Is Shea-Porter still an accident? Or is she a Congresswoman finding her sea legs and bringing home the bacon? Is she an out of touch and incompetent liberal? Is she the person attends an event with President Bush just to protest? Or is she the classic maverick the Granite State adores?
Shea-Porter should take the month of August as a chance to go on television and define herself. Word is that she was shooting television ads at a prominent medical malpractice firm in Portsmouth on Tuesday.
If this defining month is going to be end in her favor, she must define herself in it.
Correction: An earlier version of this story said Shea-Porter was arrested for protesting President Bush during an event he held. She was not. I regret the error.
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Syndicate
Shea-Porter is toast
If Carol Shea-Porter is not the dumbest Member of Congress, then I don't want to know who is!
She rates a 0% for constituent relations:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjpfp_qKHWc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOZz_Fd5_lQ
The citizens of NH CD-1 should be embarrassed that they sent someone so idiotic to the US Congress.
Here she is telling a constituent "go ask Sen. Sununu for help!" with an illegally foreclosed home issue:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deuA9Br1obg
Thank you Stunned
Thank you for the assinine post above. I went on www.sheaporter.com and donated $20 to her campaign.
Name calling and harassing a member of congress is childish and should not be encouraged.
Your efforts to make our congresswoman look bad instead reflects badly on you.
Hacks on the left, hacks on the right.
Manchester Voter, that $20 could have been better used on things like perscriptions, food, fuel, kids, but I bet your one of the people who complain about the high price of everything and then go and donate money to hacks because they promise to steal more money from tax payers. May I suggest putting future donations into your retirement or a savings account just so I don't have to have uncle sam steal more money from me to give to you just so you can keep making donations.
Thanks Jib
Thank YOU for the asinine post above. I went to www.sheaporter.com and donated $50 to her campaign.
FYI, I'm one of the ones who deals with the high price of everything and doesn't bitch about it. My $50 could have gone to food and/or my kids, but I think that I do both them and me better by supporting someone who obviously rubs you the wrong way.
Hauk I find it very
Hauk
I find it very entertaining at the fact that you have not shown the ability to tell us why you support the Shea-Porter campaign. Exactly how much are they paying you to visit these message boards and post crap like that?
When you're ready to put some political thought out on these boards, I'll be ready to have that decent conversation with you. Until then, get a life.
Hauk read the subject line.
Hauk did you not read the subject line on my original post? "Hacks on the left AND hacks on the right." My post was about both parties, not just Shea Porter. The whole arguement is why people donate to politicians who offer them nothing but taking tax payer dollars and then they (the people who donate) complain that they can't afford anything after they donate.
Shea Porter is a hack, Bradley is a hack, and Stephen is a hack. Hauk if you want to go ahead and donate then thats your right, but don't come crying to the taxpayers when you can't afford anything.
is that you?
Pia Carusone is that you? Don't you have the campaign of our dumbest Member of Congress to run?
Stunned ( or Neil or whoever
Stunned ( or Neil or whoever you are)
You no doubt have read my columns at NH INSIDER that debunk the you tube videos you posted.
But for readers who don't frequent the blogosphere here is a link to the truth behind the vids,
http://www.nhinsider.com/chaz-proulx/2008/7/19/rethuglican-blogger-promo...
Here's another article that shows the civilized way to ask a politician a question.
http://www.nhinsider.com/chaz-proulx/2008/7/28/how-to-ask-a-politician-a...
And Jib--Obviously you are a Libertarian. I see that Peter Bearse got the signatures he needed to get on the ballot. I signed that petition so that folks like you will have someone to vote for.
Unfortunately Peter has some real ringers helping him who are turning off the Libertarians I know. Nobody in any of my campaigns would suggest that its time to "slap" a woman candidate. Misogyny anyone?
Tyler & Jib
Tyler-- where in your post is any "political thought"? I sure didn't see any.
Jib-- Taxes pay for the police, the fire department, roads, the court system, etc. etc. etc. You're right, we'd probably be better without all of those things.
Chaz: uninformed whiner
Chaz buddy you're an uninformed whiner.
First of all sorry to burst your ego maniacal bubble but I've never even heard of you before let alond read your blog... and after reading the first article you linked to I wouldn't waste my time again. Who cares about the ramblings of yet another "progressive" Dem hack.
Secondly, Neil Rowland wasn't involved in any of the videos I linked to. I've seen some of what he's posted on YouTube but other than scrolling commentary at the bottom of the screen nothing about shouting or slapping. And compared to some of the other stuff that hasn't made it on tape or on to YouTube the videos I posted are pretty easy on Shea-Porter.
Obviously you support Peter Bearse because you think that splitting the Libertarian vote from whomever wins the GOP primary will be enough of an edge to protect Carol Shea-Porter, but I doubt it. Every time she opens her mouth people are disgusted, as they should be.
I'll say it again: Carol Shea-Porter is the dumbest Member of Congress !!!
Shea-Porter
Shea-Porter has been a breadth of fresh air in Congress, working for the common citizen, not the lobbyists.
John McCain Voted to Filibuster Minimum Wage Hike
as well he should have!
Anyone with a rudimentary understanding of simple economic principles knows that besides being fundamentally wrong, minimum wage laws are harmful to the economy and the average worker: increases in minimum wage directly increase the unemployment rate. A higher minimum wage means that employers are unable to hire more workers. The workers who are hit the hardest are the lower-income workers.
So in reality, if you support an increase in the minimum wage, you are working against low-income workers.
Thomas Sowell explains this in an article from 2005:
http://www.capmag.com/article.asp?ID=4472
another article from 2003:
http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/sowell110503.asp
and again in 2006:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2006/08/a_glimmer_of_hope.html
Enjoy and I hope you learn something!
If Stunned isn't a Dem, he/she is a jackass
You see, Stunned prefers his Congressmen aloof and above it all. Someone like Jeb who supported veterans at times, but lied to some of them.
Carol Shea Porter actually cares; she is not a millionaire looking for a hobby seperated from her community and looking for hobby. Ignoring idiots with videocameras is a sign of strength, and I LOVE IT!
yeah right
OK, "Stunkillah" (is that some kind of threat?)...
I'm not a fan of Jeb at all, I expect much more from a Member of Congress than Jeb or Carol Shea have been able to muster.
And when I meet a Dem who has even a rudimentary understanding of simple economic theories, or one who can discuss Thomas Sowell without going berserk, I'll be impressed.
Until then... *yawn*... I'm bored of you already.
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