The Conscientious Objector
In a 1994 TV interview, with the late Judd Rose, Massachusetts Governor William Weld was in top form. He was wildly popular, headed for reelection as Governor with over 70% of the vote. He had been narrowly elected in 1990. His rival, the late John Silber, called Weld a “carrot headed WASP.” Affable and witty, and slightly off beat, Weld was anything but stuffy. He contrasted well with the stern Boston University president. Silber came to strongly approve of Weld’s […]
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Raucous Traditions Of NH Journalism
The “Live Free or Die” state is small, but it’s journalism has always been raucous and consequential. Even in an age when newspapers are in retreat, trying to navigate technological change, the Manchester Union Leader and Concord Monitor remain. A former congressman publishes the Bow Times. The Weirs Times remains a healthy hard copy newspaper, with a roster of prominent right wing syndicated columnists. The New Hampshire Gazette bills itself as “The Nation’s Oldest Newspaper.” The progressive populist journal is […]
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Underdog strategies coming into focus
The Granite State is famous for lifting people from the back of the pack, sometimes very late in the campaign, elevating dark horse candidates from obscurity to national prominence. Who might it be this time? We know who the big four are. Front runner Joe Biden, with populist curmudgeon Bernie Sanders nipping at his heels, have maintained their status for several years now. Elizabeth Warren has been almost as prominent. For much of last year she was seen as having […]
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Who Will The Left Reach For?
A recent report on NHPR, about the coming primary, told the story of progressive Democratic activists, so torn between Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, they were doing volunteer work for both of them. Yogi Berra spoke of coming to a fork in the road, and taking it. Molly Grover is a Sanders coordinator in Concord. She and Mary Lupien worked for Sanders in upstate New York in 2016. When the Vermont senator crossed paths with them there, he wasted no […]
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Book Reviews: NH Primary Reading
Barack and Joe The Making of an Extraordinary Partnership by Steven Levingston Review by Mike Billings The story of how an aging Senator Joe Biden teamed up with a young Senator Barack Obama, well told by Washington Post book editor Steven Levingston, will do much to explain the mix of affection and unease that many Democrats feel about Biden and his current run for president. There is affection for this obviously big-hearted man, intolerant of bigots and bullies, impatient since […]
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