Clinton schedules February, March visits
Clinton schedules February, March visits
By JOHN DISTASOSenior Political Reporter 2 hours, 3 minutes ago
Democrat Hillary Clinton intensified the early pace of New Hampshire's 2008 Presidential primary campaign yesterday by scheduling two visits to the state in the next two months.
The New York senator, who announced last Saturday, "I'm in" as she filed a Presidential exploratory committee, will make her first visit Granite State visit as a Presidential candidate on Feb. 3 and 4, a top campaign official said. She will return on March 10 for the state Democratic Party's largest annual fund-raiser, the "100 Club" dinner. The dates were first reported on UnionLeader.com yesterday.
"It's beginning," said state Rep. Ricia MacMahon, D-Sutton, a longtime friend of Bill and Hillary Clinton who was a major player in the former President's 1992 primary campaign. "My phone messages have been filling up constantly. People are asking what they can do to help. And myself and others have been reaching out to key people in the campaign saying that we hope she comes here sooner rather than later."
Early yesterday, state Democratic Chairman Kathy Sullivan disclosed that Clinton had accepted the party's long-standing invitation to the March "100 Club" Dinner at the Nashua Sheraton Hotel.
She called Clinton "a dynamic, articulate leader who will be welcomed to the Granite State stage with tremendous excitement."
Several hours later, Clinton campaign national field director Karen Hicks said Clinton would make her first visit to the state since 1996 during the first weekend in February. Hicks had no details other than to say Clinton would be "getting around the state and meeting people."
But Clinton communications director Harold Wolfson said he expected Clinton to visit "venues large enough to accommodate 'town halls' and living rooms small enough to accommodate intimate conversations."
"She is excited to get back to New Hampshire," Hicks said. "She has a good feel for the state. She is very much looking forward to continuing her conversation and doing the grassroots politicking that New Hampshire voters have come to expect.
"She's pretty psyched," Hicks said.
A December state Democratic rally attracted 1,500 people to see Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, who formed his own exploratory committee a week ago.
Some media may be tempted to compare the reception Clinton receives to the enthusiastic response for Obama, but one long-time supporter of Bill Clinton who now backs Hillary Clinton would rather see a Clinton engage in quieter, more retail politicking in the tradition of the New Hampshire Primary.
"If I had my druthers, if anyone asks, I'd say try to create that New Hampshire type of approach," said Concord attorney Chris Gallagher.
Given that Clinton has her own "rock star" status, Gallagher said, "I don't know if it is possible to have small events. But I think she knows New Hampshire well enough to know that New Hampshire feels respected when people approach New Hampshire in that fashion and I think she knows that New Hampshire citizens take their assignment very seriously."
Gallagher said, "There are two types of audiences for Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire - the political regulars who are going to want to meet with her and become actively involved and others who would just be happy to say they saw her. She'll be playing to both audiences and that will be difficult to do."
Clinton's campaign has so far relied on heavy use of the Internet. She announced the formation of her exploratory committee on a Web video, and for the past two evenings, she has held live Webcast "conversations." Last night's was on the "State of the Union" address.
McMahon said the beginning of a New Hampshire campaign organization is taking shape.
"We don't have a state director, yet," she said. "We're just getting going, but people are eager to meet her or re-meet her. It's beginning and people are shopping, but some people have come up to me and said, 'I'm in too."
The Democrats' "100 Club" Dinner, first held in 1959, was originally organized by New Hampshire supporters of then U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts as a way to raise his profile among Granite State Democrats and Presidential Primary voters.
Since then, the "100 Club" has been the top fund-raising event for the New Hampshire Democratic Party and has featured some of the most influential Democrats in the nation, including Presidents Kennedy and Bill Clinton.
Recent guests have also included U.S. Sens. John Kerry, Joe Lieberman and John Edwards; governors Howard Dean and Mark Warner, as well as Vice President Al Gore.
Tickets are $100 and those interested in purchasing them can call the New Hampshire Democratic Party at (603) 225-6899. The event will be held at the Sheraton Nashua Hotel beginning at 6 p.m. on March 10.
The New Hampshire Republican State Committee, meanwhile, is scheduled to hold its annual meeting on Saturday in Manchester. The featured speaker is top-tier likely GOP Presidential hopeful Rudolph Giuliani, the former New York City mayor.
►Cox hits conservative note with students
http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?articleId=5efd5e76-7dc0-4081-ac52-ef8627df2018&headline=Clinton+schedules+February%2c+March+visits
By JOHN DISTASOSenior Political Reporter 2 hours, 3 minutes ago
Democrat Hillary Clinton intensified the early pace of New Hampshire's 2008 Presidential primary campaign yesterday by scheduling two visits to the state in the next two months.
The New York senator, who announced last Saturday, "I'm in" as she filed a Presidential exploratory committee, will make her first visit Granite State visit as a Presidential candidate on Feb. 3 and 4, a top campaign official said. She will return on March 10 for the state Democratic Party's largest annual fund-raiser, the "100 Club" dinner. The dates were first reported on UnionLeader.com yesterday.
"It's beginning," said state Rep. Ricia MacMahon, D-Sutton, a longtime friend of Bill and Hillary Clinton who was a major player in the former President's 1992 primary campaign. "My phone messages have been filling up constantly. People are asking what they can do to help. And myself and others have been reaching out to key people in the campaign saying that we hope she comes here sooner rather than later."
Early yesterday, state Democratic Chairman Kathy Sullivan disclosed that Clinton had accepted the party's long-standing invitation to the March "100 Club" Dinner at the Nashua Sheraton Hotel.
She called Clinton "a dynamic, articulate leader who will be welcomed to the Granite State stage with tremendous excitement."
Several hours later, Clinton campaign national field director Karen Hicks said Clinton would make her first visit to the state since 1996 during the first weekend in February. Hicks had no details other than to say Clinton would be "getting around the state and meeting people."
But Clinton communications director Harold Wolfson said he expected Clinton to visit "venues large enough to accommodate 'town halls' and living rooms small enough to accommodate intimate conversations."
"She is excited to get back to New Hampshire," Hicks said. "She has a good feel for the state. She is very much looking forward to continuing her conversation and doing the grassroots politicking that New Hampshire voters have come to expect.
"She's pretty psyched," Hicks said.
A December state Democratic rally attracted 1,500 people to see Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, who formed his own exploratory committee a week ago.
Some media may be tempted to compare the reception Clinton receives to the enthusiastic response for Obama, but one long-time supporter of Bill Clinton who now backs Hillary Clinton would rather see a Clinton engage in quieter, more retail politicking in the tradition of the New Hampshire Primary.
"If I had my druthers, if anyone asks, I'd say try to create that New Hampshire type of approach," said Concord attorney Chris Gallagher.
Given that Clinton has her own "rock star" status, Gallagher said, "I don't know if it is possible to have small events. But I think she knows New Hampshire well enough to know that New Hampshire feels respected when people approach New Hampshire in that fashion and I think she knows that New Hampshire citizens take their assignment very seriously."
Gallagher said, "There are two types of audiences for Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire - the political regulars who are going to want to meet with her and become actively involved and others who would just be happy to say they saw her. She'll be playing to both audiences and that will be difficult to do."
Clinton's campaign has so far relied on heavy use of the Internet. She announced the formation of her exploratory committee on a Web video, and for the past two evenings, she has held live Webcast "conversations." Last night's was on the "State of the Union" address.
McMahon said the beginning of a New Hampshire campaign organization is taking shape.
"We don't have a state director, yet," she said. "We're just getting going, but people are eager to meet her or re-meet her. It's beginning and people are shopping, but some people have come up to me and said, 'I'm in too."
The Democrats' "100 Club" Dinner, first held in 1959, was originally organized by New Hampshire supporters of then U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts as a way to raise his profile among Granite State Democrats and Presidential Primary voters.
Since then, the "100 Club" has been the top fund-raising event for the New Hampshire Democratic Party and has featured some of the most influential Democrats in the nation, including Presidents Kennedy and Bill Clinton.
Recent guests have also included U.S. Sens. John Kerry, Joe Lieberman and John Edwards; governors Howard Dean and Mark Warner, as well as Vice President Al Gore.
Tickets are $100 and those interested in purchasing them can call the New Hampshire Democratic Party at (603) 225-6899. The event will be held at the Sheraton Nashua Hotel beginning at 6 p.m. on March 10.
The New Hampshire Republican State Committee, meanwhile, is scheduled to hold its annual meeting on Saturday in Manchester. The featured speaker is top-tier likely GOP Presidential hopeful Rudolph Giuliani, the former New York City mayor.
►Cox hits conservative note with students
http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?articleId=5efd5e76-7dc0-4081-ac52-ef8627df2018&headline=Clinton+schedules+February%2c+March+visits
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