By: Caitlin McIntyre '09
Kevin Harrington Student Ambassador
On March 14, 2007, at the NHIOP, Governor John Lynch opened a panel discussion on defending New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary. Lynch is New Hampshire's 80th Governor and was first elected in 2005. He began the evening by saying that "the primary in New Hampshire makes the candidates better candidates for the election." He also stressed the importance of New Hampshire residents meeting the candidates in person.
Panelists Bill Shaheen, New Hampshire chair for Sen. John Kerry's presidential campaign; Dante Scala; Saint Anselm College professor of American politics; Bill Schneider, senior political analyst at CNN; Carl Cameron, political correspondent for Fox News; John DiStaso, chief political correspondent for the Manchester Union Leader; and Ovide Lamontage, attorney for the New Hampshire Republican party and former NH gubernatorial candidate were moderated by Jennifer Donahue, NHIOP senior advisor.
Donahue asked Lamontagne what he thought was a moment or election that sums up the New Hampshire primary. He brought a personal touch to his answer by saying that he remembers as a teenager meeting Jimmy Carter in a restaurant. Cameron added that there are many historical moments in the N.H primary, however, the most memorable are the upsets, and the "comes from behind."
Donahue questioned the panelists about the New Hampshire primary in 2004 when NH was poised to vote a democratic ticket. The state did go blue in the general election, but Shaheen said, "we don't set the rules." He continued, "A lot has to do with the perception of the people and perception of the media." Schneider additionally made the point of how important it is to do better than expected in NH. "Expectations are always set. At the moment, McCain and Clinton are expected to do well."
A range of political topics were covered, all while focusing the evening on the primary and the significance of New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation status. The Governor, panelists, and the moderator agreed that the status of first primary suits New Hampshire and its engaged citizens well. Lamontagne referred to politics as "the state sport of New Hampshire." Earlier in the discussion, Shaheen said "It takes a long while to develop the expertise that New Hampshire voters have."