The New Hampshire Union Leader
March 29, 2006

Awards dinner has defense of Presidential primary
By Riley yates

Manchester – Powerbrokers became populists last night in defense of New Hampshire first-in-the-nation primary.

A crowd of 800 people in a sea of gray suits touted the state’s primary for its grassroots campaigning, citizen involvement and its ability to propel unknown and underfunded candidates to the forefront of Presidential politics.

Speaker after speaker at the New Hampshire Primary Awards Dinner pledged support for the state’s lead contest, which is under fire from national Democrats who are considering putting one or two caucuses between Iowa’s caucus and it.

The event was held at the Radisson Hotel-Center of New Hampshire. It benefited the New Hampshire Political Library. The New Hampshire Union Leader was among the sponsors for the event.

Gov. John Lynch said the state’s primary avoids scripted questions from pre-screened audiences. The plan national Democrats are looking at would front-load the process, giving an even greater advantage to candidates with money, he said.

“There’s nothing harder than taking unscripted questions from real people,” Lynch said. “And answering those questions makes them better candidates.”

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ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos called New Hampshire’s primary “one of the most remarkable political events” in the country.

“New Hampshire has done so much to shape the political climate of our country,” Stephanopoulos said on a video message he recorded for the event, after he couldn’t attend because of breaking news in Washington.

He said he realized its importance in 1992 while working on Bill Clinton’s campaign, when he awoke the morning after the primary to find Secret Service agents down the hall and a plane on the tarmac.

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And businessman and New Hampshire Political Library chairman Richard Ashooh said primary politics were created in this state.

“It’s the political primary that is our gift to the nation,” Ashooh said.

The event honored four people who typify New Hampshire politics, including the late Sen. Eugene McCarthy, D-Minn., whose strong showing as an anti-Vietnam War candidate in 1968 is widely seen as spurring President Lyndon Johnson’s decision to not seek another term.

Also honored were 16-term state Rep. Bob Johnson of Northwood; former Plainfield Town Clerk Howard Zea, who served a record 57 years; and former Ambassador Gerald Carmen, who served in the Reagan Administration.

(Retrieved March 30, 2006 at http://www.unionleader.com)