By JOHN DISTASO
Senior Political Reporter
MAKING AMENDS
Barack Obama returns tomorrow for a major policy speech at the Manchester campus of the New Hampshire Community Technical College.
The Illinois senator will be looking put the brakes on a New Hampshire slide that has seen him fall from 7 percentage points behind Hillary Clinton in April to 14 percentage points behind her in early June, according to UNH polls conducted for CNN and WMUR.
He arrives as he continues to try to patch up the damage his "unifier" image suffered as a result of the Clinton "Punjab" controversy.
His campaign's criticism of Clinton and reference to her as a representative of the Indian state hasn't been big news here, but hasn't gone unnoticed, either.
He offended a top Indian-American Granite Stater, but then moved quickly to apologize and try to end the controversy.
On Tuesday, Latha Mangipudi of Nashua, state chair of the US-India Political Action Committee, told us she was "disappointed" in Obama because "I have met him personally a few times. He came across very well and has a new approach to politics, which is uniting people." She said the campaign ploy seemed out of character.
She said that although he has apologized on his Web site, "It would be nice if he could sit down with" leaders of the Indian-American community.
"Don't stereotype us," Mangipudi said. "Not every Indian-American is there to outsource jobs."
Yesterday morning, we asked the Obama campaign for a response. A few hours later Mangipudi called us back to say she had just received a personal call from Obama.
"He was very courteous and very apologetic and took responsibility." she said, adding that as far as she's concerned, all is forgiven.
Obama spokesman Reid Cherlin said Obama meant to call Mangipudi on Tuesday and that his call was not prompted by our inquiry. Cherlin noted that Obama also has posted a statement taking responsibility for the "Punjab" memo.
"SICKO" IN NH
Controversial film director Michael Moore will bring his new documentary about the American health care industry to Manchester tomorrow.
The two-hour film "Sicko" alleges that the American health care system is less effective and more expensive than the systems in Canada and even Cuba.
Tomorrow, with Moore as host, "Sicko" will be screened for an invited audience of the media, members of the California Nurses Association and undecided voters invited by the nurses at the Regal 9 Cinema in Manchester. The sneak peek will be followed by a town hall-style meeting at the Palace Theatre.
WHAT'S UP WITH JOE?
A lot. Joe Kenney, a three-term Republican state senator from Wakefield, is just getting started on fundraisers to bankroll a likely run for governor next year.
Kenney tells the Status he will have a fundraiser with a big headliner for his exploratory committee, "Joe Kenney for New Hampshire," every two months for the rest of the year at least.
The first one is Tuesday at the Radisson Hotel in Manchester featuring FoxNews military analyst Col. David Hunt. Tickets are $55 plus an additional $20 for a VIP reception.
Kenney, 46, says Hunt has been trying to promote military people for elective office. Kenney is a 27-year Marine now on active reserve and has served in Iraq and the first Persian Gulf war.
He said he is being urged to run by supporters, "I see my party down and out and needing new leadership to come to the fore."
Concerned about the social changes in the state brought about by the parental notification law repeal and the legalization of civil unions, he said he is "at a crossroads," and after 14 years in the Legislature will either run for governor or for nothing at all.
Kenney's committee has a Web site promoting him for office but not saying which one.
Kenney's fund-raiser, by the way, appeared on the events section of the newly revamped state GOP Web site, which features an online petition asking visitors to tell Gov. John Lynch that he and his Democratic legislative majority have gone "too far, too fast in changing the social and economic fabric of our state."
JOHN'S FIRST SUPPORTER
He's not running for anything, yet, but state Commissioner of Health and Human Services John Stephen has his first public supporter for his possible bid for the 1st District U.S. House seat next year. The supporter, though, happens to reside in the 2nd District.
Enfield activist John Labombard pulled out a "Stephen for Congress" sign from 2002 and has it posted on his property, visible from I-89. lt's just under his Rudy Giuliani for President sign.
Labombard, who transported George W. Bush from campaign stop to campaign stop in his legendary bus in 1999 and 2000, is Rudy's personal driver this time around.
Labombard said Mitt Romney is "a nice fella," but said that "Rudy is going to protect us" in these difficult times.
COMMUNICATION, NOT INTIMIDATION
After being criticized for telephoning constituents who wrote letters to newspapers disagreeing with her position on the Iraq war in Iraq, Rep. Carol Shea-Porter was questioned this week for writing a letter that the recipient at first thought was unsolicited attempt at intimidation.
Exeter Republican activist Brian Griset turned out to be mistaken, however. He had apparently forgotten that he had solicited the letter himself the letter by writing Shea-Porter an e-mail on Feb. 1 calling on her to have "the courage to vote for withdrawal in a concrete manner," not through non-binding resolutions, if she wishes to withdraw the troops from Iraq.
Nearly two months later, Griset wrote a letter to the editor to the Exeter Newsletter critical of her position on the war and U.S. troops. Three weeks later, he received a letter from her thanking him "for taking the time to share your thoughts regarding the war in Iraq," and explaining why setting "benchmarks for the sake of having benchmarks is not sufficient."
Griset, remembering that Shea-Porter had personally called pro-war activist Allison Scamman and Gail Giarrusso after they had written critical letters to editors, thought he was getting similar treatment.
"I was like, 'Why did I get a letter from her?' " he said. "I was troubled."
He said he did not recall the Feb. 1 e-mail, but then, yesterday, acknowledged that he had found it in his files.
TARGET SUNUNU
So, what else is new? The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Americans United for Change and the new Kathy Sullivan-run Draft Shaheen '08 group are trying to pressure Sen. John E. Sununu into flipping and voting to override George W. Bush's veto of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act. The DSCC says Sununu "holds the deciding vote" on a veto override attempt in the Senate. Americans United will hold an "emergency" press conference call today with state Reps. Michael Brunelle and Mike Farley and stem cell advocate Carol Williams.
Sununu has backed alternative legislation allowing research on "naturally dead" embryonic tissue.
QUICK TAKES
Senate Republican Leader Ted Gatsas of Manchester says that earlier this week, he gave Gov. John Lynch four proposed word changes he said will win GOP Senate support for an education funding constitutional amendment. He said heard no response, yet.
Gatsas also says that national media are beginning to call in to get credentialed for Thursday's Senate Republican Caucus PAC fund-raiser with potential presidential hopeful Fred Thompson. Expect Thompson to take another step toward an announcement of candidacy, but not go all the way, while he is in the state.
Sen. Joe Biden has been endorsed by three first responders who are also military veterans: state Rep. and police Sgt. Mark Preston of Seabrook, Manchester Fire Commissioner and state Rep. Robert Haley and Det. Steve Arnold of Portsmouth, former president of the New Hampshire Police Association. They are the beginning of a "New Hampshire First Reponders for Biden" group.
Chris Dodd heads to New Hampshire Saturday for a national service speech entitled "A Call to New American Patriotism" at the Nashua City Hall and other stops in Nashua and Amherst before a house party at the home of state Sen. Lou D'Allesandro in Manchester. On Sunday, he will do a "meet-and-greet" in Rochester with Shea-Porter.
Dodd's camp has a 10-member statewide field leadership team including Manchester area director state Rep. Michael Brunelle and organizers Jena Gross and Nick Williams.
John McCain's campaign released the names of more than 200 New Hampshire veterans who are members of his state veterans coalition.
John DiStaso is senior political reporter of the New Hampshire Union Leader and Sunday News.
|
