New Hampshire – what else?

Everybody is falling all over themselves about how they missed the boat with Barrack and Hilary. I wasn’t surprised at all.

Whether they like her or not, being a Senator from the nearby state of NY and wife of the guy who made his own comeback in NH way back in 1992, makes her a neighbor and someone they are more likely to vote for. Iowa is simply not New Hampshire. And to take this risky blog one step further – in that area given the choice to vote for a minority or a woman; I’d say many clearly felt they could accept a woman (especially one they know about – whether they particularly like her or not) over a less well-known minority.

Another related question – now that Richardson is out – where will his votes go? More than likely to Obama.

And another related thought based on a NY Times (yes even conservatives read the NY Times.) One blogger noted that Obama really didn’t lose NH, Hillary just won. His clarification was that Obama got about as many votes as the polling people said he would. Where they missed the boat was that Hillary got a lot more. What that means to me is that in the final days she somehow got people to go out and vote who may not have planned to do so, i.e. to a pollster, this person wouldn’t have shown up in their polls or at the polls. This is still significant (if true) because you have to wonder/ask how she managed to influence people to get out and vote that hadn’t planned to. From what I’ve heard NH voters are anything but apathetic so she stirred up something in people. Honestly I’d expect the opposite results if she stirred something up; i.e. that folks would be prodded to vote AGAINST her and decide at the last minute to do so. Just musing.

I heard a short piece on NPR Tuesday as they were recapping and one spot stands out: a gentleman said he voted for someone but he didn’t make up his mind until he actually went into the booth or whatever they do in NH. That scares me!

Being undecided is one thing but right up until the moment of casting your vote? That’s why they don’t allow electioneering within so many feet of the polling places.

I propose a new rule – no ads, phone banks, door-to-door etc. within 24 hours of an election. Give people time to sit down, sort out the whos and whats and how they want to vote without being influenced by what are mostly empty promises or lip service anyway.

Another development in NH that plays into what I think is going to happen. McCain’s own comeback. Romney’s slip.

I like Mike but I don’t think he is presidential yet. Could be. Might be. McCain is presidential. With the way things are starting to shape up here’s my idea or maybe it is a proposal.

McCain picks up steam. Raises more money. Challengers begin to fall by the wayside. Before he hits the big Super Tuesday primaries etc. he announces that: 1) he promises to only serve for one term (he’s 71 years old remember?) and 2) he has selected Mike Huckabee as his potential running mate. I think one or both of these would slingshot him way past Romney and put him in the cat-bird seat.

Just remember this post in a few months.

We’ll see how this whole thing shapes up after South Carolina soon.