Notes from NH

It is Wednesday evening, I am sipping on a martini, and thinking over what I have seen today, now only six days from the New Hampshire primary. Not much. Fox News has taken over the college where I teach and made it their "NH Primary Headquarters," which makes for interesting media celebrity watching. I think I saw Major Garrett from Fox today, but I am not sure; I know I recognize his face. Tomorrow night, Fox is hosting the final candidate debate at the college, so all the bigwigs will be around and about.

The only thing I have noticed changing in recent days are (how dull) the political signs studding every roadside. For months, the blue and yellow Dean signs have dominated, so long in fact that many are looking ratty and wilting. In the last few days, however, fresh ones have popped up. Kerry has surprisingly little "signage" outside a half-dozen massive 4 by 5 billboard signs in towns between Manchester and Keene (the one in my town has been vandalized -- one of the r's has been ripped off, so now it says "Ker_y"). Today, however, a handful of new Kerry signs (bright red and white ones, far different from his usual dull blue) appeared in Goffstown, NH reading "Debating Dean? Vote Kerry." The red and blue Clark signs are very common, an easy second place behind Dean. Lieberman and Kuchinich are there as well, with more signs than Kerry I would bet. Edwards signs are nearly non-existent. As I recall, I have seen only two between Keene and Manchester. That may change. In fact, there are as many Bush-Cheney signs as Edwards, although the Bush sign in Dublin, NH has been vandalized with the word "sucks" beneath the President's name. Real classy.

Almost drove off the road the other day in Peterborough, NH: I was behind a Volvo station wagon ... with a Bush bumper sticker. A first for me. They usually are plastered with "Arms are for hugging" and "Hate is not a family value." Then again, those usually have Vermont license plates. This one had a NH plate. God bless.

No sign of the candidates yet. They have stuck to the cities: Manchester, Nashua, Concord, Portsmouth, Keene.

I'll keep my eyes open and report everyday.