Biden supporter and former N.H. Democratic Party chair Kathy Sullivan.
“Suck it up, Buttercup.” — Former NHDP chairwoman Kathy Sullivan, to New Hampshire Democrats complaining Joe Biden shouldn’t be their nominee after watching his disastrous debate performance.
Bad news, “Buttercup.” If you’re a New Hampshire Democrat, the sucking has just begun.
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Think about it: You woke up Sunday morning with Joe Biden as your presumptive nominee, your ears still ringing with assurances from U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan and state Sen. Donna Soucy that “Dark Brandon” was rock solid for another four years.
But by the time you went to bed Sunday night, Biden was out, Vice President Kamala Harris was in, and your convention delegates were already pledged to the Veep in the upcoming “open primary.”
Whether you liked it or not. Not that New Hampshire Democratic Party chair Ray Buckley or Democrat lackey Kathy Sullivan care what you like.
In a WMUR news story time stamped 9:16 pm, Buckley assured Democratic primary voters that the awarding of convention delegates “is going to be a process. And [Harris] will earn the votes of the delegates.”
Two hours later, another WMUR story: “New Hampshire Democratic Pledged Delegates Unanimously Endorse VP Harris.”
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Wow. That’s some “process.”
The political realities are such that Harris is almost certain to be the Democratic nominee, for good or ill. But how did it come to this? Granite State Democratic primary voters being declared supporters of Kamala Harris without being asked?
New Hampshire Democrats are now on the hook for the same Kamala Harris who blew them off in the 2020 First in the Nation primary. She thought so little of the Granite State, she didn’t even bother to show up at the Secretary of State’s office to file her paperwork.
During her rare visits to the Granite State that year, Harris repeatedly suggested that race was a factor in her failure to gain traction. She even found a racial “inference” in local reporters asking how often she would be campaigning in New Hampshire (answer: not very.)
By the way, when Harris completely bailed on New Hampshire in October 2019 to plant her flag in Iowa, she was at three percent in Hawkeye State polls. After a month of non-stop barnstorming through corn country, she had soared to 3.3 percent. What a political talent!
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But hey — suck it up, Buttercup. Just like you did for Biden during the First in the Nation primary fiasco.
Once again, what was the average New Hampshire Democrat thinking as they went to the polls to write in the name of a politician who said their primary was too racially suspect for him to participate in?
At the time, Democrats were told they had to do it to help Joe Biden defeat Donald Trump. What you Democrats didn’t know — but Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Rep. Chris Pappas, Buckley and the gang did –was that Biden was too old and infirm to be part of a traditional New Hampshire-style, retail politics primary. With a guaranteed win waiting in South Carolina, Biden just had to avoid being embarrassed. The calendar made it all but impossible for a viable candidate to enter with a serious shot at winning.
New Hampshire Democrats did the work of organizing a write-in campaign, while Biden got to hang out at his Delaware beach house. Nobody had to watch him struggle with the stairs at the Exeter Town Hall.
The “Hiden’ Biden” strategy worked — until it didn’t. After the debate debacle, Biden couldn’t hide it anymore. And what did Democratic leaders say?
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“Suck it up, buttercup!” Having been deceived about the depths of Biden’s health issues, it was your duty to stick with him — cringe-inducing press conferences be damned.
Only when it became apparent Biden was going to lose in November did Pelosi and Co. grab their political crowbars and pry him out of the race.
Now the same geniuses who got Democrats to this point have found the way forward. It’s Kamala or bust!
What sort of candidate will Harris be? Who knows? She didn’t have to campaign to get this nomination. It’s being handed to her right now.
Some smart political observers say she’s actually improved over the past three years, that Republicans expecting her to run as “Coconut Tree Word Salad” are in for a rude awakening.
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Others in D.C. are recycling a joke they used to use about another less-than-impressive vice president. “Dan Quayle is smarter than you think — but not by much.”
Whatever sort of candidate she turns out to be, New Hampshire Democrats have their marching orders.
CONCORD – While Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte has said she opposes increasing highway toll rates across the state, the Senate voted Thursday to increase rates for out-of-state license plate holders.
It now goes to the House for consideration.
This would be a $1 increase for those who have out of state plates going through the tolls at Hooksett, Hampton and Bedford for out-of-state plates, a 75 cent hike for those taking Hampton’s Exit 2 and on the Spaulding turnpike at Rochester, and a 50 cent hike for those taking the exit off I-93 to Hooksett.
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An analysis in the bill shows that this would increase toll revenue by $53.3 million in fiscal year 2027 and go up each year to generate $81.4 million a year in 2036.
Senate Bill 627 passed on a voice vote with two Republicans, Senators Regina Birdsell of Hampstead and William Gannon of Sandown opposing.
Senator Mark E. McConkey, R-Freedom, moved to take the bill off the table and offered an amendment. He said the last time there was a systemwide increase to the turnpike toll was 19 years ago.
“I am sure we could all agree the cost of operations…has continued to escalate when revenue is not rising with it,” and he noted that with an enterprise fund, the state can only spend what it takes in.
The state has just completed a 10-year highway plan and there was a $400 million shortfall in projects that could not be paid for under the current income.
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McConkey said the measure would not increase tolls for New Hampshire drivers with a state license plate.
“Why don’t we ask our neighbors,” to pay a toll increase. “We are getting the best of all worlds,” by passing the bill, he said, including “protecting our residents” and having resources for improvements to the turnpike system.
Sen. Gannon, R-Sandown, asked McConkey if there are any studies on impacts near the border on businesses.
If implemented, McConkey said the state will be the 27th lowest in per mile cost still. McConkey said the bill would also increase from seven to 14 days the amount of time for those with NH license plates to pay for a toll adding there are other states that also have different rates for out-of-state users.
The Hampton toll cost would go from $2 to $3, while Hooksett and Bedford would rise from $1 to $2 for out-of-state plates.
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New Hampshire currently has the lowest rate per mile among states with tolls roads. The governor said she does not support a toll increase.
“We are not going to put a burden on drivers for a toll increase,” Ayotte said. “Families are struggling.”
WILTON, N.H. (WHDH) – A woman died in a Wilton, New Hampshire, house fire Wednesday morning, according to the New Hampshire State Fire Marshal’s Office.
At 9:08 a.m., Wilton firefighters responded to Burns Hill Road after a caller said their home was filling up with smoke. When they arrived, a single-family home was on fire and they found out two people were still inside on the second floor.
A man and a woman were both taken out of the house by firefighters and taken to Elliott Hospital. The woman was pronounced dead and the man is in serious condition.
Officials have not released the name of the victim at this time.
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At this time, investigators are looking into the cause of the fire and are trying to determine if a power outage in the area played a factor. The fire is not currently considered suspicious.
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