New Hampshire
He says he’s not campaigning, so what is Joe Manchin doing in New Hampshire?
Manchester, New Hampshire — It’s presidential primary season, and less than two weeks before the New Hampshire primary, while politicians are trekking across the state asking for votes, West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin is here, too.
He’s not on either major party’s primary ballot, but he’s not exactly ruling out running for president, and he was in Manchester Friday talking to voters.
“I’m not here campaigning. I’m here basically, concerned about my country, same as you,” Manchin told a room of donors and local political leaders at St. Anselm College, at the first of two events featuring the longtime West Virginia Democrat. “Wherever life takes me, I’m willing to do, but I’m gonna give everything I have to save the country.”
Manchin, who announced earlier this year he would not seek reelection to his Senate seat, headed to New Hampshire to start a national “listening tour” along with his daughter, Heather Manchin Bresch, as they launch their centrist political group, Americans Together, aimed at pushing major political donors into promoting more moderate-leaning candidates and policies.
He said he’d consider a third-party run if President Biden and former President Donald Trump win their respective parties’ presidential nominations. When an attendee at St. Anselm asked Manchin who he’d vote for in a 2020 rematch, Manchin responded, “That’s a difficult question right there.”
“You have to make a decision, the character of that candidate, whether you agree or disagree, whether you support or haven’t supported, whether you’re in the same political party or not,” Manchin said. “The people that are just telling me I’m going to vote for the Democrat because I’m a Democrat. I’m going to vote Republican, no matter who it is. That’s bullcrap. Vote for the person. Vote for the best person that should be leading this country.”
One man asked him, “How would you feel if a bunch of Democrats in New Hampshire wrote in ‘Joe’ — not Biden, but wrote in ‘Joe Manchin’?”
“I cannot prevent whatever you want to do,” Manchin replied, receiving a round of applause from the donor-filled crowd.
He provided scant detail to reporters about the next stops on his listening tour, saying, “I have to talk to my daughter, I have still a job to do, and she tells me when I can go wherever my schedule allows.”
He seemed to distance himself from No Labels, the bipartisan group that’s working to get a potential third-party candidate on the ballot in November, while promoting his daughter’s venture.
“I still believe that the cause is worthy of trying to find that middle and give you a venue. Americans Together has basically stepped forward. We’re completely different and not connected in any way, shape, or form” Manchin said, adding, “If it has an impact or not, I don’t know. We’re gonna find out. But it’s not the short game.”
“I think it’s admirable what they’re trying to do to provide an option,” Manchin continued when speaking with reporters after his remarks. He opined that No Labels — or any other group — would have to launch its campaign with a candidate attached by Super Tuesday, March 5.
Manchin’s listening tour wasn’t without drama.
At his second stop, a diner in Derry, Manchin was greeted by a handful of New Hampshire voters, as well as a group of college students from Minnesota who are living in New Hampshire through the state’s primary on Jan. 23.
As he began speaking to the small crowd in a back room, he was blitzed by activists from the group Climate Defiance, who protested at both Manchin events today.
Police intervened after dozens of protesters rushed the event space chanting “Off fossil fuels, Manchin, off fossil fuels!” After a few minutes, they were escorted out of the room.
Manchin, who grew up in a coal-mining town in West Virginia, has fought for continued oil pipeline and energy development in the U.S.
Manchin and his daughter announced the formation of Americans Together in August, and they conceived of it as a centrist political group that would work on curbing federal spending, boosting domestic energy production, tightening border security and fighting crime.
Manchin Bresch, the first woman to run a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company, stepped down as CEO of Mylan, the maker of EpiPen, in 2020. She told the Wall Street Journal in August that Americans Together would be a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, which means that it is not required to disclose its donors.
Hunter Woodall and Ed O’Keefe contributed reporting.
New Hampshire
NH minimum wage unchanged while neighbors increase theirs
New Hampshire
12-year-old boy dies after crashing into tree while skiing in New Hampshire
A 12-year-old has died in a horrific accident after plowing into a tree while skiing in New Hampshire, said officials.
The young boy had been skiing at the Cranmore Mountain Resort on New Year’s Eve when he crashed into the tree, said Conway Police Department Thursday.
North Conway Fire and Rescue responded to the accident at the popular ski resort late morning after receiving reports of an unconscious boy on Skimobile Road in North Conway.
The child, who remains unidentified, had been skiing down The Bandit trail, which is listed as an intermediate run.
CPR was quickly initiated at the scene and he was rushed to a local hospital, where he was declared dead.
“When rescue personnel arrived on scene, the 12-year-old male was being treated by Cranmore Mountain Ski Patrol who had transported the boy to the base of the mountain,” the police said in a statement.
“He was then transported by Action Ambulance to Maine Health Memorial Hospital in North Conway where he passed as a result of the injuries sustained in the collision,” officials added.
“On behalf of the Conway Police Department, and all the first responders who assisted, I would like to offer my deepest condolences to the family members of the 12-year-old boy,” said Conway Police Chief Christopher Mattei.
When approached for comment a Cranmore Mountain Resort spokesperson told The Independent: “On behalf of Cranmore Mountain Resort, our thoughts, and prayers go out to the family. The entire Cranmore family grieves this tragic loss.”
When asked to comment on the number of incidents that have occurred at the Cranmore resort, the spokesperson did not respond.
Last March a 14-year-old boy died after crashing into a tree while snowboarding down a beginner trail on Dercum Mountain in Colorado.
Levi Inama had been a student at Palmer Ridge High School in Monument when the ski patrol was called then to a “serious incident.” The teenager died days later after being taken off life support at a Denver hospital, reported The Colorado Sun.
The Independent contacted the Conway Police Department for further information.
New Hampshire
The oldest restaurant in New Hampshire just reopened with a new menu. How to eat there
Bernadette restaurant opens in Salem, Massachusetts: A look inside
The owners and chef at Bernadette provide a tour of the dining area and kitchen of the French-inspired restaurant, that opened in Salem last month.
Want to dine at the oldest restaurant in New Hampshire? You’re in luck – the site just reopened in Hancock.
Originally opened in 1789 as a stop for travelers on trade routes between Boston and Vermont, The Inn at Hancock is the state’s oldest inn and restaurant, according to Thrillist.
The Hancock has remained a place to stay and dine since its opening over 200 years ago, drawing crowds from all over to experience the historic New England charm – including former U.S. President Franklin Pierce.
However, the inn temporarily closed for renovations in 2022, staying closed for two years. Now, as of the end of 2024, The Inn at Hancock is reopen for dining with a new chef, a reimagined menu and two unique dining spaces. Here’s what to know about eating at New Hampshire’s most historic restaurant today.
About dining at The Inn at Hancock
While the restaurant at The Hancock was previously named The Fox Tavern, the reopened inn features two new dining spaces – The Hunt Bar and Scullery, a casual tavern with light fare and live piano jazz, and Pinks Lounge, a lush dining room overlooking the back patio with an a la carte menu and raw bar.
The Inn at Hancock’s new menu blends classic continental and contemporary cuisines while incorporating sustainable, seasonal ingredients from local farms. Menu options range from upscale comfort food like braised lamb and mushroom wellington to seafood classics like grilled halibut and shrimp cocktail.
How to eat at The Inn at Hancock
The Hunt Bar and Scullery is open for dinner from 4-9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 4-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday. At Pinks Lounge, brunch is available from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, and dinner is served from from 5-9 p.m. Thursday and 5-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday.
Reservations for both spaces can be made online. The inn is currently only open for dining, with construction work ongoing in the guest rooms.
The Inn at Hancock can be found at at 33 Main St. in Hancock, NH.
-
Business1 week ago
On a quest for global domination, Chinese EV makers are upending Thailand's auto industry
-
Health6 days ago
New Year life lessons from country star: 'Never forget where you came from'
-
Technology6 days ago
Meta’s ‘software update issue’ has been breaking Quest headsets for weeks
-
Business3 days ago
These are the top 7 issues facing the struggling restaurant industry in 2025
-
Politics1 week ago
'Politics is bad for business.' Why Disney's Bob Iger is trying to avoid hot buttons
-
Culture3 days ago
The 25 worst losses in college football history, including Baylor’s 2024 entry at Colorado
-
News1 week ago
American Airlines lifts ground stop that froze Christmas Eve travelers
-
World1 week ago
Who is Europe's top investor in space in 2023?