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Pappas Case Highlights Success Of Biden's Strategy To Stay On Ticket

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Pappas Case Highlights Success Of Biden's Strategy To Stay On Ticket


By Michael Graham, NH Journal

On paper, U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.) should be one of the congressional Democrats publicly calling for his party to push President Joe Biden off the 2024 ticket.

Pappas styles himself as an independent voice in his party, touting his recently-awarded title of “the most bipartisan member of the House.” His district is (once again on paper) even split between Republican and Democratic voters, according to the most recent Cook Political Voting Index. Donald Trump narrowly won the district in 2016, then lost it handily to Joe Biden in 2020.

Find out what’s happening in Merrimackwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

So, when reports began to circulate that moderate Democrats in swing districts were considering releasing a letter calling for Democrats to abandon Biden’s candidacy in the wake of his debate performance fiasco, the assumption was that Pappas would be on the list.

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And unlike his fellow Granite State Democrat, U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan, Pappas hasn’t praised Biden or pledged his support since the debate. Instead, Pappas had a carefully measured response:

Find out what’s happening in Merrimackwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“People were disappointed with what they saw last week, and I think it’s up to President Biden to answer what kind of path he can be on for the future to restore confidence or to pass the torch,” he told WMUR.

But nearly two weeks after Biden’s debate performance that left between 70 and 80 percent of Americans telling pollsters he’s not physically and mentally fit to serve, Pappas is still silent. When approached earlier this week and asked directly if he believes Biden is up to the job (see video), Pappas just kept walking.

He’s also declined to respond to approximately a dozen requests for comment about the ability of Biden to serve another four years as chief executive.

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“He got the message: ‘Fall in line, Buttercup,’” a New Hampshire Democratic activist told NHJournal on background.

The Pappas case echoes recent developments out of Washington, D.C. A week ago, many campaign professionals were saying publicly that Biden would be forced out, and the biggest push would come from congressional Democrats in competitive districts.

Now the headlines read, “How Biden Froze Capitol Hill — For Now,” and “Democrats Effort to Push Biden Off Ticket Hits Uncertainty.”

And Axios reported a Tuesday morning meeting of swing-district Democrats involved “actual tears” as they acknowledged their colleagues were going to stand behind Biden.

According to Axios, the mood among these vulnerable Democrats was “pretty much unanimous” that Biden has “got to step down,” adding, “There were actual tears from people, and not for Biden.”

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Instead, they concluded “Most of our caucus is still with him … meaning he’ll stay in. Which sucks for our country,” one House Democrat told them.

However, a ninth House member, Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.), publicly call for a new presidential nominee on Tuesday. Like Pappas, she’s in a swing district in the northeast.

With Biden adamantly declaring he’s not stepping down, and top Democrats appearing to rally around him, more people in the party appear to believe the political risks are too high.

“I wish I was more brave,” one Democratic state party chair who thinks Biden should step aside told NBC News.

“I would be crucified by them if I spoke out of line,” the chair continued. “I know when you get out of line they all of a sudden have a shift of priorities and your races, your state is no longer on the map.”

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Therefore, the argument goes, why should Pappas break with the pack? He may agree with most Americans that Biden is too infirm to serve, but saying so won’t help him in November.

Then again, it may not matter.

“Donald Trump is on track, I think, to win this election and maybe win it by a landslide and take with him the Senate and the House,” said U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) in a CNN interview Tuesday night.

Pappas declined to comment for this article.


This story was originally published by the NH Journal, an online news publication dedicated to providing fair, unbiased reporting on, and analysis of, political news of interest to New Hampshire. For more stories from the NH Journal, visit NHJournal.com.

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New Hampshire

After Trump assassination attempt, New Hampshire police chief says Secret Service communication is key

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After Trump assassination attempt, New Hampshire police chief says Secret Service communication is key


MANCHESTER, N.H. – As the nation grapples with the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, law enforcement in New Hampshire are already thinking about the lessons learned from Pennsylvania and how they can secure future campaign events.

“No chief or no police agency wants what happened on Saturday on their resume,” Manchester, New Hampshire Police Chief Allen Aldenberg told WBZ-TV.

Secret Service and police coordinate weeks before campaign event  

Aldenberg has helped secure his fair share of campaign events involving presidents, former and current. Manchester is a popular campaign stop in the swing state of New Hampshire and Secret Service often reach out to local police weeks before an upcoming event.

“They trust us. So perhaps they may give us a little more than they would,” Aldenberg said.

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Most Manchester rallies are held at the city’s SNHU arena. In those cases, Aldenberg says Secret Service is involved with securing the interior of the arena, Manchester police are involved with securing the outside, and preparation for these events can take weeks.

“And once you get three or four days out from the event, we’re in there probably sometimes two or three times a day, meeting with Secret Service, meeting with the arena staff, the management, doing walkthroughs,” Aldenberg said.

“Communication is key”  

On the day of the event, communication is key. Each agency involved works with its own communication system. That is why Aldenberg says he pairs up his local police with other agencies.

Manchester police offer all sorts of capabilities to Secret Service. They use bomb-sniffing dogs, local intelligence, and tactical assistance in the form of SWAT teams. Aldenberg says they do not offer sniper capability.

Each event can be time-consuming and costly. Aldenberg says each local department is typically left to pick up the tab for the security it provides, which can be a strain on small police departments.

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“It can also be a financial burden. It’s a significant amount of money when a candidate or a particular sitting president comes into your community to hold an event. But that cannot be an excuse not to do what’s appropriate and what’s right,” he said.

Aldenberg says it’s critical that local law enforcement and the public receive as much information as possible about what led to the assassination attempt on Trump at his Butler, Pennsylvania rally.

“They owe it to the public to be fully transparent so we make sure this doesn’t happen again,” he said.

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New Hampshire

A N.H. motorcyclist was clocked at 158 mph, with a passenger on the back, police say

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A N.H. motorcyclist was clocked at 158 mph, with a passenger on the back, police say


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The 21-year-old from Farmington allegedly evaded for police for several miles.

A 21-year-old Farmington, New Hampshire, man is facing a slew of charges after allegedly driving his motorcycle in the Live Free or Die state at speeds up to 158 mph Sunday, and fleeing from police in the process.

Zachary Dionne was eventually arrested after stopping at a gas station off Portsmouth’s Exit 3 on Interstate 95. He was charged with felony reckless conduct — deadly weapon, reckless driving, making an unsafe lane change, disobeying an officer, resisting arrest, failing to display plates, and having an unregistered vehicle, State Police said.

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State Police initially received a report of a group of motorcyclists “being operated hazardously” while traveling east on Route 101 in Raymond. A trooper in a police aircraft then located the group and noticed one bike — allegedly operated by Dionne — begin to pull away, “passing other motor vehicles, and going in between two vehicles at the same time.” The trooper observed this motorcycle going 158 mph as it continued east, police said.

As the bike approached the exit ramp for I-95, a trooper in a vehicle spotted it, allegedly clocked it at 110 mph, and activated his blue lights. “Trooper [Samuel] Provenza observed a passenger on the back of the motorcycle, and it did not appear to be slowing, he did not pursue it,” police said.

The police aircraft followed the motorcycle from above as it traveled east and south on Route 1. It slowed in traffic, and Provenza was able to see it again.

This is what happened next, per police:

The motorcycle again refused to stop and instead accelerated rapidly and began recklessly passing other vehicles and disregarding multiple motor vehicle laws. Trooper Provenza did not pursue and allowed the aircraft to follow it.

The motorcycle continued onto Route 107 and then entered I-95 northbound, where (Trooper Thomas Lombardi in the aircraft) acquired multiple additional speed readings, with a high speed of 144 mph. During this time, the operator used all lanes of I-95 to pass and weave in and out of traffic. The motorcycle took Exit 3, and Trooper Lombardi maintained visual contact as it traveled down Greenland Road and pulled into a gas station.

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That’s where Dionne was taken into custody. He was scheduled to be arraigned Monday.





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New Hampshire

Brooklyn Café touts New Hampshire’s first kosher café, now open in Newington

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Brooklyn Café touts New Hampshire’s first kosher café, now open in Newington


NEWINGTON — The Brooklyn Café, at 2299 Woodbury Ave., billing itself as New Hampshire’s first kosher café. This new establishment provides the local community with a variety of kosher-certified dishes.

This café aims to bring a taste of authentic New York cuisine to the community, including falafel, bagels and other delicious items. But it’s more than just a place to eat. As a nonprofit organization, all proceeds from the café go towards funding local needs, helping families and individuals, and supporting the wider community in various ways.

“Our vision is to create a welcoming space for people from all walks of life, backgrounds, and affiliations to feel safe and connected,” said Rabbi Berel Slavaticki. “This café is a dream come true, and we hope it becomes a cherished part of your lives as well.”

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The Brooklyn Café is dedicated to providing high-quality meals in a warm and inviting atmosphere. It is committed to serving the community by offering delicious food that adheres to Jewish dietary laws and promoting cultural understanding.

Open to the public, the café invites guests from all backgrounds to experience and enjoy its cuisine.

For information, visit BrooklynCafeNH.com or call (603) 319-8453.



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