John DiStaso, the New Hampshire Union Leader's senior political writer, began writing "Granite Status" in 1982. His influential reports on behind-the-scenes politics in the first-primary state are must reading every Thursday for insiders from Concord to Washington, D.C. Watch for "Granite Status" updates on UnionLeader.com whenever New Hampshire political news breaks.

HAS HILLARY CLINTON violated a pledge she signed in August not to "campaign or participate" in any state that holds a primary or caucus before Feb. 5, 2008, except for the four early states approved by the Democratic National Committee?

Local leaders of her top competitors' campaigns say that when she kept her name on the ballot in Michigan on Tuesday, while their candidates removed their names, she clearly broke the written promise.

Clinton's campaign, predictably, says she broke no pledge because she won't actively campaign in Michigan, which has a primary scheduled for Jan. 15, or Florida, whose primary is slated for Jan. 29.

►Sen. Clinton defends her Michigan primary decision
►NH Public Radio: mp3 of Laura Knoy's interview with Sen. Clinton

The campaigns of Barack Obama, John Edwards, Bill Richardson and Joe Biden -- all of whom withdrew from the Michigan ballot -- are looking for a chink in Clinton's armor in New Hampshire, where she holds a 2-1 lead, according to recent polls. This was a clear opportunity to attack, and attack they did.

But when one reads the August pledge, a legitimate question is raised.

It states, "I, (name), Democratic candidate for President, pledge I shall not campaign or participate in any state which schedules a presidential primary election or caucus before Feb. 5, 2008, except for the states of Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire and South Carolina." It goes on to specifically say that "campaigning" will be as defined by "the rules and regulations" of the Democratic National Committee.

It gives no specific definition of "participate," but the other campaigns say that, clearly, leaving one's name on the ballot falls within the plain meaning of the word.

Dick Bouley, state chair for Bill Richardson called Clinton's decision "very disturbing. This is a person who claims to have leadership qualities and wants to lead the party -- and she pulls something like that, which could be very harmful to the New Hampshire primary."

Bouley said it's "double-talk and a game of semantics. How is this not participating?"

Don't 'slight' Michigan

Clinton advisers have said they don't want to alienate Michigan, a key general election state, and in particular, the minority population there.

Rep. Carolyn Kilpatrick, D-Mich., chairs the Congressional Black Caucus, and her son, Kwame Kilpatrick, is Detroit's mayor.

Meanwhile, Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm has been set to endorse Clinton for a while, but after Tuesday's ballot developments, she hinted strongly that the endorsement is imminent.

But with Obama, Edwards, Richardson and Biden off the ballot (and Dennis Kucinich trying to get off), Clinton will be left with an empty victory in Michigan over Mike Gravel and Chris Dodd, who said he stayed on because he did not want to "slight" Michigan.

Biden state campaign chair Rep. Jim Ryan said the pledge "required no campaigning. It's a hedge if you say you won't put up banners or do meet-and-greets but will remain on the ballot. Remaining on the ballot is participating and campaigning."

Clinton spokesman Mo Elleithee said, "Clinton signed a pledge saying she will not campaign. She is not participating in the Michigan primary because she is not campaigning there. She is honoring the pledge."

But state Sen. Peter Burling, a top Edwards supporter, said the "ordinary meaning" of the word "participate" is clear.

"It's that kind of behavior, such as signing a pledge and breaking it, which gets to the complaint that many of us have worried about," he said. "It's the compulsion to parse, the belief that by weaseling through the cracks in the meaning of language, you can say one thing and get the benefit of the broad interpretation and do something quite different."

Bush-like?

Burling said that with George W. Bush in the White House, Americans have become weary of "parsing and dishonesty and a lack of credibility which has come to dominate Washington politics."

He said the Michigan Democratic hierarchy is pro-Clinton and showed two years ago they wanted to "get rid of the New Hampshire primary, with all its retail advantage, so she does not have to compete against an under-funded candidate with good ideas." He said the decision to leave Clinton's name on the ballot appears to be "the conclusion of that process.

Obama co-chair Ned Helms, a former state Democratic chair, yesterday sent an e-mail to top state Democrats asking them "to urge Senator Clinton to fulfill her pledge by pursuing every available legal means to have her name removed from the Michigan primary ballot."

"This is beyond campaign tactics," said Helms of his motives. "This is really about the primary."

State Democratic Chair Ray Buckley, one of four pledge sponsors, said he's "not going to address" whether Clinton and Dodd broke the pledge. He instead blamed Michigan Democratic Chair Mark Brewer for the mess.

"For him to have submitted these names for the ballot in the first place and put the candidates in this difficult situation is very unfortunate," said Buckley. "Shame on Mark."

A December primary?

State primary protection law author Rep. Jim Splaine, D-Portsmouth, sparked debate on the Blue Hampshire Web blog this week with his lengthy essay suggesting that the New Hampshire primary be held "on or around Dec. 11" -- a mere two months from today.

We can't get into all the details of his argument here, but Splaine essentially says that a mid-December date is better than having the primary in early January, fewer than eight days behind Iowa's caucus. The early January scenario is a distinct possibility for the first time since Iowa began having an early caucus in 1976.

A primary a few days after Iowa would lose much of its influence, he argues. A December primary, before Iowa, would increase its influence and force candidates to spend the next two months almost exclusively here, Splaine says.

Since Splaine is close to Secretary of State Bill Gardner, his blog sparked speculation that perhaps Gardner is seriously considering a pre-holidays primary.

Former state Chair Kathy Sullivan responded on Blue Hampshire that Splaine's suggestion is "a very bad idea" and would mark "the end of the primary going forward into the future."

She said jumping to December would portray Granite Staters as "arrogant people who only care about New Hampshire." Sullivan argues for a Jan. 10 date, a week after Iowa but less than a week before Michigan. But, she says, with only a few candidates on the Michigan Democratic ballot, it's no longer a "similar event" under the state primary protection law and could legally be held fewer than seven days before Michigan.

The Congressional front

Grant Bosse of Hillsborough, a 35-year-old legislative assistant to Sen. John Sununu, a former staffer in the New Hampshire House speaker's office and son of former House Majority Leader Leigh Bosse, confirms he is seriously considering a run for the 2nd District U.S. House seat held by Democrat Paul Hodes. Bosse says he won't make a decision until after the presidential primary.

"I just think we need a strong candidate in that district," said Bosse, who is discussing his potential plans with GOP activists while on vacation from Capitol Hill this week.

At the moment, he says, all he has is an e-mail: grant@bosse2008.com.

State Sen. Bob Clegg, R-Hudson, is also still considering a run.

Hodes, meanwhile, will report a financially healthy campaign next week. He's raised $245,203 in the third quarter, bringing the year-to-date total to about $780,000.

Campaign aides say that's more than double what any House candidate has ever raised at this point in a campaign. Hodes will report $530,000 on hand.

Romney and his faith

New Hampshire Sunday News reporter Shawne Wickham has this from the campaign trail last weekend:

Mitt Romney refutes an assertion in a recent column by Robert Novak that "a speech has been written" that addresses his Mormon faith.

After the former Massachusetts governor worked the crowds Saturday at the New Hampshire Snowmobile Association's grass drags event in Fremont, Romney was asked by the Sunday News about the Novak column and said there's no such speech. "I'm sure many people have sent me drafts and I'll bet the files in our office have a number of drafts," he said. But, he said, "Every speech I've given in the campaign, I have written. And I have not written a speech on religion.

"I may, but I haven't yet," he added.

Novak wrote that Romney must answer misgivings about his Mormon faith by delivering a speech to "deplore a religious test as un-American."

Asked if he agrees with Novak's underlying point, Romney said, "Given the fact I haven't written the speech, I'm not sure what the message would be, but I do agree there should not be a religious test required for qualification for office in these United States" -- noting Article 6 of the U.S. Constitution prohibits just such a test.

But Romney said voters want as much information about the candidates as possible, including on such personal issues as religion, taxes, family and health. "And then when all is said and done, they decide which of those things will influence their decision. And I don't think people will choose a candidate based on what church they go to."

Quick takes

--Democratic chair Buckley expects 750-800 in Manchester on Nov. 16-17 for a meeting of the DNC's eastern region membership. Young Democrats and Stonewall Democrats from across the country will meet in conjunction with the DNC group, and all Democratic presidential candidates have been invited.

-- The Democrats' Jefferson-Jackson Dinner on Oct. 20, featuring Virginia Sen. Jim Webb, is sold out, with about 1,300 expected.

-- Red Sox fan Dodd is raffling off a ticket to Game 6 of the American League Championship Series tickets for a minimum donation of $20.04 (to mark the last Red Sox world championship) to his campaign. Dodd will accompany the winner. If there is no Game 6, then it will be Game 2 of the World Series. If there is no Game 2 of the World Series, the winner gets to spend a day with Dodd on the campaign trail.

--New Hampshire Citizens for an Independent voice, which counts 800 members, will hold a conference on Sunday at the Alpine Grove Banquet facility in Hollis. Local leader Russ Ouellette of Bedford says although the members have different views on the issues, "We're organized around the concept of having a voice and being included in the process."

--Another Russ Ouellette, the school board member from Manchester Ward 11 and candidate for alderman, is backing Dodd.

--Clinton picked up her seventh state Senate endorsement this week. Iris Estabrook of Durham, chair of the Senate Education Committee, is impressed with Clinton's commitment to early learning as well as K-12, and says Clinton "recognizes we need to respect the professional judgment of our teachers."

--Clinton continues her latest two-day swing through the state today with a speech on college affordability at Plymouth State University and a visit to the Hackleboro Orchard's barn in Canterbury.

--Richardson will unveil his national education policy in a speech today Manchester West High School and will continue campaigning in the state through tomorrow, while Edwards returns on Saturday and Sunday.

--Romney's first direct mail piece arrived in GOP mailboxes this week, focusing on government spending and calling him "a proven fiscal conservative."

--The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has a new Web ad continuing its criticism of Sununu's support for the Iraq war.

--Republican Fred Thompson has canceled his Friday trip to the state. A campaign aide cited personal reasons.

John DiStaso is senior political reporter of the New Hampshire Union Leader.