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Andrew Cline has been editorial page editor of the New Hampshire Union Leader since October of 2001. His writing has appeared in more than 100 newspapers and magazines, including The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and National Review.Where's the beef?: Shaheen offers tripe
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Reader commentsVoters who want a real contrast between two candidates for high office have no better place to turn than to the U.S. Senate race here in New Hampshire. At a New Hampshire Institute of Politics forum with Sen. John Sununu and challenger Jeanne Shaheen yesterday, those differences were on vivid display. They started with the enormous gulf between each candidate's willingness to answer questions directly.
As is his habit, Sen. Sununu actually answered the questions that were asked him. As is her habit, Jeanne Shaheen did not. Shaheen's dodging got so bad that at one point the host, New Hampshire Public Radio's Laura Knoy, had to ask Shaheen to respond to the question she had been asked but was busy not answering.
No matter the question, Shaheen almost always responded by attempting to link John Sununu to President Bush. This seemed to upset Sununu, which we suppose was partly the point. But unlike a television ad, which sinks sound bites into people's brains without the opponent having a chance to rebut them live, the forum presented Sununu with response time. He used it to great effect by repeatedly listing many instances in which he took positions that opposed those of the Bush administration or the Republican Party.
While Sununu answered questions in great detail -- sometimes so much detail that he used up his time and had to be cut off -- Shaheen glided from rehearsed talking point to rehearsed talking point. When she was pressed for details, it wasn't pretty.
For example, in criticizing Sununu for supporting the federal bailout last week, she said she would not have supported the bill because it included $150 billion in additions she characterized as awful. Sununu pointed out that the extras were a tax cut package that had already passed the Senate 94-2 and an expansion of FDIC insurance on bank deposits. Minutes later, when asked what specific items in that $150 billion she opposed, Shaheen said she largely agreed with the whole package she had just attacked.
Asked if she supported nuclear power, she said nuclear was part of our energy mix, and we have to have safer storage of the waste. What's missing from that answer? An answer!
On topic after topic, Shaheen repeated her rehearsed spin, attacked President Bush and generally refused as many direct answers as she could. She could have been putting on a clinic on how to dodge questions.
What's worse, this is not an aberration. She has conducted her entire campaign this way. Jeanne Shaheen is offering so little substance in this race that if substance were food and candidates had to live on what they offered in their campaigns, she'd starve.
Sununu, on the other hand, would get fat.
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YOUR COMMENTS
Please my fellow citizens rise above the attacks, and support the Senator who has supported New Hampshire Values. Less taxes, and less regulations is the way to become strong as a nation. John tried to block fannie and freddies's blatant cronieism, but the democrats blocked that bill he sponsored. How can people block the truth??? The truth blockers will surely rot in hell. Rise up my friends, support the Constitution, Support the Republic, and take your place in the Republic!!!! The People shall prosper...and the people are the guardian of our eternal rights!!!!
- Timothy P. "Tim" Comerford, Fremont
This is the standard response from the Democratic play book. It does not matter what you say, so long as you say something, because they believe the average voter does not listen, so, instead they attack their opponent rather than try to think!
- Thomas Selling, Laconia
It might actually be the beef. Evidently, you haven't heard of beef tripe made from the first section of the stomach of a cow. Perhaps you were referring to prarie oysters with regard to what Senator Sunoco is providing. Might also be good for stiffening backbone.
- Robert Mann, Deerfield
The fundamental reason our nation is in the deep crap we are in is because American has transformed itself into a liberal self gratifcation culture. One in which the conversation has transformed intself into discussions about pristine views, alternative relationships and the value of ones home rather than about country, honor, family, sacrifice, work ethic and partriotism. When a culture declines so does the Republic. Just look to the ancient Greeks, Judeans, Weimar Germany and recently the Euopean powers. Lets wake up!
- Vincent Caruana, Bedford NH
Ryan Felten, your statement that my comments were "funny" is a perfect example of your rightwing homophobia. There is nothing "funny" about 2 men who love each other, sharing our pristine view from our $2.5 million ocean front home.
We have every right to experience our romantic view of mother nature in its natural state without having to look at filthy, disgustingly grotesque oil rigs.
- brian sullivan, portsmouth, nh
Brian, I find your comment funny to tell you the truth. So your argument of why we shouldn't have offshore oil off of the coast of NH is because we wouldn't want to ruin your $2.5 million dollar home's view? Come on buddy. I'm in Manchester and just because they decide to build a skyrise building miles away, I should throw a fit because I don't want my view ruined? I understand that with a $2.5 million dollar home, you aren't concerned about gas prices, but the rest of us certainly are and working towards energy independence will also make us 10 times safer as well.
But Lord knows that making America safer and energy independent should be sacrificed just to keep your $2.5 million dollar beach front view pristine. Your argument sounds selfish to me.
- Ryan Feltner, Manchester, New Hampshire
Sununu is a terrible disappointment. Shaheen is a political hack. We get stuck with two bozos running for the oval office. The voting class bicker amongst themselves calling each other names all the while both parties work in concert to keep us all in the dark. After the recent communist bailout, I am in the market for a sickle and hammer flag and I am not sure which country I reside in. What a disgrace our government has become.
- John Smith, Manchester
Hey Ryan, I'm neither a leftist or liberal; just a pragmatic independent. But I can appreciate that those are your favorite words and you repeat them as often as possible because you think they sound so good. Unfortunately for you there seems to be many more like minded independents and democrats in NH now. So I guess you'll just have to practice your rightist rants for the next eight years.
- Frank Smith, Manchester
Hey Ryan Feltner, big oil has no right to ruin my pristine ocean front view. I've invested over $2.5 million into my Hampton Beach home and it's none of your business whether or not it's from my "yuppie" trust fund.
Therefore, my partner and I have every right to enjoy our morning latte and our afternoon tea, without looking at some appaulingly grotesque oil rig.
The rich, greedy, rightwing Bushies only support private property rights when it comes to raping our mother earth.
- brian sullivan, portsmouth
If ever there was time for Jeanne Shaheen to show that there is a possibility she might know what she's talking about, it was last night! What did she show after all the attack ads and her ads that distort the truth and figures when checked, NOTHING! That's exactly what she offers NOTHING! She tried hard when she was Governor to turn the State of NH into Massachusetts. A social welfare state is what would have been had she more time in office. Jeanne Shaheen is BAD for New Hampshire and BAD for the Democratic Party, period! Go back to Madbury and live out your life quietly, uninvolved with politics and our government. You're not needed by the people of this State or this Country.
- Douglas MacKay, Lincoln
Uh first of all Doug, I think you messed up the names because as you can see in my post, I am not a liberal Democrat. Secondly, Brian Sullivan, I personally would be fine with drilling off of Hampton Beach. I'm sure all of the yuppie environmentalists like you would have a heart attack, but believe it or not, there are very safe ways for doing off shore drilling at this point and the revenues our state could receive from doing so if the Democrats in congress stay out of the way could be HUGE for New Hampshire's economy.
Oh yea, and response to Frank: Chill out man. I'm not calling you out in any posts nor do I care if you spew your leftist liberal beliefs on these blogs, so you shouldn't care if I have my say either.
- Ryan Feltner, Manchester, New Hampshire
Actually, Smith, one reason we think Palin is so great is, she is neither Obama, nor Biden. That, my friend, is plenty reason enough, for reasonable people, that is.
- Michael Paradis, Manchester
Frank from Portsmouth and Ryan from Manchester are the quintessential liberal democrats who love to deny the truth and spin their rhetoric with lies, never addressing the point (or answering the question). Even when the truths (in this case the actual live debate) are staring them in the face. Jeanne Shaheen sold citizens of NH down the river when she bailed out predatory Providian Bank stating the legislation was necessary to save NH jobs. Several months later Providian had cut 75% of their work force. In the mean time her unqualified daughter got a cushy job enabled by Providian. How do those truths sit with you?
- Doug George, Dover
Since last winter, when Sununu gave the Union-Leader an interview defending the vote to raise the minimum wage (helping the poorest by declaring their jobs illegal) by noting the pork he had gotten for Women's Business Centers, he has supported: money for health care for children of foreign invaders (though he broke with Gregg and opposed Bush's amnesty package), money for Ford and GM, money for solar power, and pork and favors for everyone. The engineer I elected to get to the nub of the problem has been transformed to an advocate of his own personal permanence.
Shaheen has done nothing but attack Sununu for voting "in lockstep" with Bush (though NH's Democrats are notorious partisan tools). Sununu blew an awesome chance to provide a counterexample when he voted for the awful, pork-laden bailout.
Without doubt Sununu is the lesser of two evils, but I dispute the editorial's premise that Sununu in 2008 has been refreshingly different from the Democrats.
Libertarian Ken Blevens is late filing his usual advertisement in this forum. I would be happy to cast a vote that clearly means less government, rather than decide who better to administer pork and favors. However, as always, it would help my decision if Blevens would get out of the basement and enter a forum in which he might personally confront voters who disagree with him.
- Spike, Brentwood NH
I'm sure glad Feltner got his talking points this morning. How about an original thought? Oh, that's right, talking points ARE original thought to republicans. Now I know why they think Palin's so great.
- Frank Smith, Manchester
Governor Shaheen did a great job as Governor, unlike Sununu, who simply does everything Bush tells him to do.
Sununu is so loyal to Big Oil that he'd probably vote to allow Exxon Mobil to drill off the coast of Hampton Beach, which would destroy our pristine ocean view. Shaheen would never vote to pollute our environment like that.
- brian sullivan, portsmouth
Ugh, Jeanne Shaheen has only one hope in this election: hope that the NH voter forgets how badly she managed this state as governor.
I personally see an up hill battle on both accounts. Most NH voters do remember how poorly she governed with her attempt to turn NH into a welfare state. Sununu has shown time and time again that he has put NH first. What has Shaheen put first? Her own political career and the National Democratic Party!
- Ryan Feltner, Manchester, New Hampshire
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