YOUR COMMENTS

Like there's ever a real choice anyhow. R's and D's seem to all want to erode rights and to tax someone else.
- DM, Hampton

Before Fergus Cullen writes in again to tell us to "let a thousand flowers bloom"--that is, not get behind Kelly without giving Jeb pork-and-favors Bradley the change to get his snout back at the trough, remember how well that worked in 2008. We had a fresh new candidate, John Stephen, with a principled message and actual experience in state government, we let flowers bloom, and we got foisted with the poster boy for the lack of principle that got the GOP thrown out of power in 2006 and sowed the seeds at Treasury for the financial meltdown that is Obama's blank check.

The only crop insiders like "thousand-flowers" Fergus have harvested is THORNS. By the way, the Union-Leader hardly "stepped back and let the people decide" when it came to tirelessly humping John McAmnesty for President.
- Spike, Brentwood NH

Kelly Ayotte may want to enter the race for the U.S. Senate, but it's becoming more and more obvious that she has yet to identify the starting line. Candidates get under way in political races at the points where people begin to develop some understanding of their political and social beliefs and inclinations. Ayotte better start wandering around the countryside and bumping into a few of those individuals who will go to the polls in '10 to sweep the socialists out of the Congress. It's not all about Kelly. If she's up to the job, let's see her do some stumping for the Conservative cause and a Republican majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.
- George Edmunds, North Sutton

A bit foolish, guys. Since when did the Union Leader think Shea-Porter was a good candidate? The Senate and House campaign committees of both parties are tasked with recruiting and supporting the best candidates they can find to represent the party and win the election. So far, Ayotte is the only one to express interest on the GOP side, so they are promoting her. I can well remember your newspaper using every bit of influence it had to elect Wesley Powell to the Senate in a very crowed primary field during the early 1980's (I believe he finished fourth in the primary). This is your right, but don't try to deny it to the leadership of either party. Incidentally, the party campaign committees fail as often as they succeed.
- mo, derry

You know what bugs me? That anyone running for a US house or senate seat has to fly down to Washington first to get "annointed" by the party before they can run. Every blessed candidate these days has to bend over and succumb to the party elite before they "decide" to run. It really makes me sad that not one in the bunch would ever consider steering clear of the DC beltway powerbrokers. I know that I'm sounding naive here, but think about it. Why should some group of out-of-state power mongers have a hand in deciding whether Ovide Lamontagne or Kelly Ayotte get to run?
- Kyle Richards, Manchester

Senator McConnell won my respect when he fought back the strong attempt to defeat him by Harry Reid. But then he started attacking Senator Bunning.

Senator Bunning stood up and voted against the TARP. http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=2&vote=00213

Both Utah senators voted yes. Both Texas senators voted yes. And both New Hampshire senators voted yes.

New Hampshire deserves the opportunity to elect a senator who will not vote yes.
- Steve, Manch

I have to agree with Steve- I think this editorial is just whining from the Union Leader because they haven't had their part in vetting Kelly Ayotte yet.
- Greg Feltner, Bedford, NH

From what Republican "leaders" from Washington in the last 2 decades+ have provided for candidates and leadership I have little confidence in any person picked by them from president down to a congressman.
"Representing the will of the people" (of NH) would be something really unique - wouldn't it?
Wanted: politicians with backbone - principles - who will stop the move to socialism - and not think of themselves as being above us.
bnyoung@metrocast.net
- Niel Young, Laconia

Silly. Am I to take it that the UL will not endorse any candidates this time around? Wouldn't want them to act like "elites", now would we?
- Steve B, Derry

Unfortunately in a state like NH with its large Independent voter base this stuff works. Many but not all Independents like to pick a "winner" whose personality trumps issues. How do you think we got Governor Lynch and John McCain as a Presidential candidate. The Parties will roll out the money and make their candidate who is perceived to be a winner.
- Chris, Merrimack

Question: Would the Union Leader support the readers, rather than management, picking the reporters who write for the paper? My guess is "no". The leaders of the Republican party in Washington are just that - leaders - the ones in charge. They may not always make the best or most popular decision, but it is well within their right to select and promote a candidate of their choice.
- Brian, Farmington

Mitch McConnell is the head brewmaster at the GOP koolaid distillery. You'd better not mess with him or you'll have to start dealing with facts and the reality of history, two things the fringe right GOP don't even believe exist. Ha ha good luck with that.
- Tom Labrie, Rochester

Unfortunately, the party bosses have the money. A regular citizen like our founders cannot possibly run for office today. The risk of spending everything and losing is too great.

Let's hope the Republican Party big shots give us real candidates, ones who represent the will of the people, and not of the party.
- Melvin, Keene

Kind of a stupid editorial. Obviously we get to pick our candidate, but its always been that way where the party backs the candidate it sees as the best fit and most likely to win. We still get to decide, but I have no problem with the national party helping out with weeding out the better candidates and helping to expose them to the people.

Heck, the general election is only 6 weeks after the primary. If the national party is going to help out, it kind of has to help out during the primary in order to be at all effective. Attitudes like those expressed in this editorial aren't going to help Republicans win in 2010.
- Chris King, Manchester, NH