NH's Republican Congressional delegation uses conference call to take aim at state Democrats.
The delegation shared a phone line and a basic point of view on the addition of a Nevada caucus between Iowa and New Hampshire in 2008.
"This is wrong."
That's US Senator Judd Gregg. He spoke the most during the conference call and was perhaps the most adamant that the move by national Demcorats to push NH down the presidential nominating schedule should be seen as a failure of local Democratic leaders -- whom he called anemic and oblivious.
"They've basically taken a 'What, me worry?' view of this issue and allowed their leadership at the national level to manipulate them."
When Gregg finished talking US John Sununu was there with his own epithets.….
"Ineffective - that's the first word that comes to mind. There's been a complete inability for Democratic leadership speaking on the New Hampshire Primary to have any impact on this process. Either they've failed to get the job done or there's a fundamental lack of understanding about what the NH primary is all about."
Congressman Charlie Bass an Jeb Bradley, who unlike the Senators, face reelection this fall, were less scathing…….Bradley stressed that without the primary, Presidents won't be subjected to the face to face, retail politics NH imposes on them…….He also emphasized the fact that ultimately the primary date is not set by the DNC, but by secretary of state Bill Gardner.
Congressman Bass, for his part, struck the most conciliatory note, and was the sole member of the delegation to leaven his criticism of Democrats with an offer of assistance.
"I certainly as a Republican will do anything to help the cause. This process is going to hurt us all. This is a bad day for the NH primary but the fight will continue."
The state's top Democrat, meanwhile, says she isn’t anything the Republicans are saying too seriously.
"There is really some crocodile tears going on here with the congressional delegation."
Kathy Sullivan says under existing GOP rules, states are barred from holding nominating contests before February 5th of an election year…..She says it's only custom that has allowed NH and Iowa delegates to be seated at GOP conventions, and says state Republicans have repeatedly failed to get that rule changed…….. Sullivan does concede, however, that the threat to the primary is real.
"Unfortunately, there are a number of some people, people who I consider the Washington insiders, who just do not like the NH primary, and haven’t liked it for some time and they are pushing through the rule. Fortunately, the DNC doesn't set the date, Bill Gardner sets the date, and he will do that in the fall of 2007."
In the meantime, the DNC is set to vote next month to finalize the party's nominating schedule.
