The New Hampshire Primary -- After Iowa

By Doug MacPherson on Friday, January 23, 2004.

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New Hampshire voters are weighing their choices in the wake of the Iowa caucuses.

Conversations on the street show an electorate that knows what it cares about - health care, jobs, the war in Iraq.

Some voters have made up their minds, but many are unsure of whom to support.

We sent four reporters around the state to sample where people stand five days before the primary.

In a moment, we will hear from Doug MacPherson, Dan Gorenstein, and Josh Rogers.

We begin in Berlin, where a powerful labor union had backed Missouri Congressman Dick Gephardt.

Gephardt dropped out of the race after the Iowa caucuses, and as NHPR's Trish Anderton reports, his supporters are now shopping for a new candidate.

I'm Trish Anderton in Berlin.

If Dick Gephardt had a shot at winning anywhere in New Hampshire, it was here in the Paper City. Gephardt had the backing of the paper mill workers union here, which boasts some 500 members.

I?m Josh Rogers??..Lunch hour at Manchester?s puritan backroom was thick people certain they?d vote in Tuesday?s primary ? but uncertain about who they?d vote for. Donna Dudek, an unemployed medical technician from the city?s north side, seemed to speak for many when she confessed she wasn?t thrilled with any of the available options.
I don?t like Wesley Clark cause all he has is military?.I like Lieberman I like Kerry??Edwards is too Young??I wish you could just blend them?.to make one good guy?..

Dudek, an independent who voted republican in the last general election, was however, resolute about her goal.
I just want someone who can be bush the guy is destroying the country, that?s what it boils down to. Enough is enough.

Across the dining room at the Bar, John O?Donnell agreed it?s essential for a democrat to take the white house.??O?Donnell added he has a preference about who that should be?
John Edwards His showing in Iowa really kind of proved that he can maybe make a move here?..Before that I was going to vote for Wesley Clark only because I though he had a better chance. AS you can tell I?m not a fan of either Dean or Kerry, even though Kerry deserves to be commended.

O?Donnell, like many of fellow diners acknowledged that that tonight?s final pre-primary debate could again change his mind??

--we felt that he was a friend of labor and the working class--

Eddie deBlois heads the union. He says since the Missouri congressman dropped out of the race just a few days ago, the organization won't have time to pick another candidate. But DeBlois may come out with his own personal endorsement. He says he's struggling to choose between John Edwards and John Kerry.

--I want to talk to some of their folks and I need assurances that they are gonna be strong supporters of our position because the number one issue in this country, it's all about jobs.--

That shouldn't be difficult, because the campaigns are coming to him. Moments later the phone rings. When the answering machine in the other room picks up, the voice that booms out is that of John Kerry's state chairman, Bill Shaheen.

--(laughs). you know who that is.

In the neighboring town of Gorham, Coos County Democratic Chair Paul Robitaille says Gephardt's departure caught him by surprise. Robitaille is a Kerry supporter. He says he thinks many Gephardt fans are coming over to his candidate's side.

-- I think the majority will go to kerry. I think a significant number will go to edwards. and I think smaller numbers will go to lieberman and clark.-

Robitaille points out Kerry has the support of the firefighters union, which may help him with the millworkers. The Massachusetts senator also has former Governor Jeanne Shaheen. Shaheen made reopening the mill a priority when it went bankupt, and many people in Berlin remember her fondly.

--here's our next president, here's our next president, mr. gephardt.

One of Gephardt's most ardent supporters was Jeannete Belanger, who led a one-woman cheering section when the candidate came to town a few weeks ago. Belanger is still grieving. But she's decided to vote for Kerry, who she feels is closest to Gephardt in his platform.

I would have liked to see mr. gephardt president and mr. kerry vice president. that's what I had in my mind.

Belanger is decided, but there's a sense that Berlin is still in flux. Signs for all the major contenders are popping up all over town. And at least one candidate plans to visit before the primary. John Edwards will be in the area Saturday morning trying to woo undecided voters.... and even change the minds of some decided ones. for NHPR news I'm trish anderton.

OPEN WITH TAPE: SFX, TRAIN PLATFORM,
TAPE CONDUCTOR anybody here business class?

I?M DOUG MACPHERSON. VOTERS WHO LIVE ON NEW HAMPSHIRE?S SEACOAST, BUT WHO WORK IN BOSTON, DON?T HAVE TO DRIVE ? THEY CAN TAKE THE TRAIN. THE DOWNEASTER LEAVES BOSTON?S NORTH STATION EVERY EVENING AT 6:15.

TAPE SFX: TRAIN WHISTLE

IF YOU CHOOSE TO SIT IN THE CAFÉ CAR, IT?S HARD TO AVOID TALKING ABOUT THE PRIMARY. MOST RIDERS ARE NEWCOMERS TO NEW HAMPSHIRE, AND MOST HAVE MADE UP THEIR MIND WHO TO VOTE FOR. ONE DEAN SUPPORTER ADMITS HIS CANDIDATE IS STRUGGLING.

VOTER ONE, MALE 100 I think what we?ve seen in the last month is not what he?s about. I think he?s been off-message. /// 189 he?s going to go back to where he started, which was presidential, I thought. I though he was the right guy, and he?s been lulled into doing some bad moves.

VOTER TWO, FEMALE 373 I really felt that Lieberman had more of a ? a real commitment to the things he supports and believes in. And a real connection and ability to relate with regular people.

VOTER THREE, FEMALE *227 I liked what I heard from Edwards, I thought he was very positive. I mean a lot of them have the same issues ? very similar -- on health care, education, which are things that concern me/// I think he?s got more of the personality. And Lieberman too, that?s why I?m sort of going back and forth on those two/// it will probably be a last minute decision.

PASSENGERS ARE DIVIDED ON WHETHER THE IOWA CAUCUS HAS HAD ANY INFLUENCE ON THE NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY.

VOTER ONE, MALE 175 I think most people who are alert to the elections have already formed their opinions. I don?t think they?re going to let Iowa change things one way or another.

VOTER TWO, FEMALE 085 I think a lot has changed since Iowa. 090 it?s telling us something about the people?s feelings towards the candidates that the polls weren?t really reflecting accurately.

TAPE CONDUCTOR Haverhill, Massachusetts next.

FOR N-H-P-R NEWS, I?M DOUG MACPHERSON.

I?m Josh Rogers??..Lunch hour at Manchester?s puritan backroom was thick people certain they?d vote in Tuesday?s primary ? but uncertain about who they?d vote for. Donna Dudek, an unemployed medical technician from the city?s north side, seemed to speak for many when she confessed she wasn?t thrilled with any of the available options.
I don?t like Wesley Clark cause all he has is military?.I like Lieberman I like Kerry??Edwards is too Young??I wish you could just blend them?.to make one good guy?..

Dudek, an independent who voted republican in the last general election, was however, resolute about her goal.
I just want someone who can be bush the guy is destroying the country, that?s what it boils down to. Enough is enough.

Across the dining room at the Bar, John O?Donnell agreed it?s essential for a democrat to take the white house.??O?Donnell added he has a preference about who that should be?
John Edwards His showing in Iowa really kind of proved that he can maybe make a move here?..Before that I was going to vote for Wesley Clark only because I though he had a better chance. AS you can tell I?m not a fan of either Dean or Kerry, even though Kerry deserves to be commended.

O?Donnell, like many of fellow diners acknowledged that that tonight?s final pre-primary debate could again change his mind??