Category: New Hampshire

HOLLIS, N.H.
Set up in the Dunkin’ Donuts here at the intersection of Ash and Main Street, having just left anevent for Rick Santorum at the historic Lawrence Barn that was filled beyond capacity.

The first question Santorum got in an informal press conference outside the barn was about his “electability,” which he defended staunchly. I must urge everyone trying to predict the outcome in New Hampshire to put no stock in polls. There are still many undecided voters here and much of Mitt Romney’s support is “soft.”

Depending on how things go in the two debates — tonight on ABC and Sunday morning on  “Meet the Press” — the Santorum surge could once against surprise everyone, as it did in Iowa, where he outperformed the final Des Moines Register final poll by 10 points.

I have photos and video and am now awaiting sufficient bandwidth for uploading. Bandwidth is a scarce commodity out here in the country.

In a few minutes, Santorum will appear at the Hollis Pharmacy and General Store, a traditional campaign stop for presidential candidates in New Hampshire. Mike Rogers of Granite Grok and I were the first members of the media to arrive there, and were greeted by owner Vahrij Manoukian, who promptly told us to park next door, as he wishes to leave space for the candidate’s entourage.

UPDATE: As I was sitting here, a woman walked in and said, “I know you! I’m ConservaGirl.”

UPDATE II: With his superior technological capacities, Mike has already got up an extensive photo post at Granite Grok about the Santorum barn event.

UPDATE III: Look at the crowd behind Santorum at the Hollis Pharmacy. Anyone who underestimates the surge does so at their peril:

At the Lawrence Barn event, Mara Liasson of NPR interviews a New Hampshirite in a purple hat:

UPDATE IV: Kaley, the barrista at Dunkin’ Donuts, is all about Ron Paul. Note the facial piercing. Just sayin’ …

A lot of reporters on the campaign trail spend their time interviewing “typical voter” types at every stop along the campaign trail:

Here we see a foreign news crew interviewing a Santorum supporter who, as it turned out, drove up from Massachusetts. So much for the “typical voter,” you see.

UPDATE V: Look at these videos of Santorum at the Hollis Pharmacy and tell me again why he can’t beat Mitt Romney:

Here is my interview with the owner of the Hollis Pharmacy, Vahrij Manoukian:

Just guessing by the name ending in “-ian,” he is Armenian. Some of the most patriotic Americans I know are Armenian, as are the Kardashian sisters.

HOLLIS, N.H.
When Rick Santorum arrived at the Hillsborough County Republican Party’s dinner Friday, the swarm of reporters photographers and TV cameramen following him was so huge that his own daughter Elizabeth and son Daniel couldn’t get near their father. This video begins with me entering the door and working my way through the media mob until, by the 2-minute mark, I was front and center:

Da Tech Guy was also at the Hillsborough County GOP dinner and has a massive photo/video compendium: “Americans want someone who believes in them.” Here are some of my own photos of the event:

Skip Murphy of Granite Grok interviews Senator Santorum.

Amid a media swarm, Santorum greets a Republican.

The media were banned from the actual dinner — but I was a guest of Mike Rogers of Granite Grok, so I got this picture of Senator Santorum greeting Mike’s wife. By the way, the entre at the dinner was prime rib served so rare, it still had a pulse.

These New Hampshire Republican ladies are undecided voters who had been for Romney until they heard Rick Santorum.

Michael Graham makes a point to Michael Barone.

Today I’ll be a guest on “Da Tech Guy on Da Radio” on WCRN-AM 830 from 10 a.m. until noon, and you can click here to listen live.

UPDATE: Permit me to say that this headline is a lie:

Rick Santorum focuses on gay marriage

Rick Santorum is not “focusing on gay marriage.” He is being asked — asked repeatedly by reporters and by people at town-hall meetings — about his opposition to gay marriage, and he is explaining his opposition. He is not obsessed with the issue, but neither is he ever going to back down from what he believes.

WINDHAM, N.H.
The Southern New Hampshire 9-12 Project is hosting “An Evening With Rick Santorum.” I just interviewed State Sen. James Luther, who endorsed Santorum today. Luther said Santorum first asked for his endorsement six months ago — and kept asking and asking until he finally got it.

Among the press here for the event are Kerry Picket of the Washington Times, Robert Costa of National Review, Dan Balz of the Washington Post, and Michael Barone of The Washington Examiner.

UPDATE: Like all of Santorum’s town halls today, this event is packed.

UPDATE II: Barone said he thinks the crowd for Newt Gingrich here last month was larger, but this is still a full house.

UPDATE III: The 9-12 group leader, who is also a state representative, just boosted their “Candidate Positions Matrix,” which is very popular with Tea Party activists nationally.

Big news: Santorum has raised $2 million in the past 48 hours and the campaign is planning a major South Carolina ad buy.

UPDATE IV: Santorum gets a standing ovation when he’s introduced. Jokes that polls show him “a mere 39 points behind Governor Romney.”

UPDATE V: Santorum urges the audience to “lead, don’t follow. . . . Pick who you think is the best person.”

In Q-and-A, the first question was about detention of U.S. citizes, second question was about “Agenda 21” and U.S. sovereignty.