What an experience here at the New Hampshire Primary!!!

I came to the New Hampshire’s presidential candidate campaign with an open mind to learn more about each candidate from both the republican and democratic political parties. I don’t belong to a particular party so I have looked at the candidates that I was able to meet through a neutral lens in order to observe their personalities and eloquence, learn about their professional and personal experience, as most importantly to understand their message and see if I could envision them as the next President who will bring about the changes that many Americans are hoping for.
Voters come from different backgrounds and levels of social class; they have different interests, views, personal and social beliefs, as well as expectations from the future President. These differences were very visible in the audience of the candidates’ rallies that our group witnessed. I must say that I was surprised to find that New Hampshire’s population isn’t at all diverse as it is back home in the DC Metropolitan area. I should travel a little more inside the country. J I would say that 99% of the population is white. Although race was the common denominator among the audiences, I found some clear differences, such as age, family structure, religious orientation, and social class to some extend. For example, I found Giuliani’s audience to be an older crowd of middle upper and high class. McCain’s audience was mainly composed of military veterans and their families, as well as a mixed age crowd of adults. I noticed that although Clinton’s audience was diverse in age and sex, the number of women dominated the crowd. Huckabee’s audience seemed to be composed of lower to middle class families of different ages, as well as religious practicing people. The most diverse in age, gender, race, and family type in my opinion was Obama’s audience; I saw the most minority groups in his rally than I have seen in the entire trip. Romney’s audience was highly composed of well-dressed families, which in their majority had more than one child. IThese differences had me reflect on the accuracy of the polls’ results that we saw in Iowa and that we are soon to see here in New Hampshire. Would these results really predict the future presidential candidate for each party? It is evident that each candidate has to be ready to target the different audiences that populate the various cities they have to campaign. I can’t wait to see the NH results tonight. My prediction is that Obama will win for the Dem party and McCain for the Rep party. Best luck to all candidates and I pray for the President who is going to get the job done.

The Huckabee Peformance

As our tour of New Hampshire comes to an end, we complete our round of rallies with a bang! Last night we joined Major Huckabee and "crew" for a night of chili, music, and of course the one and only Chuck Norris. I am unsure of how many of us really knew who Huckabee was before deciding to attend this trip, but if we were looking for answers on health care and foreign relations last night was not the place. Instead, Huckabee provided us with a minor celebration of his victory in Iowa and hopeful success in New Hampshire. His favorite band, Mama Kicks, performed a variety of rock classics while his volunteers directed the audience to have a taste of the "huckabee chili." Supporters from New Hampshire and California spoke along with Mrs. Huckabee and Chuck Norris. Chuck Norris was one of the main attractions to Huckabee's meet the candidate rallies, and we were all eagerly excited to meet the famous ranger. With all the excitement of food, music, and Mr. Norris I almost forgot why I was even around to see Major Huckabee. I felt as if I were attending a town hall celebration rather than a political rally. Don't get me wrong, the "I like Mike" audience was definitely in attendance. The major gave a 20 minute speech none of which I can recall and saluted us by playing guitar with the band. I must say he plays very well for his age. He spent a lot of time after the rally meeting and greeting his supporters which was great. Mr. Huckabee seems like a great guy to party with, but I'm not sure I want my next president feeding me chili and famous actors instead of dealing with issues of my country. What do you think?

First of all, this trip so far has been an amazing experience!! I came to New Hampshire with a very open mind. I really did not have a definate candidate in mind to vote for so I was very excited to meet each potentical president. Ill be honest, I was leading toward Rudy Giulliani when I first came but nothing was certain. Since seeing each candidate speak, I can honestly say that my vote is now up in the air. When I saw McCain speak at a townhall event, I was really impressed with his responses to his questions. I was especially impressed with the way he listen to one man who was not a supporter of him yet encouraged him to keep asking questions about his platform, views, and policies. This to me was a sign of strength. It showed that he was not afraid to speak with members of the local community who did not share his views. This to me meant that he was a strong candidate worthy of consideration.
Hillary Clintons rally was an experience in itself. She was a very powerful speaker who was not afraid to voice her opinions and elaborate on her political platform. She, like McCain, took questions from the audience. She was very quick to answer the questions (which Im not convinced were truely answered) but as a political candidate that is not too much of a suprise. Many candidates tend to avoid answering a questions with definate responses because they do not was to offend potential voters. I will say that meeting Bill Clinton, a former president, was definately an exciting experience.
Obamas Rallies were very uneventful ( I know many disagree with this view of mine). Listening to him made me feel like I was listening to a motivational speaker. He is a great public speaker and I was definately impressed with the way he spoke to the audience. It seemed that he said everything that people want to hear but never explained how he was going to accomplish his goals. Having high hopes and setting goals is a great thing but as president, it is important to elaborate and spell out how he is going to reach his goals and not just say 'change' as if it has a definate meaning. I also feel that Obama was the most impersonable candidate I have heard throughout this entire trip. Getting a picture with him was like winning the lottery...nearly impossible. He did not take any questions from the audience ( but as Lisa said, that may be due to the fact that he is the front runner). I will say that he was definately the most popular democratic candidate in New Hampshire ( considering that each of his rallies were overflowing with supporters and many were unable to enter the rallies.)
Continueing on the topic of uneventful...another name- Rudy Giulliani. I sadly was not impressed with him at all. I was definately expecting more from a man who was elected in a Democratic state as a Republican. He stated that he wanted to cut taxes yet increase the military by 10 Army brigades, 300 Naval Ships, etc. but I dont see how this is possible considering the United States in severly in debt by trillions...How can we spend more money without bringing more in?? Please dont get me wrong... I love the military and it will be very hard for anyone to find someone who supports our troops more than I do (as many of my classmates have seen, I am brought to tears when I hear stories of our soldiers and what they are doing for their country) but I am not able to put my faith into a candidate who may only push our country into even more debt.
Edwards...If I was to vote for a democratic candidate, he would have my vote. But this is only because of what I have learned about him before this trip and it is not because of what I have learned about him on this trip. We were only able to see Edwards once so far and unfortunately it was not a question and answer event. We only were able to hear a few motivational words from him. I will say tho that when he says his campaign is grassroots...it really is (Both at Hillary's and Romney's events..."home-made" signs were passed out to the audience...totally staged and fake). I was really impressed with how we were able to view first hand how grassroots his campaign really was....by having supporters at the event calling New Hampshire residents on their cell phone...overall I was really impressed with his campaign...but was not given the opportunity to fully understand his platform first hand.
Romney...wow Romney!!! I would find it truely hard to find someone who was not impressed by Romneys rally. He brought his family to the event which really made him feel like family was very important to him. I just want to throw this fact in...at the rally an 8yr old boy tugged on Romneys jacket and asked "Sir, what can I do to help your campaign" and Romney knelt down to his level responded "son, the best thing you can do for me is do well in school" *how personable is that?!?! After his rally I called my dad and said "I know who I am going to vote for..its Romney!" this is until I was waiting outside the Huckabee rally and I was speaking with a lady who was a resident of Massachusetts (and was a republican) and said that basically the only part of Romney's record that was true was the part about the Olympics....Now Im back to square one..who do I vote for!?!?!
Last night, we saw Huckabee. I know what you are thinking..."Who is Huckabee?" until last night... I didnt know either! But I will say that the name Chuck Norris is a household name so when I found out he would he at Huckabee's rally....all I could say was "IM THERE". Although I was denied early entrance into his rally to goto the bathroom (in the words of his staffer "its not my problem") all was forgiven in my book after attending the event. Of all the candidates, Huckabee was the most personable candidate I have ever met (and I have met just about all of them). Although I was the only one in my van it seemed that enjoyed the event, I stand by my opinion that his rally was the best one I went to. Even though his band 'Mama Kicks' seemed a little out of place at the event...it really made it (for me at least) a homey event. I was dancing in my seat ( ask Patrick and Homa...they were laughing at me) and I was really enjoying myself.
Overall, this trip has been such an experience for me...one that I will never forget!!

Agents of Change: Edwards & Obama

America is a country of dreams, a place where a little hope goes a long way. No one thought thirteen colonies could become the greatest nation on earth; no one thought a man born in a cabin in Kentucky could re-unite the nation after a civil war. Growing up no one probably thought that the son of a mill worker and the son of a white Kansas woman and a Kenyan man could be candidates in one of the most important presidential election in American history. Looking at both Senators John Edwards and Barack Obama I can find many similarities in the two men and how their views have been shaped. As I’ve listened to them during rallies and the debates and reflected on the previous times I have seen them, I can really relate to them. Their message of hope and making this an America for everyone no matter economic class is something that I really appreciate it. This is a self made country and both Edwards and Obama are self made men. They’ve really inspired me to work towards achieving my goals and pushing ahead no matter what obstacles stand in my way. Obama was raised by his mother and his grandmother, just like me. Both Edwards and Obama went to schools that were expensive for their families, as I am currently doing. They have proven to me what living the American dream is all about and how anything is possible. I think both candidates are very good candidates, they both have messages of change and hope. Some people feel that change is bad; that America will change for the worse but that might not be the case. I am encouraged by both of these candidates and what they can offer to America and to the people like my family who have struggled to give their children a bright future. I feel that Edwards is a better candidate, that he has experience, and that he has the vision and the ability to take on Washington and critics and make this an America for all. Both men have encouraged me to follow my dreams whatever they maybe and not to be intimated by the obstacles that stand in my way. It will be interesting to see where both these men go, if one gets the nomination and the other is the number two man on the ticket it could be very powerful combination. I think that together they could do a great job with America and make this a place for every American and I look forward to the rest of this campaign and how they do in the primary and possibly the general election.

McCain Speech

As I listened to Sen. McCain’s speech, there were some things that really disturbed me and I wanted share this idea. Previously, I really wanted see McCain some point because of his trade mark campaign theme of the straight talk. I really wished that he would be honest with his audience, but like many other politicians, he really disappointed me by not really answering to any questions. At the end of Q&A session, some guy brought up the issue of the war in Iraq and Sen. McCain tried to avoid that question by mentioning the US troops’ presence in Korea and Japan. I honestly don’t know too much thing about history of Japan or history of Iraq although I took some courses in Middle East and East Asian History at Mason. Those classes only reminded me how much I don’t know about Japan or Middle East. However, I grew up and studied Korean history and because of that, what some of things that Sen. McCain said really disturbed me. Sen. McCain mentioned that American troops are staying in Korea and Japan for more than 60 years because it is bloodless and it keeps democracy alive in those countries. That might be good enough response for American public but as a student of Korean history, that really bothered me a lot. First of all, there are combats and battles in almost daily basis within the military border between two Koreas, and good number of American soldiers died even after the cease fire was declared. What makes Korea much different compared to Iraq is that they had a legitimate and strong democratic government even before Truman administration decided to stood up for South Koreans. They were not like South Vietnamese or Iraq, because even before Gen. MacArthur brought US troops into the Korean Peninsula, South Korean troops did relatively well even though North Koreans made a surprise attack without declaration of the war and USSR and China secretly supplied modern military supplies that South Koreans didn’t have. Even if UN troops didn’t support South Koreans, they might be held up for a while. That’s what makes Korean issue much different than Iraqi issue. In Korea, there was a legitimate democratic government that desired a help from the free world to sustain their democratic government. In Iraq, a slight trace of democratic tradition was destroyed by the Hussein’s dictatorship and majority of Iraqis didn’t even thought about the US or any others to set up the democratic government for them, which didn’t even exist before. Democracy in East Asia and democracy in the Middle East is much different. We can’t really take one case and apply it to other case because the previous one was successful. Maybe that’s what the Bush administration failed to see before they decided to declare the war on the terrorism. This hegemonic view of the US foreign policy got to be stop, and I was really disappointed by the fact that a self-declared foreign policy expert like Sen. McCain brought up this century-old biased views of the hegemonic global politics. The Cold War is over and we have to move on. There are more than two sides of the world these days in the global politics, and America should stop applying the one measure to the every part of the world because democracy is all about diversity and people in the different part of the world might have different ideas about democracy.

Day 2 - Tours and Rally

So here we are on Day 2 - we went to several headquarters, toured the State Capitol and ended the day with a rousing Town Hall meeting featuring John McCain and Joe Lieberman. Others will have more to say on this topic.

Day 1 in the Granite State

After a long day's journey by train and minivan, we arrived safely in Concord, NH. There are 19 of us altogether.

We took a straw poll about candidate preference today -- here's where we currently stand:

There are 8 people on the trip who favor Republican candidates, 11 who plan to vote as for a Democrat. Top votes go to Guiliani, McCann, and Ron Paul on the Republican side. On the Democratic side, the favorites are Obama, Clinton and Edwards. We plan to do another poll at the end of this week to see how attitudes have changed (or not).

Tomorrow we head out to various headquarters and also hope to visit Bill Gardner, the Secretary of State who determines the NH primary date. Tomorrow night, we hope to see Romney and then Obama on Friday. Much more to come!

It's cold here - lots of snow on the ground and flying everywhere - the coldest weather some students have ever been in. Call us crazy, but it's all pretty exciting.