Hillary Clinton stumps for Shaheen, thanks NH voters for ‘lifting her up’ in 2008

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Photo gallery below from Shaheen/Clinton campaign event

NASHUA, NH – In introducing Hillary Clinton to the pumped-up crowd at Nashua Community College on Nov. 2, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-NH, was able to condense her campaign message to voters into one mighty zinger: “She traveled 956,000 miles as Secretary of State – that’s nearly as many miles as Scott Brown traveled looking for a Senate seat to buy,” said Shaheen

Shaheen also pointed out that there are “just two more days and one wake-up” left to get to the end of what has been a long and contentious campaign for the New Hampshire U.S. Senate seat between Shaheen and her Republican opponent, Scott Brown.

Bringing in Clinton, who remains a popular political figure for the Democratic base, was the grand finale.

Clinton said she was willing to come and campaign for Shaheen as a “thank you” to New Hampshire voters who, “through the darkest days” of her 2008 presidential campaign, “lifted her up.”

“In 2008 during the darkest days of my campaign you lifted me up you gave me my voice back, you taught me so much about grit and determination, and I will never forget that,” Clinton said.

I want you to know how important this election is, not only to this extraordinary Granite State but to this country… we know there’s a lot of anxiety and insecurity. There’s even some anger out there among the people. You know, things are not working the way they think they should be working in so many parts of the country. That’s not true in New Hampshire, by the way. New Hampshire has under great leadership, done so much in the last year,” said Clinton, flanked on the stage by Shaheen on one side and Gov. Maggie Hassan on the other.

“There’s been a flood of outside money. Now, why do you think they’re spending millions and millions of dollars in New Hampshire trying to muddy the waters, drown out your voice. Well, it’s pretty clear that they want you to forget. They’re counting on some kind of political amnesia taking over New Hampshire, and they are really counting on people being somewhat impulsive and reactive and voting against their own best interests. Because remember, this election comes down – as does every election does – to one simple question: Who’s on your side? Who’s going to be there for you? Who cares about you?” Clinton said.

Shaheen continued to hammer away on what she says are Brown’s ties to big business, big oil and the exportation of jobs.

“I fight for New Hampshire. That’s what I’ve always done and that’s what I will continue to do,” Shaheen said.

My friends we know we face come serious challenges, from immigration to ISIS to ebola, and in the face of these challenges, New Hampshire needs serious leadership and sound leaders; we don’t need Scott Brown’s fear mongering,” Shaheen said.

“This is a tight race. I need your help. As Maggie said  we need you to knock on doors, to keep making those phone calls … we need you to talk to everybody you know and get them to the polls on election day,” Shaheen said.

Early on Clinton took a moment to dish a little bit of grandmother rivalry after Shaheen’s granddaughters opened the event with a rendition of “The National Anthem.”

Bragging rights were abundant.

“I have to take a moment of personal privilege because I heard Jeanne, and that call out to her beautiful granddaughters and that they sang the national anthem and did a really good job, I’ve only been a grandmother for about five weeks and two days, but my beautiful, advanced perfect granddaughter is not quite there yet, but I anticipate she will be leading the pledge of allegiance any time soon,” Clinton said.

The rally also featured brief comments from New Hampshire Democratic Party Chair Ray Buckley, House Speaker Terie Norelli, State Senators Peggy Gilmour and Bette Lasky, Executive Councilor Debra Pignatelli, Congresswoman Annie Kuster and Joy Dewitt, of Portsmouth, who said she has been inspired by Shaheen to achieve her dream of becoming a New Hampshire Air National Guard pilot.

“What really, when you strip it all away, is the Republican agenda for the rest of this election? It’s what it’s been from the beginning. It’s fear. It’s trying to instill fear. Fear is the last resort for those who have run out of ideas and run out of hope,” Clinton said.

“We’re in the home stretch in this election and it all comes down, as it always does, to who shows up,” Clinton said.

Shaheen reiterated that point, and acknowledged during her remarks what political polls have been reflecting of late – that Brown has closed what was at one time a comfortable lead in the race for U.S. Senate, and that the final outcome will all depend on which side gets voters to turn out.

“We’re almost there,” Shaheen said. “When the finish line is in sight, this is not the time to slow down your pace. It’s the time to dig down deep, to  lean forward into the tape  and keep working… if you join me, together we will make Scott Brown an historic figure. We will make him the first person in history to be defeated running for the Senate in two different states,” Shaheen said.

Photo gallery by freelance photographer Marc Nozell of Nashua.

About this Author

Carol Robidoux

PublisherManchester Ink Link

Longtime NH journalist and publisher of ManchesterInkLink.com. Loves R&B, German beer, and the Queen City!