Comings and goings in the run-up to the NH Primary
Third Democratic Debate
Thursday evening the qualifying Democrats will take the stage for the third round of televised debates. The chosen ones (based on fundraising and polling) are Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, Amy Klobuchar, Pete Buttigieg, Julian Castro, Beto O’Rourke and Andrew Yang.
Speaking of Yang, he’s been generating some pre-debate social media buzz. Accoring to his campaign, Yang was preparing to “do something that’s never been seen before at tomorrow’s Democratic debate.”
The possibilities seem endless.
Later, via Twitter, Yang posted this:
Crowdsurfing? You’ll have to tune in to see for yourself. The debate airs on ABC from 8 to 11 p.m.
Who’s leading the pack?
Going into Thursday’s debate, Vice President Joe Biden is polling ahead of the pack (24 percent) but close behind are Sen. Elizabeth Warren 18 percent) who has overtaken Sen. Bernie Sanders by one point (17 percent) according to a CNN poll released Wednesday. Although it was tough to gauge who was the favorite, New Hampshire democrats gave rousing welcomes to all three of the front-runners during Saturday’s NH Democratic Convention. By most accounts, Warren supporters were plentiful and equipped with noisemakers, which helped raise the roof of the SNHU Arena when she took the stage.
It’s still anyone’s race.
RELATED: Convention round-up – Dems say unity necessary to defeat Trump in 2020
Gov. Weld commemorates 9/11 in Claremont
GOP Presidential candidate Bill Weld came through New Hampshire Wednesday and commemorated the 18th anniversary of 9/11 with Claremont firefighters.
“I’m very glad to be here with you this morning, in memory of all those lost on this day eighteen years ago. They included some very brave people — just like you — who made the ultimate sacrifice saving people from the inferno our enemies made that terrible morning. No one has greater love, we are told, than the person who lays down their life for their friends.”
A day earlier Weld appeared with several “old school” Republicans, seeking a New Hampshire advantage against his main opponent in the 2020 Primary, President Donald Trump. Among them, former Executive Councilor Peter Spaulding and Claira Monier and Betty Tamposi, former appointees for both Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations.
“Republicans have always been for free trade,” Monier said to WMUR. “We have never supported tariffs. You look at the debt and the deficit — we are accumulating debt faster than any Democratic administration.”
Added Tamposi, “We are caging children at the border in this country. I mean, this is not America. This is not what we stand for, and we deserve better than this.”
Peace, love and Marianne Williamson
On Sept. 9 Presidential candidate and New Age author Marianne Williamson led about 50 people for an invitation-only meditation session at the new CORE Beauty space at Kriss Cosmetics on South Main Street. Owner Kriss Blevens got to know Williamson while doing her presidential makeup thing earlier this year – a thrill for Blevens, who says she was first inspired by Williamson’s books 25 years ago and considers her a spiritual mentor.
“I wanted to know how to pray,” says Blevens, of the journey that led her to seek out some wisdom from the universe, and found Williamson. Blevens has expanded her salon services with an upstairs space for workshops focused on meditation and inner beauty.
During the 90-minute stop at the salon, Williamson spoke about her philosophy on the need for America to “heal” and how that relates to her platform for the presidency.
We’ll have more details on Williamson’s visit in a story scheduled for this weekend.