Page 16 — THE CONWAY DAILY SUN, Saturday, January 7, 2012
from preceding page
reform package. “Nobody cared about it before. Now it’s a bipartisan issue. It could well be the big issue next year because we’re going to have a lot of inflation. The blame is going to be placed on the Fed where it deserves to be put. Like 80 percent of the people say we should audit the Federal Reserve. That’s fantastic!” Paul was asked if America is obsolete. “If we continue to do what we’re doing, this will be a third world nation,” he said. “It might take 10, 20 or 30 years to sink because we’re still wealthy in many ways and we have a strong military, which conveys confidence to the world. The dollar holds up better than it deserves. If we continue to do this and don’t go back to work again we’re going to get poorer and poorer. Other countries and the Far East are introducing gold to their currency. They are buying gold. India buys a lot of gold. We will be so poor we will have to stop all this militarism. It won’t be all that bad. Maybe it will make us go back to work. Maybe we have to go through that so people realize you just can’t keep borrowing.” On Aug. 14, Pawlenty became the first big-name candidate to drop out of the presidential race after a disappointing third-place finish at a straw poll in Ames, Iowa. Bachmann won with 4,823 votes followed by Paul, 4,671; Pawlenty, 2,293; former Santorum, 1,657; Cain, 1,456; Perry, 718; Romney, 567; Gingrich, 385; former Huntsman, 69; and Michigan Congressman Thad McCotter, 35. New Hampshire was able to maintain it’s first-inthe-national primary status, but it took a bit of political maneuvering. Secretary of State Bill Gardner promised in October to do all he could to preserve the Granite State’s first status. He explained why New Hampshire’s primary tradition is important. “Every four years, Americans elect the most powerful leader in the world,” he said. “We go to the polls and select the man or woman who will be president of the United States. It is probably the most important political decision each of us makes because our choice can affect the lives and happiness of ourselves and our children for years into our future.” New Hampshire withstood political efforts by Nevada, Florid,a South Carolina and Iowa to to move to the head of the line and was able to set Jan. 10 as primary day, just a week after the Iowa caucuses. While several Republican presidential candidates opposed Nevada moving its caucus up on the political calendar to challenge New Hampshire’s first-inthe-nation status, one — former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman — took things a step further. Huntsman skipped the debate in Nevada, opting instead to conduct a town hall meeting in Hopkinton. “I believe if you’re gonna boycott Nevada for trying to pull a fast one, then you need to do more than just offer words, lip service,” Huntsman said by phone. “I’ve asked several other candidates to follow suit, but no one has yet to my knowledge.” Nevada was targeting a caucus date of Jan. 14, but Granite Staters want the date pushed back in order to allow New Hampshire to go with its primary on Jan 10. Cain joined Bachmann, Gingrich and Santorum in
Newt Gingrich has seen his campaign take many turns.
(JAMIE GEMMITI PHOTO)
boycotting the caucus, but Hunstman was the only one to boycott the debate as well. “We decided to do things the right way and that’s cancel our participation in the debate,” Huntsman said. “I firmly believe we need to do all we can to preserve a process that’s very unique in this country. New Hampshire plays that role better than anyone else. “Some of the other candidates have (rebuffed Nevada) in words,” he continued, “I’m hoping they’ll join me in doing so in deeds.” In October, Cain made his way up the political ladder and toted his 999 tax plan along the way — it involves a 9 percent tax on corporate income, a 9 percent tax on individual income, and a 9 percent national sales tax. Cain never visited Mount Washington Valley and his campaign never responded to media inquiries from this paper. For Governor Perry, who like Cain has still yet to visit Mount Washington Valley, debates prove to be his nemesis — not his opponents, but his own words. Perry’s biggest debate gaffe occurred on Nov. 9. That night said he wanted to get rid of three agencies of the federal government, but could only initially name two and later just one. In easily the most painful moment of an already uneven set of debate performances, Perry fumbled badly when describing how he would cut government in the CNBC Republican debate. Perry began by saying “ I will tell you, it is three agencies of government when I get there that are gone. Commerce, Education, and the — what’s the third one there? Let’s see.” After struggling for a while, Romney attempted to throw Perry a bone and volunteered “EPA” — the Environmental Protection Agency. But it wasn’t the
EPA, so Perry struggled on to hit on the right answer. “The third agency of government I would — I would do away with Education, the...” Perry continued to try and find his answer. “Commerce,” an unknown voice volunteered, according to the debate transcript. “Commerce and, let’s see,” Perry answered. “I can’t. The third one, I can’t. Sorry. Oops.” The next time he was asked a question, Perry said the Department of Energy was the third agency he would eliminate. The audience applauded politely. Congresswoman Bachmann came to Conway Nov. 10 for her first visit in the Granite State since June, and drew a crowd at the Lobster Trap. She railed against President Obama and the rest of Washington at a town hall meeting “We all know the government is spending way too much money,” she said. “What Washington is doing
right now is destroying our country.” She blamed her absence in New Hampshire on the debt debates in Washington that occurred earlier this year. “That’s why you didn’t see me in New Hampshire a lot this summer,” she said. “My first duty was to go back to Washington D.C.” But Bachmann did carve out time to visit other states. She went to Iowa 11 times in July, August and September, a period during which she didn’t come to New Hampshire once. Her absence from the state may be part of the reason her poll numbers have taken a dive. According to a WMUR Granite State Poll released in early November, Bachmann was registering about 2 percent support among likely New Hampshire primary voters. “As the Republican field solidifies, Mitt Romney continues to lead among New Hampshire Republicans with 37 percent support,” the UNH Survey Center, which conducted the poll, said. “Herman Cain has moved into a distant second place.” Bachmann urged those in attendance to come out and support her come January. “I’m here to make a promise to you,” she said. “It’s that I know what needs to be done. I’ve been there fighting on the front lines. I know what these problems are and it’s going to be tough, but I can do it. With your help I know that we can.” On Nov. 18, Governor Huntsman gave the Mount Washington Valley some national attention when he appeared on Saturday Night Live. Huntsman made an appearance at the show’s news desk during the “Weekend Update” portion of see next page
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