Mirsky's List: Reporting on the Race for President

As a patriotic first-generation American who happens to live in the First-in-the-Nation Presidential Primary State of New Hampshire, I feel I owe an obligation to my country to give you some information from the frontlines here in New Hampshire on just what is going on in this crazy Presidential Election Year of 2016.

So even though I don’t have much time to write this report, or any time to polish it up for publication, I’m going to give you my report for this date: Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016.

So here it is, my list of the candidates for President who are making waves here in New Hampshire, from my perspective as a Democratic activist (and former Independent New Hampshire Primary Voter) on the Seacoast here in Exeter.

DEMOCRATS

1. Hillary Clinton, former U.S. Secretary of State, former U.S. Senator from New York, former U.S. First Lady in the Bill Clinton Administration (1993-2000). I have tried to be objective in writing about candidate Hillary Clinton, but I can’t say that I am succeeding here, because I still consider Hillary Clinton to be the most amazing candidate of our time, not yet recognized because there is a lunatic on the Republican side (I’ll let you figure out who I’m referring to), who has been mucking up the whole Primary Process with incessant babbling and negative attacks on everyone from FOXNews’ anchor-reporter Megyn Kelly, to the New Hampshire Union Leader’s publisher Joseph P. McQuaid, and now I hear he’s attacking former New Hampshire Governor John H. Sununu, a genuine leader of New Hampshire Conservative Republicans. Let me know how that works out for you, Donald! As for Hillary Clinton, this has been a steady, soon-to-be-much-more-exciting race against longtime experienced clever politician Bernie Sanders, a U.S. Senator from Vermont who has been seeking the votes of disaffected people with an appeal for income equality.
2. Bernie Sanders, U.S. Senator from Vermont. Bernie Sanders is doing well according to the polls. If Sanders wins, it will be because he is from the neighboring state of Vermont. (Vermont IS next to New Hampshire, right?). Actually, Vermont is so close to New Hampshire, that if you Google “New Hampshire and Vermont” Images, you will see that the two states appear to have at one time been joined as one single state. So I don’t really know what point Bernie Sanders is trying to prove here, but if he can’t win in the neighboring state of New Hampshire he should call it quits.
3. (this space is now blank as former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley has not yet earned it.)

ALSO READ:

• Barack Obama: Let’s Be Reasonable on Gun Safety
• Mirsky’s List: Strongest Candidates for President: Canadians for Cruz
• Mirsky: Bill Clinton Speaks Out for Hillary in Exeter
• Mirsky: Uplifting Hillary Event in Portsmouth Church
• Mirsky: Ignore Trump at Your Peril
• Mirsky: Defeat ISIS with Unity and Strength

REPUBLICANS

It is the Republican race that is getting most of the attention here in New Hampshire. Because none of the real Democratic candidates who might have challenged Hillary Clinton for the Nomination chose to get involved. Here are the GOP Presidential candidates of note:

• Chris Christie, Governor of New Jersey. I have consistently chided Governor Christie for the unresolved matter of the George Washington Bridge blocking, but you have to look at what this guy has been doing here, and it looks like thus far Governor Christie is succeeding. He appears to have been in this state the most, he goes where real people hang out, like the bowling alley and Al’s Automotive Repair in Exeter. Christie is reaching out to everyone who might consider voting for him. Unlike Bernie Sanders, he has voiced concern over defeating ISIS, he has a record of getting elected in a state with a lot of Democrats. He has been to a large number of Bruce Springsteen concerts.
• Ben Carson, former pediatric neurosurgeon. Dr. Carson has not been very visible lately but when he does appear, people seem to be captivated by his calm manner and his certainty about how to help other people achieve success. And as I’ve said before, there are many Ben Carson signs in front of the lawns in town (and in Derry too).
• Ted Cruz, U.S. Senator from Texas. Personally, I don’t see Ted Cruz winning here. He didn’t help Congressional Candidate Marilinda Garcia, having campaigned for her in 2014, and now Marilinda Garcia appears to be supporting Carly Fiorina for President. So I’m not too impressed with Cruz.
• Carly Fiorina, former CEO of Hewlett-Packard. Carly Fiorina has a giant red sign right in the middle of town, so you can’t say Fiorina doesn’t have visibility here. Just waiting to see it the GOP establishment will allow her in the next TV debate.
• Jeb Bush, former Governor of Florida. Governor Bush’s campaign is hitting hard against fellow Floridian Marco Rubio on television here, and that may be working. Rubio is high in some polls but does not have a dedicated following that I have seen. (For my take on Jeb Bush, see my previous article)
• Donald Trump, real estate developer and reality-TV star. Trump is getting all the attention, but is wearing us out. We will wait to see how he does in the last debate on the weekend before the Primary. He hasn’t done this kind of thing before.
• John Kasich, Governor of Ohio. Today I saw the first John-Kasich-for-President sign that I’ve seen in Exeter. Let’s see what he can do. The only thing certain about John Kasich is that he spent 18 years in the House of Representatives, a body which few people like. The New Hampshire House is much more important here.
• Rand Paul, U.S. Senator from Kentucky. I hope they let Rand Paul into the next televised debate, because he is smarter than most of the other GOP candidates.

That’s it for now. Please remember, it’s up to you to get involved in this election, and to vote for the candidate who best represents your interests and values.