Hillary's quiet lunch

It was suppposed to be a quiet lunch with some core VIP supporters - or so they thought, said New Hampshire Executive Councilor Debora Pignatelli as the crowd grew and grew around Martha's Exchange in Nashua. Debora, who had hosted us at the Democratic Debate house party, was among the chosen few actually lunching with Hillary and she was hungry, enviously asking what Bruce had been eating as his on-the-hoof lunch.
Seeing the cram of people plus the jostle of cameramen - Fox, CNN, WMUR, NBC, the Nashua Telegraph, the Union Leader and the Boston Globe among them - she knew she would be in for a long wait. But it was good networking time and this expert politician was chatting, introducing people and giving the good PR for Hillary. To this end, she presented me with the last of her collection of coveted "Women for Hillary" buttons which I donned proudly beside my Hillary for President sticker.

I was also wearing a white "ONE" wristband, presented by a group of placard-waving campaigners for peace and an end to world poverty.

The waiters of Martha's Exchange were busily serving sidewalk table diners as the Hillary fans massed around them.
Stern young female campaign volunteers were trying to steer people inside the restaurant where a Hillary handshake was promised to all.
I could see Debora's lunch getting later and later.
To the chagrin of the volunteers, after taking a peek at pack of people inside, I chose to stay outside with the media and the still-growing crowd.
It was a wonderful mix of young and old, a very positive, excited spiri. Many of these people were just in Nashua shopping and were thrilled at the opportunity to meet Senator Clinton. Others, like me, had heard word of this "town walk" on the campaign grapevine. Yet others had been invited to come along for an arranged handshake. Then there were the valiant Health Care campaigners out in force, as they are at every event, handing out their "I'm a Health Care Voter" stickers.

And, of course there were the security people and the police...and perhaps some who had just chosen, like Hillary, to have a quiet lunch at Martha's in dear old downtown Nashua.
Let us not forget that Nashua has a proud Presidential Primary tradition. It was, after all, where JFK gave his very first campaign speech. Nashua locals take such political happenings in their stride - nay, they expect them.

NH house partying

It seems something of an anathema, if not downright risky, to invite strangers, sight unseen, to one's home to break bread and sit down in front of the telly.
But such is the culture of New Hampshire in Primary mode. House parties are held to meet the candidates or, as was the case last night, to watch the candidates on television.
I accepted the online invitation of NH Executive Councilor Debora Pignatelli and her husband, Mike, to come over and watch the Democrat Primary Debate on television. Debora is a former State Senator now in the powerful but esoteric role as one of an elite council which advises the Governor, approving budgetary matters and nominations. She has been active in supporting Hillary's campaign, so much so that she has already held a house party for the NY Senator - evidence of which one noticed in the form of a large Hillary Rodham Clinton autograph on the wall.

The Pignatelli home was a salubrious contemporary spread in one of those uber-bourgeois gated estates in which the homes line the fairways of a golf course. The windows look out onto lush lake-view green - and golfers tramping past with their bags of clubs.


Inside the front door we were greeted by a personable young Hillary-for-President staffer called Alex and the usual form-filling registration complete with campaign buttons and stickers. Alex is one of that impressive breed of young American political campaign professionals who move their worlds to the key places where campaign focus is required. Originally a journalism graduate from Maryland, he has come from California and places diverse to spend the best part of a year in NH on the Hillary-for-President mission. He has just settled into an apartment in Manchester where the NH Hillary campaign headquarters has been set up. We saw his ilk on West Wing - young, bright, single-minded and earnest.

Debora materialised to issue a warm welcome and lead us to her vast spread of food. We had not expected such hospitality so had quickly eaten beforehand. There were about 20 people, most of whom seemed to know each other. They were indifferent to our arrival. We chatted with our hosts and, as time came for the telecast, we pulled up chairs and formed a group around the telly in the high-ceilinged living room.
A convivial spirit ensued in the sharing of the experience - 90 intense minutes interspersed with the odd comment or eruption of mirth.
After the debate, Debora had liaised a conference call with Hillary's campaign strategist - but the phone was playing dire hold muzac for so long that, finally, we made our departure because I was getting edgy about making my nightly call too my mother in hospital in Australia.

And, of course, one wanted quietly to digest the contents of the debate. It had made a number of changes in my thinking.