Candidates are greeting voters, midnight ballots have been cast-the New Hampshire Primary is underway.
According to Wikipedia, New Hampshire is not a closed primary "...in which votes can be cast in a party primary only by people registered with that party. New Hampshire Independents - people not registered with any party - can vote in either party primary. However, it does not meet a common definition of an open primary, because people registered as Republican or Democrat on voting day cannot cast ballots in the primary of the other party."
BlogHer's own Morra Aarons and Mary Katharine Ham have made their predictions, what's yours?
Are you caught up in the gender vs. race discussion with BlogHer's Maria Niles?
Will women go for Republican Mike Huckabee like they did in Iowa?
Share your thoughts, links, ideas, and feelings here in the BlogHer New Hampshire Open Thread Discussion as the Primary unfolds.
Comments
Out of Dem ballots in NH...
...at least according to Drudge. Seems like that could indicate HUGE numbers for Obama. Then again...maybe it means Hillary's supporters are pulling out all the stops...
http://www.drudgereport.com/
The Land of Moo
Co-Founder of Bloggers for Darfur
TPM confirming ballot story...
...via MSNBC:
http://tinyurl.com/yr62he
The Land of Moo
Co-Founder of Bloggers for Darfur
Its exciting
Finally Americans getting off their butts to vote! No idea what it means for whom, but just so excited to see big numbers at the polls. YES!
Politics & News Contributing Editor
Queen of Spain
Gloria Steinem in Today's Times
On Obama/Clinton: "But what worries me is that he is seen as unifying by his race while she is seen as divisive by her sex.
What worries me is that she is accused of 'playing the gender card' when citing the old boys’ club, while he is seen as unifying by citing civil rights confrontations.
What worries me is that male Iowa voters were seen as gender-free when supporting their own, while female voters were seen as biased if they did and disloyal if they didn’t.
What worries me is that reporters ignore Mr. Obama’s dependence on the old — for instance, the frequent campaign comparisons to John F. Kennedy — while not challenging the slander that her progressive policies are part of the Washington status quo.
What worries me is that some women, perhaps especially younger ones, hope to deny or escape the sexual caste system; thus Iowa women over 50 and 60, who disproportionately supported Senator Clinton, proved once again that women are the one group that grows more radical with age. "
Politics & News Contributing Editor
Queen of Spain
Love vs. lust: Gloria Steinem vs. Surrender
Dorothy blog
I loved Gloria Steinem's op-ed today. She writes like the senior stateswoman she is, strengthening her relationship with her existing followers and building bridges to new ones.
But I lust after Surrender Dorothy's blog today. There and on BlogHer.com, she offers up the muthavoter version of Steinem's message:
Pow!
Me? Still undecided about our next president. But loving every minute of this.
Lisa Stone
BlogHer Co-founder
Surfette
I heart Maria Niles' post, "To My white
Sisters..."
There is an AMAZING conversation going on at Maria's blog. I know that some of you have read it and responded. I hope more people give her post, and the subsequent comments, careful consideration. I hope she doesn't mind if I excerpt:
As Lynne D. Johnson said in her comment,
on Maria's blog, aspects of this conversation are very reminiscent of the split between the suffragists and the abolitionists after the Civil War.
As for me, I'm still undecided. I am impressed by the depth of Hillary's skills. Obama's Iowa speech moved me to tears and his victory did indeed stir an audacious hope. Even now, whether he wins in NH or comes in a close second, he will have achieved something historic.
But each candidate raises questions that I wish we could talk. Here are just a couple of mine:
1. Clinton says that she would not have voted to authorize the President to go to war against Iran if she had known then what she knows now about weapons of mass destruction. In September, she voted for the Lieberman-Kyl amendment to the 2007 Defense Authorization Bill, which many analysts say helps move us closer to war with Iran. Does she still defend that vote in light of the NIE saying hat Iran does not have a nuclear weapons program? And why is it that Obama did not vote at all?
2. Why did Obama vote to reauthorize the PATRIOT ACT?
3. Edwards talks eloquently about his advocacy for the poor, and his concern for the environment. I'd like someone to ask him about his record on environmental justice, poverty and labor rights during his time in the Senate. North Carolina, a largely right-to-work state, is where the environmental justice movement was born. There is a horrific record on workplace safety. Knowing what he did on these issues while in the Senate would help me understand how he puts his principles in action as a political leader.
That's just for starters.
Kim
BlogHer Contributing Editor|Professor Kim|
Thanks, Kim
The quality of the discussion in the comments is blowing me away. I'd also encourage folks to read the amazingly smart discussion happening.
What worries me...
...is that 35 years after I embraced feminism--in the days when Gloria was our shero--the only female candidate who's considered remotely viable is Hillary Clinton. Why is there not any conversation about THAT? If you've seen that dialogue, please direct me to it...
The Land of Moo
Co-Founder of Bloggers for Darfur
I'm hoping for some major Ron Paul impact
MinnesotaMom
www.minnesotamom.wordpress.com
MinnesotaMom's terrific Ron Paul post
I don't have to be a Ron Paul voter to appreciate this write-up. All ya'll go read it:
Lisa Stone
BlogHer Co-founder
Surfette
I know nothing about Ron Paul or his
positions...
I keep hearing that he doesn't believe in evolution--is that fact or urban myth? (Asking since I read your blog post and it appears you've researched him.) Saw this article on the front page of Huffington Post today and wonder how you feel about his candidacy if, in fact, he wrote the newsletters mentioned...
http://tinyurl.com/3caypg
The Land of Moo
Co-Founder of Bloggers for Darfur
Thank you for noting the racist writings
under Paul's byline
I've seen Paul on Wolf Blitzer's show almost every day over the last couple of weeks, usually talking about foreign policy. Why? And why, whether it's Blitzer, Leno. Charlie Gibson, or any other forum, hasn't he been asked to explain why quotes such as this were published under his byline:
Kim
BlogHer Contributing Editor|Professor Kim|
Undecided voter?
Check out this link to help you figure out the candidate your are closest to on the issues. I found it very enlightening.
PopConsumer
Totally shocked by result
Hillary actually came out on top!! I honestly thought Kucinich would :)
Although, truth be told the top 4 were neck and neck:
Hillary Clinton 24.0
John Edwards 23.0
Barack Obama 22.0
Dennis Kucinich 21.0
Thanks for the link Maria.
Elisa Camahort
BlogHer
elisa@blogher.org
Oooh, fascinating!
Wow, so interesting and very cool that Hillary came out on top for you.
When I did it, Kucinich came out overwhelmingly #1 for me but to my surprise Chris Dodd came out 2nd and Obama 3rd. It definitely prompted me to take a closer look at Dodd and I ended up disappointed that he wasn't more competitive.
I am glad to see the excitement and
dialogue...
I have heard many interesting comments here in the Galveston, TX area when talking about the primaries & upcoming general election. Here are just a few...
I would have a hard time voting against John McCain.
If you want change, you can't vote for the candidate with the last name Clinton.
Huckabee scares me - God should not be included in campaign speak.
Can you spell Giuliani (without looking or guessing)?
Mitt Romney is creepy.
I love Ron Paul, I wish he could win.
Who is Kucinich and where is he from again?
Is Bill Richardson running for a cabinet appointment?
I hate the news and I can't wait for this to be over.
John Edwards is too pretty for my taste.
I really want to like Hillary.
McCain is too old to be president.
I can't vote for a Mormon president.
Why haven't we seen Jesse Jackson & Al Sharpton on CNN pushing Obama?
Good or bad, like them or not, these are just some of the sentences I have heard in recent conversations in my neighborhood and larger community when the elections are mentioned.
Me? I am leaning towards Obama but still holding back, waiting for more information on his healthcare strategy. Additionally, I love the amazing voter turnout. What a country!
Erin
ExpectingExecutive
Does anyone else think the media is at the
heart of this
Watching MSNBC right now, I can see how much the media just loathes Hillary Clinton. It's as if Iowa gave them the chance to let loose all the hatred of the Clintons they have been holding in since 1999.
Echidne of the snakes writes brilliantly about Steinem's op-ed in which she flips Obama's and Clinton's credentials, especially here:
Yes. But I think a lot of Obama's rise and Hillary's steep steep fall is down to her, her family, and everything she represents. And for that, I cannot blame gender, but too much Clinton, too much of the old.
Also check out Ann Althouse on media love of Obama.
She was the media darling when she was ahead!
The media loves a winner.
My candidate--John Edwards--never gets coverage. (Wah!) Why weren't people talking about his post-Iowa Caucus speech? It was an amazing speech.
Stefania Pomponi Butler
I blog:
CityMama
Kimchi Mamas
MOMocrats
OMG, and Clinton is getting covered on gossip
blogs with Britney
here. I wish she had done this before.
It's McCain Projected in NH
MSM projecting McCain in New Hampshire
Politics & News Contributing Editor
Queen of Spain
7pm PST and no Dem declared in NH yet
nearly 60% of precincts in New Hampshire reporting and still no clear Democratic winner-Clinton and Obama remain within thousands-Clinton ahead at this hour. Amazing!
Politics & News Contributing Editor
Queen of Spain
Associated Press calls race to Hillary.
Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
also at CatherineBlogs.com and The Political Voices of Women
What a night
I am really anxious to hear the spin, pundits, etc after this one-last poll I saw BEFORE NH was Obama up by 10.
Amazing
Politics & News Contributing Editor
Queen of Spain
NH Voter here...
I wavered on who would get my vote for well over a year. On Saturday, I talked with one dear friend who I trust, is quite active in the community, who was also undecided, and felt this nation was more ready for a black *man* as president than a woman. Interesting observation, mirroring comments of Shirley Chisholm decades ago. Anyway, I sensed she was leaning Hillary.
And later, I asked Denise for her take. Denise doesn't often put her pol views out here, not like I do, shooting my mouth off quite frequently. Usually when she says something, it has much merit, a well considered pov.
So tonight, after fighting traffic to reach the polling station, I walked into the booth, stared at the ballot, stared at Barack's name, then Hillary's name. I thought about how his message resonates with me. I thought about how qualified they are, both. I thought about 215 years of history.
And voted for Hillary.
56% of Republican voters were men, according to an MSNBC exit poll; 57% of Democratic voters were women, giving Hillary a 13% margin. Women were the difference makers.
We've long talked on how vital our votes are. Single women were for Hillary by something like a 19% margin.
For the first time in history, at least as far as I can tell, a woman has one a US presidential primary.
nelle
Nelle2Nelle is the story of the night
"Women were the difference makers"-
Nelle YOU are the story tonight. Your vote. Your voice. And like so many it came down to the wire.
Women are indeed the difference makers.
Politics & News Contributing Editor
Queen of Spain
Media should dine on crow tonight.
I'm sure they will spin it with the "tears"...they already are.
Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
also at CatherineBlogs.com and The Political Voices of Women
HA!
they really did not want Hillary to win, eh?
Some of the comments...
by Chris Matthews were really annoying, playing on this 'emotional outburst' by Clinton over the weekend.
These comments will get worse.
nelle
I finally watched that "outburst"
And are you kidding me? That was the outburst? That was the melt-down? That was the tearful moment?
I get more teary watching some commercials.
People must be so used to thinking of Hillary as a robot that any show of emotion seems over the top.
I feel led astray by the media...what a shock.
Elisa Camahort
BlogHer
elisa@blogher.org
a few random thoughts about the last few
days...
Kudos to the Clinton campaign for pulling off the NH victory when everyone (pundits) predicted they were 'done.' As an Obama supporter, I'd say this...
* I heard someone tonight (Wes Clark, I think) talk about how exemplary Hillary's "record" is. I must be missing something. She was elected to the Senate in 2000...Obama was elected to the Senate in 2004. So she's running on 4 years more experience, right? Where does the "35 years of change" thing come in? Because if she's gonna count being married to an elected official...then surely he gets to start counting when he was elected the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review (in '90).
* Unprompted from me, my 73-year-old (white) mother said tonight she thought Hillary's tearful moment was staged and that the questioner was a plant. Just sharing that since pundits like to assume that older, white women are automatically for Hillary.
* I've always liked Bill Clinton in many respects (although I think his lack of action in Rwanda forever taints his legacy)...but that "fairy tale" video of him undid decades of goodwill for me. In that moment, he came across to me not as a well-loved (by many) former President, but as a desperate, entitled, arrogant white male who is a very sore loser.
* The "ganging up on Hillary" thing from Saturday night's debate is confusing to me. I watched that segment twice--on the WMUR live feed and again on the West Coast broadcast...didn't that whole thing start because Gibson gave Hillary the opportunity to 'vet' Obama? She started attacking some of his positions, so Barack defended them. Then Edwards jumped on her with the status quo stuff. So if she was attacked, it seemed like it was by Edwards. I didn't see it as the two of them as ganging up on her. Just my take...
I think it's an exciting race! Who wants the whole thing decided after votes from just two small (mostly white) states? I just hope that Hillary's so-called tearful moment didn't sway voters in NH...because if women are going to vote for a woman just because she cries, I think it does a disservice to women.
Alright, Clinton supporters...let's hear your side...
The Land of Moo
Co-Founder of Bloggers for Darfur