Video- Behind the Scenes of Presidential Advance

I love behind the scenes stuff like this.

Full Video- President Obama Holds a Town Hall in New Hampshire 2/2/10

Live Streaming Video - President Obama Townhall in New Hampshire

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New Hampshire now 5th state to allow same-sex marriage

By GottaLaff

Happy 2010!

At midnight, New Hampshire became the fifth state to allow same-sex couples to marry, joining Connecticut, Vermont, Massachusetts and Iowa.

I love bringing good news for a change. And this is very good news.

VIDEO- Fox News: Obama's 11-year-old town hall questioner was a plant

By GottaLaff

ClusterFox picks on an 11 year-old girl who asked a question at President Obama's town hall meeting in New Hampshire. They accuse her of being a plant.

It's been reported and re-reported that none of the questions or questioners were pre-screened, nor was the audience hand-picked... as they were when Boy Georgie pretended to be president.

Check it out:



H/t: Windy City Watch

LIVE VIDEO FEED: Obama health care town hall meeting, New Hampshire

By GottaLaff

Here you go:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Meanwhile, here's live feed of what's going on outside.

GOP Crazies Prepping For Obama N.H. Town Hall

By GottaLaff

Via Chuck Todd, we get a peek at an invitation to all the wingnuttiest's finest (read: worst) to President Obama's Tuesday health care town hall meeting in New Hampshire:

BTW, here's one invitation NBC News has gotten their hands on from a group rallying against the president. This is from the New Hampshire Republican Volunteer Coalition:

NHRVC members and others,

Barack Hussein Obama will be arriving in Portsmouth on Tuesday to hold a STAGED "Town Hall Meeting", where he will essentially hand pick who the guests will be and what types of questions will be asked of him.

A MASSIVE protest rally is being organized just outside of the facility where Obama will be holding his "Town Hall Meeting" to promote his plan for a government takeover of your healthcare decisions.

There will be news media from all over the world at this event and it will be the ideal opportunity for us to tell the rest of the country exactly how NH voters feel about Obamacare (taxed/rationed healthcare). It will be the most important pro-liberty event of the year in NH and it is critically important that every one of us attend.

If you can, bring a sign that says something like, "OBAMACARE=TAXED/RATIONED HEALTHCARE", etc.

Come anytime between 8am-4pm (peak time will be 11am-4pm)

See you there!!

Here's what Chuck Todd had to say about that whole "staged" thing:

And as much as some might want to believe the White House will be staging the questions, don't believe that hype. The White House knows the political price for being caught doing that is MUCH higher than having to deal with a confrontation or two at the meeting itself. If anything, I'd bet some inside the White House are hoping for a confrontation since they believe the president's demeanor alone will politically play well with the folks the White House cares most about right now, ACTUAL independents.

I'll be glued to my Tee Vee Machine Tuesday. Hopefully, it will be televised live, and the president will make these lunatics look like the cowardly, mouth-breathing obstructionist nutballs that they are.... in that nice, polite way he has, of course.

New Hampshire lawmakers approve same-sex marriage

By GottaLaff

I'm lovin' New England:

New Hampshire lawmakers on Wednesday passed a same-sex marriage bill, now headed to Gov. John Lynch.

The state House passed the bill in a 178-167 vote. The Senate last week approved the legislation in a 13-11 vote.

The bill passed Wednesday differed from an earlier bill passed in the House by distinguishing between civil and religious marriage. It allows each religion to decide whether to acknowledge same-sex marriage, but extends the option of civil marriage to any two individuals.

Mitt Romney Moves to New Hampshire

Has Mittster had anything to say about Obama's mothers "baptism"? I think it might come up when he runs in '12. Via Taegan.

The Hotline reports that Mitt Romney (R) is making his primary residence at the family home in New Hampshire, the site of the first-in-the-nation presidential primary.

"Establishing residency in NH could raise expectations for Romney's performance in the state's 2012 primary, but the state is also flush with important contests in the upcoming 2010 midterm elections, where Romney could lend a hand."

Romney Unloads Homes

G-d forbid he should get stuck on one of those "how many homes do you own" questions. But still, I doubt if it will fend off the holy underwear ones...

According to the Boston Herald, Mitt Romney sold his ski house in Utah for "a little less" than the asking price of $5.25 million and has a tentative buyer for his suburban Boston house.

"The sale of the Utah and Boston homes has been described by political analysts as a way for Romney to prepare for another presidential race without having to explain why he owns excess real estate -- the issue that brought ridicule on rival Republican candidate John McCain last fall."

As for running for president in 2012, Romney told the Deseret News he's "keeping the door open, but I'm just not walking through it. Time will tell what the future holds. It may be a decision I make down the road to become involved. I may make the decision not to become involved in another race."

I could only find pics of his New Hampshire home here, and his California one above. Click to enlarge.

Mitch McConnell: Sen. Gregg departure won't shift power

By GottaLaff

Original post here expressing my concern about this very thing. Unfortunately, it looks like my worries were justified. On Face the Nation today:

McConnell says Gregg [reportedly Obama's top choice for Commerce Secretary] has promised he would be replaced by someone who would affiliate with other Republicans in the Senate.

McConnell's comments suggest Gregg has negotiated a deal that would allow New Hampshire's Democratic governor to name either a Republican or Republican-leaning replacement. That would leave Senate Democrats short of a 60-member, fillibuster-proof majority.

We are not pleased.

Senator Judd Gregg Pondering Commerce Post

As Oliver said the other day, Obama is playing above anyone else's game.

According to First Read, the possible nomination of Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH) as President Obama's secretary of commerce is "very real."

"Senate Republicans are upset that he hasn't put the story to bed. So clearly he's pondering. One sticking point is that New Hampshire has a Dem governor, John Lynch, and that could give Democrats 60 seats if Gregg leaves and Al Franken eventually wins. One idea floating out there is a deal between Obama/Gregg and Lynch to appoint a caretaker Republican (perhaps ex-Sen. Warren Rudman?). Even if he doesn't take the job, Gregg is certainly sending the signal that he doesn't want to run in 2010. That is a terrible sign for the Senate GOP. Another retirement makes the idea of netting a single seat in 2010 nearly impossible. This likely outcome in 2010 actually could mean Lynch and Obama are open to a deal that keeps a Republican in the seat until November 2010, since getting that 60th senate seat in the coming years seems probable."

CQ Politics quotes Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) saying the appointment would be "a pretty sneaky, sneaky move to get a really good person as Commerce secretary and put us in a bind politically."

Dixville Notch has spoken: It's Obama in a landslide

Sounds about right to me. Just sayin'.

DIXVILLE NOTCH, New Hampshire (CNN) -- Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama emerged victorious in the first election returns of the 2008 presidential race, winning 15 of 21 votes cast in Dixville Notch, New Hampshire.

People in the village in New Hampshire's northeast corner voted just after midnight Tuesday.

It was the first time since 1968 that the village leaned Democratic in an election.

Obama's rival, Republican John McCain, won 6 votes.

Polls- Obama Still Up In Virginia, Iowa And New Hampshire

May I just say that I'd like to thank whoever told McCain to use that stupid Drudge pushed comment of Obama's from 2001 as an attack. The angry old man can't even read the script properly and sounds awful.

A new SurveyUSA poll in Virginia shows Sen. Barack Obama leading Sen. John McCain, 52% to 43%.

Key finding: "Those who tell SurveyUSA they have already voted disproportionately vote for Obama."

There are two new Marist Polls out today from two battleground states:

Iowa: Obama 48%, McCain 40%

New Hampshire: Obama 50%, McCain 45%

GOP fundraiser in NH let people shoot machine guns

What a wonderful idea, especially since today we're hearing about some asswipe going nuts with a gun at a college in Arkansas and three members of a celebrity's family being gunned down. Oh that GOP!

HOLDERNESS, N.H.—Some people wondering what it would be like to shoot a machine gun found out during the weekend at a Republican fundraising event in Holderness, N.H.

Jeremy Elliott of Derry said firing 30 rounds from a 9-millimeter Uzi was "a hoot." He was pleased that he managed to stay on target when he let it rip at the end.

(snip)

That also was true for Sherry Lee Duffy, a police officer in Millis, Mass. She said firing the Uzi was "electrifying."

The fundraiser for the Pemi-Baker Valley Republican Committee took place Sunday at a local gun club.

Oh, and then there's this- Boy, 8, Shoots Self With Uzi at Gun Show

Poll-itics-- Two words: New Hampshire edition

By GottaLaff

Obama was right:

Globe Poll: Obama Crushing McCain in New Hampshire

Sen. Barack Obama has jumped to a 15-point lead over Sen. John McCain in New Hampshire, according to a new Boston Globe poll, "a significant gap in a state that McCain considers his second political home and has long been a swing state in the race for the White House."

Key finding: "Financial distress has clearly driven voters from McCain to Obama, who was trailing his Republican rival by 2 percentage points in Septembe - a 17-point swing in just one month. Nearly half of those surveyed cited the economy and jobs as their top concerns, and they overwhelmingly saw Obama as the candidate best equipped to address them."

McCain Giving Up On New Hampshire, Wisconsin?

Just means they'll start doubling down on the hate and fearmongering.

Democratic sources tell George Stephanopoulos that Sen. John McCain's campaign "may be giving up on New Hampshire and Wisconsin."

"Instead of placing new television advertising buys in those states, they say the McCain campaign is stretching out previous ad buys over more days rather than devote new ad money."

Post debate double take

By GottaLaff

Via Taegan:

Marc Ambinder: "Tonight, we saw a McXplosion. Every single attack that Sen. McCain has ever wanted to make, he took the opportunity tonight to make. Around 30 minutes in, McCain seemed to surrender the debate to his frustrations, making it seem as if he just wanted the free television."

Barack Obama:
"For those of you who are feeling giddy or cocky or think this is all set, I just have two words for you: New Hampshire. I've been in these positions before when we were favored, and the press starts getting carried away and we end up getting spanked."

Take nothing for granted, but feel free to revel. BFCE.

Poll: Obama Leads in New Hampshire

Wasn't New Hampshire supposed to be one of McCain's bulwark states because of all the time he has spent there in the two presidential campaigns?

A new Saint Anselm College poll shows Sen. Barack Obama way ahead of Sen. John McCain in New Hampshire, 49% to 37% with 11% still undecided.

Interesting: "Among those who say they will vote for Obama, 41% said McCain's chose of Sarah Palin as his running mate influenced their decision a lot or some."

Update: A new Rasmussen poll also has Obama with a double-digit lead, 53% to 43%.

Diageo/Hotline: Obama Surges in Battleground States

A surge we can believe in.

An early look at today's Diageo/Hotline tracking poll shows Sen. Barack Obama now holds a double-digit lead in key battleground states.

Among registered voters surveyed in Colorado, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Wisconsin and Nevada, Obama tops McCain 50 to 40%. Just a week ago, Obama led 45% to 42%.

Nationwide, Obama leads 47% to 41%.

Rasmussen has Obama up 51% to 45%.