Is The Union Leader Hurting NH Republicans? Mais Oui!
November 10, 2009Long gone are the days when the Union Leader could set the agenda for New Hampshire and help elect conservatives or Republicans. The firebrand that was William Loeb who went right at issues with scathing attacks days after day has been replaced by Joe W. McQuaid who is somewhere between Caspar Milktoast and a Don Quioxte titing at windmills with his feckless sidekick Sancho “Drew Cline” Panza.
In the wake of last Tuesday Manchester elections when all but two Union-Leader endorsed Aldermen lost, it’s time to begin to pose the serious question. Is the Union Leader actually a drag on Republican candidates? It may require some soul searching, but the answer has to be yes.
Just ask the seven Republicans (or Republican-leanding Undeclareds) who lost in Manchester after the Union Leader offered mostly tepid endorsements. They would be Bob O’Sullivan in Ward 2, Leo Pepino in Ward 4, Will Infantine in Ward 6, Lisa Gravel in Ward 7, Christine Pariseau Telge in Ward 8, Mike Garrity in Ward 9, and Keith Hischmann in Ward 12.
The only two Union Leader endorsed winners were, with no credit to the Quioxte-Panza (aks McQuaid-Cline) duo, Phil Greazzo in Ward 10–thank the Libertarian free state masses for that win–and Ed Osborne, a Democrat who was arguably less liberal than his opponent Rokas in the socialist stronghold of Ward 5.
Baseball fans know that two for nine is not a very good average (.222); in politics, it’s an out and out disaster. Even the Express predictors were better than that!
The only Republican not endorsed by the Union Leader, Joe Kelly Levasseur in Ward 3 (remember it was reported here earlier that Don McQuaid holds a personal grudge against JKL) probably would have lost by even more had he been annoited by the scions on William Loeb Drive.
Memo to NH Republicans seeking to win next year.
See if you can’t get the Union Leader to come out against you.
Andrew Manuse
Nov 11, 2009
First of all, I agree.
Second of all, the reason why the Union Leader is hurting Republicans is that it is no longer Republican. The newspaper, under McQuaid, unequivocally backed John McCain for president. And that was well before McCain was up in the primaries. While McCain can talk like a Republican when he wants to, he most assuredly is not a Republican. The “maverick” label was applied by a progressive media to disguise one of their own who is effectively serving as a fox in the hen house. For those who don’t understand English: McCain is a progressive with a few minor right-leaning stances (and even those are really Neo-con stances, which is not really representative of the Republican Party). Remember, McCain supports the unproven idea of “global warming” as well as Cap & Trade legislation and he supports a form of socialized medicine, among other stances.
Secondly, the Union Leader has been shying away from conservatives, pushing the idea that moderates can win it for the Republicans even after history and the 2008 elections show us clearly that moderates actually lose it for Republicans (Why would we ever want Socialist-lite?). Conservatives, who make up 40 percent of the American population (the largest political group by a wide margin) are the people who power Republicans to victory repeatedly. For the record, Bush was not conservative and McCain is not conservative. Both are progressives Neocons, which in short, means they are statists. They believe in big government as the cure to take care of economic and personal activities. The Union Leader has shown itself to be no different.
Take the Free Staters for example. Republican Gov. Craig Benson welcomed the Free Staters with open arms, saying, “What we’re standing for is smaller government. They don’t want government on their backs, in their businesses, or in their private lives.” It makes sense that Republicans would get along with most Freestaters, because the party platform shares many ideals with the organization. However, the Union Leader has launched a crusade against the Freestaters, highlighting a vocal few who participate in demonstrations of passive disobedience. It seems that the sole purpose of such coverage, and not coverage of all the good things Freestaters are doing, is meant to discredit the group and discourage more freedom-loving people to move to New Hampshire. If Republicans want a chance to retake Concord in 2010 and beyond, the Freestaters are among the top people to use for recruiting. Not all of them will vote third party, and many of them can be convinced to go to the GOP. After all, the principles are VERY similar. The Democrats know this, which is why Ray Buckley and his wild gang of thugs has focused on the group as well. So whose side is the Union Leader on? Not Republicans.
Scott Brooks is another telling example of the newspaper’s move to the left. An avid progressive, Brooks’ opinion is clear in his columns, but he also doesn’t even try to hide his bias in his articles, always giving the union gang’s side of the story while diminishing the creative ideas meant to save services and money coming from conservatives like Frank Guinta.
What gives?
Now that the Union Leader is not posting its political columns online, it may be time for new conservative Republican voices to emerge and take over the market. They have to be able to make money, though. I would do my part and join the voices regularly myself if there was a paycheck behind it. I can only do as much as my free time will allow. I’m sure the folks who write on this site and others are in the same boat. Thank God for Grant Bosse.
steve vaillancourt
Nov 12, 2009
Ernie’s most important word is “tepid”. Joe McQuaid never learned the Loebian lesson that the only way to push a candidate is to repeat an endorsment over and over and over, not to just say it once in a tepid manner. Had McQuaid rather than Loeb been at the helm, Med Thompson might never have been elected governor.
Then there’s the shame of the civic center (Ray Buckley referred to it as Dracuplex) which Loeb would never have supported but Mc bellied up to, for the sake of selling a few more adds at the expense of principle.
By the way, it appears the Dracuplex bats are coming home to feed, but that’s fodder for another story. I’ll have to dig out the Dracuplex stake from the upstairs bedroom, my “Just Say No” to the civic center sign, and find an MCAM host who’ll talk about it. Paging Jack Kenny, paging Jack Kenny.
erniegore
Nov 12, 2009
Andy, you can be sure that Loeb would have fired that worm Scott Brooks more quickly than he would have called MCS Moscow Maggie! Or more quickly than he made Muskie cry.
McQuaid lacks the integrity and will (not to mention the gonads) that Sir William had.
pinko
Nov 13, 2009
All of the major media in NH is still aligned with the right. Stop your whining, boys.
steve vaillancourt
Nov 13, 2009
Very funny Pinko. The Concord Monitor aligned with the right?
NOT.
The Keene Sentinel aligned with the right?
NOT.
The Nashua Telegraph right wing?
NOT.
I get all the press clips (on the State House web site) and read them all, and for anyone to suggest the NH media is right wing is a sign of either willful ignorance or out and out illiteracy!
I for one enjoy reading opposing opinions and both the Monitor and Sentinel have very good editorial pages, but they’re virtually socialist, and on it goes, so I take it either Pinko is joking–not very funny–or severely misinformed, or just making things up. Whichever of the three it is, I have this rule. I never trust anything from anyone who says something so silly. Never, ever again.
Thom Simmons
Nov 13, 2009
Back about 5 years ago, when I was teaching Economics at Keene State College, I received a phone call from a member of the Keene Sentinel Opinion/Commentary staff. He wanted to interview me on the issue of property taxes and the Claremont decision.
I dutifully appeared at the office, and responded to leading question after leading question with a purely objective analysis on the relationship between taxes and disposable income, the vested interests that take hold in any taxing scheme, and objective theories of government inefficiencies.
As the interview went on, the Reporter got increasingly red-faced, and finally blurted out, “What is it with you Economists? I can never get any of you give a progressive opinion!”
I told him my duty in teaching economics was to impart objective tools so students could weigh the true costs & benefits of actions which politicians might promote in currying voter favor (Unlike the KSC Political Science Department, which is virtually a sub-office of the Cheshire County Democrats)
He bade me goodbye and never printed the story.
I would certainly not count the Sentinel as anywhere near aligned with the right, or with liberty, or with economic sense.
pinko
Nov 15, 2009
Well, Steve V. – you must not trust yourself, then, because you just wrote some very silly things.
The Keene Sentinel certainly does provide a liberal voice in the state – but it is hardly “major” media in NH, any more than the Berlin Daily Sun is. Apparently you’re judging other papers by the far right UL, which would make everything look liberal – but this is not the case. The Nashua Telegraph has moved increasingly to the right, Foster’s Daily Democrat is anything but, and the Monitor is sort of balanced. Let’s not forget WMUR which is the UL on video. By all means, advocate for every media outlet in NH to represent the far right viewpoint only – but at least be honest about it. The lie of the liberal media is the best one ever cooked up by the far fascist right.
As for socialist – you keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
steve vaillancourt
Nov 16, 2009
The Monitor is as left wing as you could be.
I’ll let Guy McMillan and the good folks in Keene argue about the importance of that paper–I think it’s the best editorial page in the state, but very left win.
The very fact you say the Telegraph is moving right serves as a confession that you admit they were very left wing.
Fosters is the only slightly right wing paper in the state.
As an example of how liberal all these outlets are–and don’t get me wrong I agree with them on this issue–they all endorsed medical marijuana which I supported but only 56 other House Republicans supported and all but one Republican Senator opposed.
Most also endorsed gay marriage–again I agree with them, but it’s certainly a liberal postion. The Monitor has long pushed for an income tax and every big spending program one could imagine. Try reading press clips…if you can’t get them, ask your local rep for entree to the state web site. You speak out of total ignorance. Even the Hippopress, Manchester’s freebie, is very very left!
Get your head out of the sand (or wherever else you’ve planted it) and admit that the lamestream media in this state is as liberal as nationwide lamestreamers.
Having studied political philosophy in school and my entire life (I’m currently finishing Ron Paul’s End The Fed), I’d be happy to debate socialism with you any time. It’s a philosophy that enshrines power of the state above that of the individual which constitutes libertarian philosophy, my ideal…so come out from behind your Pinko name and let’s have a real debate rather than you hiding behind a moniker. Only cowards hide behind cutesy names.
Even WMUR, which is certainly not the Union Leader on video–but you should argue that point with them–is more left than right wing.
erniegore
Nov 16, 2009
Left wingers insist that all media be left wing or they call it conservative. Thus Pinko isn’t happy because the NH media isn’t left wing enoung for him. We’d all have to be in socialist chains to make Pinko happy.
As to the Union Leader, I see them running trash from Kathy Sullivan, and 50 year old Senor Buckley, but it looks like only the Express will touch anything Steve V writes…and Ernie (no relation to Algore) can’t even get into the Express.
Even this website, unlike the blueblogbigots, is not totally right wing since it allows leftie like Pinko and Tim to pontificate here. Most Republicans and those to the Libertarian right have been banned by the blueblogbigots. Don’t believe me. Then your head is in something other than the sand.
TaxiManSteve
Nov 16, 2009
Methinks the only true, left-wing paper in this state is the New Hampshire Gazette out of Portsmouth… Most papers muddle in the middle, hardly leftist or even liberal…The Sentinel is owned by a registered Republican…
And the UL is reliably Right, if respectabily so… As is WUMR… Only leftwing electronic media I can see is the college-community radio station WKNH in Keene with it’s Pacificia programming…Hardly a blip in a radio spectrum dominated by rightest commentators!
—SWL
New Hampshire
Nov 17, 2009
Why are pinko (Ray Buckley hiding under that name I assume so that he can safely call us ‘fascists’) and Horrigan and other leftists allowed to post here? Was this place not advertised as a place where Republicans could come together to chat, in peace, escaping the liberal propaganda from the rest of the leftist media?
Try to do that on any liberal blog and you’ll be blocked. I think we should do the same. Otherwise, if we let these questionable people post here it demeans the whole purpose of the site.
steve vaillancourt
Nov 17, 2009
The Sentinel may be owned by a registered Republican but its slant is very leftist, at least the editorial page.
I doubt if Raybo is pinko…it’s not his style, but it certainly would be his style to assign one of his paid minions to do it…maybe the Smelly one.
As always, I disagree with NH…I cherish a site that allows opposing points of view. To read the likes of Pinko is realize how superior the conservative position is. As for Tim, he’s well meaning dupe,a real pussycat, kind of like a fellow traveler in the Red Scare days. What do you expect from someone from Durham?
There’s no doubt talk radio is right wing (from Rush to Hannity to Michael Wild Man Truly Savage), but it’s mostly at the national level…gone are Dan Pierce and Gardner Goldsmith from the local airwaves. I guess there’s Jack Heath out of Concord, but nearly everyone is listening to the national voices. Why do conseratives dominate talk radio? That’s a sociological assignment beyond the scope here…I have a few ideas, but the point is that liberals dominate the NH print media.
erniegore
Nov 17, 2009
Whoa! Yall are way off the subject here. My point in writing the original article was to note how the Union Leader’s endorsement is about as worthwhile as a bucket of warm spit! Not very! Unless you’re into warm spit!
TaxiManSteve
Nov 18, 2009
Lets see… How much of the NH media opposed the latest war in Iraq?
One… The NH Gazette…
In Vermont, the Brattleboro Reformer opposed the war in its editorials…
How many others…. a Pacifica radio show or two downloaded to college or community radio stations maybe…
And then all the rest, as Dylan said, went along for the ride or robustly support the war of our rightest president, George W.
Hardly a leftest slant for our New England media!!!!!!
—SWL
Matt Suermann
Nov 18, 2009
TaxiManSteve,
By that logic, support of the war in Iraq, Jeanne Shaheen is also right wing:
Pretty sure everyone in NH will disagree that she is anything but Right or middle of the road.
steve vaillancourt
Nov 19, 2009
To the extent NH media commented on the war, I can’t imagine the Monitor and
Sentinel not being against it; at least when the rest of the lamestreet media turned against it. By the way, lamestreet is Bernie Goldberg’s new term for media. We should start using it. Lame, lame, lame…