Joe Lavin

Others across the state feel just as saddened. "I'm not mad at them for leaving," 73-year-old Ida Murphy of Nashua said. "I know they have to move on, but it does hurt." Seldom a day went by when Murphy did not see at least one of the candidates, but for the last week her front porch has been entirely devoid of politicians. "It's just weird. I got so used to them being there. Sure, it was strange at first, but after a while they started to feel like family," she said.

On those frequent visits, the candidates would usually discuss their policies and beliefs, but often it was the little things that made the difference. "One day, Wesley Clark asked me what I was looking for in a president," Murphy said. "Jokingly, I said, someone to clean my windows, and didn't the General get right up there and clean them himself. Then, when I told him I was still leaning towards Dean, General Clark even scrubbed my kitchen floor. That's the kind of man we need in the White House."

People in other states simply cannot hope to have that sort of personal access to a presidential candidate, and that's part of what makes New Hampshire so special. Murphy's sister Meredith, for example, became a Joe Lieberman supporter last fall when Lieberman began delivering groceries to her every week. "That's the kind of personal attention I want as a voter," she said. "Sure, John Kerry offered to have his wife pay someone to bring me groceries, but it just wasn't the same."

"Together, we can all make a difference and show the country that we're willing to fight for them in Washington," Lieberman told her on Tuesday just before she went to vote. "Oh, they were out of one percent milk, so I had to get the two percent instead. Hope that's okay," he added.

Of course, it was not just the candidates who were talking to voters; so was the media. Ted Shriver, a 47-year-old electrician from Concord, maintains that he participated in over four hundred opinion polls during the campaign. While such constant polling seems like it would an inconvenience, Shriver, like many in New Hampshire, enjoyed the opportunity to share his views.

"Usually, around ten in the morning, someone from Fox News would call to find out who I was supporting that day. At noon, it would be a CNN poll, and then CBS would call at the end of the day. Plus, sometimes reporters from the New York Times or Washington Post would stop by to ask questions. I loved it…. Now, of course, nobody cares at all what I think. My phone hasn't rung for two days," he said with a sigh.

Finally, of course, there were the town meetings. It is impossible to talk about the New Hampshire primary without mentioning the ever-present town meeting. Just about everywhere you turned for the past twelve months, some candidate seemed to be holding one somewhere. For 56-year old Edgar Littleton of Laconia, the town meetings are what he will miss the most. "I just loved them," he gushed. "They really gave us a chance to get to know the candidates on a personal level and truly understand their policies. Plus, they got me out of the house and away from the wife."

Littleton estimated that he had attended over 350 town meetings during the last year -- an average of almost one a day. "My wife can really get on my nerves sometimes," he explained.

©2004 Joe Lavin

December 2, 2003
Meeting Up in the Real World
The Internet may bring people together from many different backgrounds, but it can also be isolating. Sure, we meet people from all over the world, but what difference does it make if we never leave our computers? Now there’s a site working to bring people together physically for a change. ( More.... )

December 8, 2000
Other Recounts Across North America
Will Sordo of St. Paul, Minnesota has asked for a recount of his actions in his relationship with his live-in girlfriend Debbie Miller. "I believe that when all my actions are taken into account, the positive will far outweigh the negative," Will said during an impromptu press conference from his friend Ben's couch, where he has been sleeping for the last week. ( More.... )