Tony Shinella runs a number of the PATCH.COM sites here in NH; in addition to reading us, try them as well as he is trying to do local stuff that the regular papers miss. However, this time, he did a really deep dive on this cycle’s Presidential Primary and it really is worth your time. I’m honored that, for full disclosure, that he asked Steve and I to give our comments on the Primary – we did so. While I’m NOT going to reproduce all his work here, he did give us permission to put up the part where we are mentioned (reformatted, emphasis mine):
New Hampshire’s 2020 Primary: Sleepier Than Elections Of The Past
…Yeah, The Primary Is Different Now…Journalists And Bloggers Agree, Too
…One of the positive things about the 2004 campaign was the explosive emergence of blogging as a form of alternative journalism by citizens who sometimes break news and even offer multiple formats to their readers although, admittedly, the sites are motivated by personal and political beliefs. Blogs were around before 2004 and political activism online dates back to the early 1990s when America Online chat groups boomed in popularity. But during and after the 2004 cycle, bloggers began to go around many established media outlets, doing deep dives into issues while also performing cheerleading on the side.
Some of those blogs on the left, like Blue Hampshire, have since died off, unfortunately. But one blog site on the right which has expanded exponentially since its start in 2006 is GraniteGrok.com. “Groksters,” as they are nicknamed, offer a lot of commentary – too much to process some days.
Too much, he says? Well, after all, we ARE a rather opinionated bunch of rabble rouser Conservatives. Given the dearth of Conservative media in NH (even the UL has lost its former luster), we’ve stayed Consistent and we ARE quite thankful that others have noticed and read us.
The site has surpassed, in audience, based on Alexa rankings, most of the state’s traditional media websites. And both Skip Murphy, a co-founder and owner of the site, as well as Steve MacDonald, a blogger and editor, have noticed some changes with the primary, too.
“I think the national media is so obsessed with the next breathy revelation from House Democrats on how they can get President Trump out of office it is sucking all the air out of the Democrat Primary,” MacDonald said. “Not just in Iowa and New Hampshire, but nationwide.”
Murphy is seeing “lots of excitement and a lot of enthusiasm” for Trump’s reelection at the ground level, “a heightened enthusiasm that I haven’t seen or felt since the TEA Party days (except they weren’t GOP, they were TEA Party).” Journalists though, he said, while covering the events, “don’t seem to be all that thrilled in do so … while a bit more than at ‘yeah, it’s the job’ level, it’s nowhere near the Obama level when they were all but falling all over themselves.”
But Murphy was also critical of the process and the folklore of the primary as “a distortion in the local political scene,” especially with Republicans, with the state party taking “its eyes off the local ball” and becoming more focused on the money that comes with the national campaigns and obsessing about the “DC Brass Ring.” Murphy stated some Democrats might be facing some of the same issues – worrying about the stature of the primary with a national role while making sure the money still flowed to the state. If Bloomberg pulls off a win, bypassing New Hampshire, “the fame and the donations will dry up in a heartbeat,” he said.
Murphy also pointed to Castro’s comment about the state’s lack of diversity and how most Democrats pounced on the criticism calling it not relevant and a sign of a weak campaign by Castro – not a non-diverse state that couldn’t handle the responsibility, as it always has, of picking presidents.
“That confirms Dems only see skin deep stereotype by us, on the right,” he said.
They can’t admit that NH, even with its small population of 1.3 million or so, really is VERY diverse – just not the skin level type. Politically and worldview outlook, there is a wide spectrum of THOUGHT diversity and all within short distances of each other. You want Progressive, Liberal, purple, Conservative areas? You can get that and get there quickly to yak with “your folks” pretty much any time and at little cost compared to major markets. Skin color doesn’t vote – but the mindset does.
And with what that “skin deep bigot” said, I’ll be happy to see him on the next off ramp of the Democrat Prez Wannabee race.
Murphy hoped Granite State Republicans would “finally start focusing all the time on what is really important – its grassroots efforts and formally reboot a long-term grassroots/farm team effort.”
Murphy added, “Seems to be happening now, but more time is needed.”
Go read all of it – it’s well written and well sourced. We don’t always agree politically but he is a great guy and working rather hard. The piece splits it right up the middle and I think he ought to be commended to his superiors for a job well done.
Er, one thing I need to expand on: “Seems to be happening now, but more time is needed“. As y’all know, I’ve been an Independent since Jeb Bradley got Medicaid Expansion passed – a truly gross dismissal of the Free Market and Limited Government planks of the NH GOP Platform. I talked with NH GOP’s Steve Stepanek just after he became Chair. I was clear – while I wasn’t a Republican, he and I both knew that the Conservativism contained in the Platform needed to be expressed and put into action more often rather than just the lip service it often got from the “major names”. I told him that he could convince me to re-enroll in the Party IF I could see a revitalization and adherence to Principles.
Well, as I’ve been asked to speak to a number of the GOP local Committees (especially the newer ones), I’m seeing it starting to happen. A long way to go, still, but enough. I told Steve last week at a meeting that I’d be now making the change soon.
Just got to make sure it gets into my to-do list (so much to do, so little time, and a memory like a sieve…..sheesh!)
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BONUS:
Here’s what I sent to Tony:
Hi Tony!
To be honest, I’ve gone to exactly ZIP on the Democrat side – only the Trump Rally that was in NH. THere, LOTS of excitement and a lot of enthusiasm. I’ve been out to a number of GOP Committee meetings (as has Steve) and I’m noticing, especially in the smaller ones, a heightened enthusiasm that I haven’t seen or felt since the TEA Party days (except they weren’t GOP, they were TEA Party).
I will say that the major papers, while covering the Prez Wannabees events, don’t seem to be all that thrilled in do so. While a bit more than at “yeah, its the job” level, it’s nowhere near the “Obama” level when they were all but falling all over themselves.
For years, I’ve been saying that the FITN has been a distortion in the local political scene, especially on the Right. The NH GOP normally takes its eyes off the local ball with many seeing $$$ with the campaigns coming in and the potential of getting the DC Brass Ring.
I’m betting the Dems have SOME of the same issues but Buckley seems much more capable in handling it given his stature in the National Party and keeping the bucks coming in. Which is one reason why he’s grousing about the Castro remark that confirms that Dems only see skin deep stereotype by us on the Right. And Buckley knows that if “Little Michael” really does shuck off NH and Iowa, Ray knows that the fame and the donations will dry up in a heartbeat. Prediction is that he’d go into retirement soon after.
On the hand, perhaps the NH GOP will finally start focusing ALL THE TIME on what is really important – its grassroots efforts and formally reboot a long term grassroots / farm team effort. Seems to be happening now, but more time is needed.
-Skip
Co-Founder, owner
GraniteGrok.com
