ANCHESTER, N.H. - Heads were turning in the Granite State yesterday as the news spread that Texas Governor George W. Bush had taken a poke at the first-in-the-nation primary, as well as the first caucuses.
During an editorial board meeting with the Nashua Telegraph, Bush was asked whether New Hampshire and Iowa should remain first in 2004. He shot back: ''I will tell you how happy I am with the system after the vote.''
Though the retort brought laughs in Nashua, the printed words puzzled election officials in New Hampshire and Iowa, and gave ample campaign fodder to Bush opponents. Steve Forbes's strategist, Paul Young, accused Bush of ''trying to hold the people hostage,'' saying Bush was threatening New Hampshire voters with the remark. In Iowa, Secretary of State John Culver, a Democrat, called the sentiment ''unfortunate.''
But Bush, whose oft-cited sense of humor has seemed tamed in recent weeks, said he was just kidding around. ''It was a complete joke,'' Bush said yesterday in an interview. ''Everybody roared with laughter. ... I support Iowa and New Hampshire as the first caucus and the first primary in the nation. It was a joke, I promise you. I'm more savvy than that.''
Deficit hawk flies
to McCain's defense
What do George W. Bush and Bill Clinton have in common? According to a new radio spot from the McCain campaign, plenty.
Former senator Warren Rudman, a deficit hawk from his days in the Congress, goes after the Texas governor for ''attacking'' and ''distorting'' Arizona Senator John McCain's tax-cut plan.
''Here in New Hampshire, we're not big fans of the Texas two step or the Clinton shuffle,'' says Rudman, continuing the squabble over taxes.
Rudman says Bush, who shook hands with McCain agreeing not to run negative ads, needs to get his facts straight. Bush has been saying that McCain would raise taxes by $40 billion, taking away deductions for such employer-provided benefits as tuition, life insurance, transit and parking passes.
But Rudman says in the ad that McCain closes loopholes and asks ''big business'' to pay taxes on health spas and golf clubs - not tuition assistance. And he offers his analysis of Bush's plan.
''What Bush isn't telling you is how his own tax plan fails to set aside one dime for Social Security or the national debt,'' says Rudman. Bush's tax cuts would go to wealthy Americans, he says.
N.H. governors to give
their take on vote
All but one of New Hampshire's living governors will be on hand Tuesday night to size up the presidential campaign with one week to go until the first-in-the nation primary.
Secretary of State William Gardner will moderate the panel discussion, to be held at Saint Anselm College in Manchester at 7 p.m. Gardner said he will ask the governors to discuss what has surprised them in this race, how the contest compares with past primaries, and what impact Iowa's caucuses have on New Hampshire.
The panel will include Governor Jeanne Shaheen, and former governors John H. Sununu, Walter Peterson, Steve Merrill, Hugh Gregg, and Judd Gregg. Former governor Meldrim Thomson, who suffers from Parkinson's disease, is not well enough to attend.
Bradley scores high
on reform pledge
Campaign finance reform is front and center in the 2000 presidential campaign, with pledges made to rid the nation of special interests and promises to give the political system back to the people.
The New Hampshire Citizens Alliance for Action has analyzed each of the candidates' positions on seven aspects of campaign finance reform, including the elimination of soft money donations and support of full public financing for federal candidates.
Out of a possible 100 points, former New Jersey senator Bill Bradley scored the highest, with 75, while Vice President Al Gore had 62.5 points and John McCain had 60.
Gary Bauer received 10 points, while George W. Bush and Orrin Hatch each received 5 points. Steve Forbes and Alan Keyes both got 0.
Anne Kornblut of the Globe Staff contributed to this report from Iowa.
