NEW HAMPSHIRE WEEKLY / POLITICAL DIARY Looks like Howard might consider runBy Laura Kiernan, Globe Correspondent, April 4, 1999 Laura Kiernan can be reached by e-mail at kiernan(at sign)globe.com Is former New Hampshire attorney general Jeffrey Howard getting ready to run for something? Howard, who now practices law in Manchester, says he was just visiting with old friends at the Cheshire County Republicans Lincoln Day dinner last weekend (he was their guest speaker last year). And the week before, Howard, who was AG under former governor Stephen Merrill, says he just took up Sullivan County GOP chairman Beverly Rodeschin's longstanding invitation to attend their dinner. Howard says there's no political hay to make out of his social schedule, but he was not dodging questions about whether he's interested in an elected office -- say governor."I'd have an interest in that office if I thought I could be helpful," Howard told us. "I believe that based on my experience with state and federal government that I may have something to offer the people of New Hampshire." Rodeschin, a former state lawmaker, says she told Howard, "You've got to meet people and see how they feel," and so she introduced him around at the events. "Jeff didn't ask me," she said. "I just did it for him." Howard says no one from the GOP hierarchy has talked to him, but business leaders have approached him in the past several weeks. Howard, also a former US attorney, had to keep out of partisan politics while he was on the government's payroll. But now, things are different. "I'm starting to take a look at the issues facing the state to see if I can be helpful," he said. McCain has a military pilot's low-key self-confidence and he can tell a joke well enough to draw applause. During a radio interview, he hummed a few bars of "Hail to the Chief" and quipped to one listener that he had started to doze off. Mostly McCain is politely straightforward, a smoother version of his ever-direct supporter, former US senator Warren Rudman of New Hampshire. In a crowded field with some well-heeled competitors (read Steve Forbes and George W. Bush), McCain, who has fought for campaign finance reform, says confidently that he will have the money he needs to run. Asked how he plans to distinguish himself from the long list of other Republicans either in the race or thinking about it, McCain simply looked us in the eye. "Do you think I'm like them?" he asked. In fact, over the years, Gross, a former mayor of Concord, and his late wife, Caroline, a much-admired Republican House leader, often welcomed politicians into their home. Jimmy Carter slept there, former Delaware governor Pete DuPont and Elizabeth Dole (appearing for her husband, Bob) have visited, as well as Walter Mondale when he was testing the waters in 1974. Gore was there during the 1988 primary campaign. He was Then a US senator from Tennessee making a short-lived run for the White House. As is customary on the political house party circuit (or so we're told), the host paid for the coffee and danish, got the house cleaned and rearranged the furniture. In this case, Gross also showed the Secret Service and its dog around the house (every drawer in the place was searched). "It's fun," Gross said about his role as party host. (Last weekend drew about 70 people.) "It's the highest form of New Hampshire junkie-ism." And one more thing: Our sources tell us that the vice president will be the commencement speaker at the University of New Hampshire on May 22. After all the hoopla about tax history in the making, why the reversal of fortune? State Representative Liz Hager, a Concord Republican, blamed Shaheen's repeated veto threat for the change. Others think that after the state Supreme Court nixed plans for a public referendum on the income tax, some House supporters backed off. All but a handful of Republicans stuck with their first vote in favor of the income tax bill: but this time 27 Democrats voted against it -- 20 more than the first time. On the Senate side, only one Republican, Jim Squires of Hollis, voted for the bill the first time, and it was defeated. But it became painfully clear that if they wanted to get any other tax ideas moving, flexible moderates would have to appease entrenched pro-income tax Democrats and give them one more shot in the House on the income tax. So, the bill finally passed in the Senate after a contentious day of failed negotiation. Joining Squires this time were Republicans Rick Russman of Kingston, Leo Fraser of Pittsfield and Fred King of Colebrook. "I did it for tactical reasons," he said later. "It was the only way to move anything forward." Now, Blaisdell, the son of Senate President Clesson "Junie" Blaisdell, tells us he will support the holiday. Blaisdell says when he ran for election, he favored the holiday, but once in office, he wanted to hear from his constituents. "Overwhelmingly, they were in favor,' Blaisdell said. |