New Hampshire: Retail Politics...in Black and White

Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum

Main Entry:          retail politics

Part of speech:      noun

Definition:             a type of political campaigning

                               in which the candidate focuses

                               on local events and meeting

                               individual voters

Example:               Retail politics is the old-fashion

                               shaking hands and

                               kissing babies.

Etymology:            orig. referred to buying votes

Usage:                   informal; sing. or pl.

Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum makes a stop at Robie's Country store in Hooksett, NH after speaking at an event in Manchester, NH.  (click on photos to enlarge)

It is almost the political season in New Hampshire, well I guess that is not true it is always the political season here. Having grown up in a small town in central NY, we had never seen a presidential candidate come to town, and did not expect to. But New Hampshire is different, they expect, or even demand to see the candidates. This is my second presidential campaign season living in the granite state, and I have come to realize that this is a place that sculpts and chisels politicians into candidates. They arrive as politicians with high aspirations. They are washed in the salt water of the seacoast, bitten and bloodied by the black flies of the lakes district and buffeted by the winds of the north country. "If" they emerge from the other side of the contest, they are presented to the rest of the nation as a candidate. This is were they learn history. The history of campaigning, both successful and unsuccessful. This is where they are knocked down a peg or two, when asked who are you again, but also a place that builds up the unknowns, and gives them the confidence to proceed. There are very few places that give you the un-burnished look into the modern candidate. Once they leave it is very rare that you will get that look again. So here's to the new presidential season... Good Luck!! You will all need it...

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