Nozell/Thomas family!
We just got back from the Joe Lieberman event at Daniel Webster
College (Nashua, NH).
Overall: He is looking to run a much more socially conservative path
in hopes of getting the "Reagan Republicans" back to the Democratic
party, is the pro-war alternative, playing on the religious/family
values theme. Also has the angle of 'you may not agree on everything,
but you know I do this because of what I believe not because of
polls/who contributes to me'.
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Joe Lieberman in Nashua, NH (9Nov2003)
Random Notes: (hey, they are cryptic notes from the palm pilot)
I'd guess there were about 150 or so people at the event that was held
at the rather small student union on DWC. One the way in the advance
man asked us if we wanted to sit in front on the floor and by the way
sign this video release form. So far everytime we've taken all the
kids to an event like this, they want to use us for eye candy in the
front. So we were right in front of the podium and had a nice little
chat with Dick and Katrina Swett (former congressman for NH). They
have 7 children and she was pulling out her photos of children ;-)
Lieberman didn't have much in the way of a prepared talk, just a
bit on intro on how the US could do better to take care of our
veterans and how Bush isn't.
Q1) from a student in a suit and tie about the Paul Wellstone funeral
and how some say it was turned into a political rally (question was
more accusatory). Answer was along the lines that it was an unusual
night, he agreed and Paul would have too that booing the Republicans
that attended wasn't appropriate, but the Pro-Democratic cheers were
Paul's friends just wanting to keep his work going.
Q2) What are the top 3 issues you would address? Answer,
assuming domestic issues, 1) Economy, 2) Public Schools 3) Healthcare.
A 4th would be to address the international arrogance of the Bush
campaign which is responsible for why everyone hates us.
Q3) A visually impaired person asked if Lieberman would support a
requirement for matching funds to be to provide campaign info in
braille and/or audio formats. Asked his staffers to talk to the
person afterwards and will think about it.
Q4) Question from the "Save Our Syrup; Stop Global Warming" folks (
about global warming. Answer: it is a real problem and the
Republicans are always trying to say that it is unproven. Said that
in a few years those reports will end up in the wastebasket along with
those from the tobacco industry saying their product is safe. George
W. Bush is the worst environmental president in history. Enforcement
is down, ref: EPA(?) told to drop investigations on polluting power
plants. Pulling out of Kyoto talks showed that GWB is not
responsible. It goes goes against the US's basic values.
Q5) Health care: does not want a Canadian style program, but wants to
use large pool of participants of uninsured in the USA.
Q6) Mental illness? It should be covered like any other medical
condition.
Q7) Please highlight the differences between you and the other
Democratic candidates. It is healthy up to a point to talk about
differences, but the point is to put a Democrat in the White
House. Differences of course ont the war, but also in health care.
The other's health care plans are too expensive or too big. Taxes,
specifically Dean and Gephardt want to roll back all of Bush's tax
cuts, he wants to keep the taxcuts for middle income folks (up to
$200,000 which is the start of the 2% of Americans). Mentioned Dean
not accepting federal matching funds and hopes that Dean will keep
within those guide lines for the primaries.
Q8) Free trade? Lieberman says we need fair trade and the NH depends
on free trade. Need to encourage other countries to raise their work
standards. Mentioned Clinton's take on it that the USA is only 4% of
the world and we need to trade with the other 96% of the world.
Q9) Business ethics? The goverment needs to have a a roll in this.
Republicans say let the market take care of it, but goverment needs to
have a roll. Would want to have pro-investor and pro-consumer people
on company boards. ref: mutual fund scandal that was broken by the
ATGs of Massachusetts and New York, not by any insiders coming
forward.
Q10) asked a question about how to improve special education.
Lieberman asked for more information and to have a staffer follow up
with her concerns.
Q11) H1B Visas? Make the point that he wasn't against immigration,
but we should take a look at if H1B are still needed for high tech.
Mentioned some bill/ammendment he was working on related to this.
There was a question about his support of a Palestinian state as
quoted from a talk to the Arab-American group a few weeks ago. The
tone of the questioner was that she wasn't much in favor of it.
Lieberman said the US needs to be strongly involved, we are the only
country both sides trust.
Katrina Swett (ran for congress a couple years back) had a
question/comment about 'why vote for joe' -- Basically need someone
who can work the middle of the party and attract Democratic leaning
independents so he can win next year. Someone that the Republicans
can't characterize as not in keeping with the main stream social
issues, not strong on defense and eager to raise taxes. Lieberman
agreed that can't/shouldn't let the Republicans to portay as
anti-religion, anti-family values.
There were more Q & A but the kids were getting hungry and a little
restless. At the end Spencer, Griffin and Trevor wanted to shake his
hand.
src="http://www.nozell.com/marc/blog/data/20031109-joe-lieberman-with-grif
fin-nashua-nh.jpg">
Joe Lieberman in Nashua, NH (9Nov2003)
src="http://www.nozell.com/marc/blog/data/20031109-joe-lieberman-with-trev
or-griffin-spencer-nashua-nh.jpg">
Joe Lieberman in Nashua, NH (9Nov2003)
are some pictures of Joe Lieberman at a Daniel Webster College in Nashua, N
H.
BTW: Check out tomorrow's Nashua Telegraph and New York Times -- the
Telegraph may have some pictures of Wendy, Logan, Addy and Emma and
the Times may quote Wendy (the reporter said she looked great for
having six kids -- Wendy would kill to see that description of her in
the Times ;-)
