Granite Status: Who's the outsider now?

Things change, and change again — and again. Especially in New Hampshire primary politics.

Is the media’s presumption of a big New Hampshire victory for Howard Dean beginning to hurt him? Was the tightening of this race inevitable? Did Dean peak too soon?

Did the Wesley Clark “surge” come too early? Is it sustainable or is he a shooting star, also peaking too soon?

How about those big endorsements from folks like Al Gore and Bill Bradley? Are they helping, or do they send a message that Dean is not the insurgent outsider he said he is.

One certainty: It’s gone from interesting to nearly riveting.

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Clark’s decision to stay out of Iowa looks smart right now. Since when do New Hampshire voters “listen” to what Iowa does, anyway?

Clark has also out-performed the competition in the television ad wars. His unique biographical ads stand out. His 15-minute movie, produced by Linda Bloodworth (creator of the famed “Man from a Town Called Hope” Clinton movie and ads) has twice been aired on Tuesdays on WNDS, while about 70,000 DVDs of it have been mailed or dropped statewide.

Next Monday, while the others are in Iowa, Clark and Lieberman will campaign here.

On State of the Union night next Tuesday, Clark’s supporters hope to fill the Palace Theatre in Manchester. They will watch George W. Bush’s address on a big screen television, then listen to Clark’s response.
http://www.theunionleader.com/articles_showa.html?article=31668