Wake-Up Call: Friday, September 5, 2008

With the PolitickerNH.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of New Hampshire's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.

With the PolitickerNH.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of New Hampshire's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.

Earmarks, taxes guide Bradley, Stephen debate

Last night's WMUR debate in Manchester between Jeb Bradley and John Stephen, contenders in the Republican primary for the 1st District congressional seat, kept coming back to two issues: whether earmarks should be allowed in Congress and the candidates' own spending records. (Concord Monitor, Chelsea Conaboy)

Link: http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080905/FRONTPAGE/809050306/1311/48HOURS

Study warns N.H. deficit may reach $495m

CONCORD--A think tank says New Hampshire could be dealing with a huge budget hole in three years depending on the economy and steps lawmakers take to address the problem.

The New Hampshire Center for Public Policy Studies says in a report the deficit could be between $156 million and $495 million. (Boston Globe, AP)

Link: http://www.boston.com/news/local/new_hampshire/articles/2008/09/05/study_warns_nh_deficit_may_reach_495m/?rss_id=Boston.com+--+New+Hampshire+news

Stephen releases two new ads

First Congressional District candidate John Stephen (R-Manchester) unveiled two new ads today using both traditional and new media channels.

A radio ad titled "Typical" challenges his primary opponent's record in Congress. (PolitickerNH.com, Staff)

Link: http://www.politickernh.com/editornh/3378/stephen-releases-two-new-ads

GOP opponents strive for disparity

The four Republicans running for Congress in the state's 2nd District sought to distinguish themselves from one another in a televised debate last night, even as they agreed on several key issues, such as domestic oil drilling and the war in Iraq. (Concord Monitor, Melanie Asmar)

Link: http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080905/FRONTPAGE/809050307/1311/48HOURS

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NH man gets extra credit for McCain victory

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – There can be little doubt that if it weren't for the steadfast support of political leaders and voters in New Hampshire, Sen. John McCain would probably not be the Republican nominee for President today. (Union Leader, Linda Killian)

Link: http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=NH+man+gets+extra+credit+for+McCain+victory&articleId=5d76c1c6-f37f-4ac8-975b-9608daef6e48

Survey: Most want spending cap on Nov. ballot

MANCHESTER – The battle over a proposed city spending cap heated up yesterday, as proponents planned to take aldermen to court to force the question onto the Nov. 4 ballot. (Union Leader, Gary Rayno)

Link: http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?articleId=e2bbb27a-48d6-4eb0-b76e-2efd4b53fdd4&headline=Survey%3a+Most+want+spending+cap+on+Nov.+ballot

Leahy skeptical relief coming for N.H.-Vt. bridge

LEBANON- A Vermont senator said he doubts Congress will act soon to help truckers who are inconvenienced by new weight limits on a bridge between New Hampshire and Vermont. (Boston Globe, AP)

Link: http://www.boston.com/news/local/new_hampshire/articles/2008/09/05/leahy_skeptical_relief_coming_for_nh_vt_bridge/?rss_id=Boston.com+--+New+Hampshire+news

NH Retirement System director steps down

CONCORD – The executive director of the New Hampshire Retirement System has resigned her position less than five months after taking the job, the New Hampshire Union Leader has learned. (Union Leader, Tom Fahey)

Link: http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=NH+Retirement+System+director+steps+down&articleId=15865b94-6658-4ab7-9359-f32710c25e63

Libertarian ekes onto presidential ballot

Libertarian Bob Barr has qualified for New Hampshire's presidential ballot as an alternative to Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama. (Concord Monitor, AP)

Link: http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080905/NEWS01/809050338/1311/48HOURS

Bob Dole gets free pass on NH Primary remark

ST. PAUL, Minn. – New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation status got a bit of a slap from a prominent Republican Wednesday night.

When asked how he felt about the New Hampshire presidential primary, former Sen. Bob Dole of Kansas replied: "New Hampshire . . . highly overrated." (Union Leader, Molly Jackson)

Link: http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Bob+Dole+gets+free+pass+on+NH+Primary+remark&articleId=87f2aeca-4b3b-4727-96a6-83cefb90fd7a

St. Hilaire for council

Republicans are fortunate to have three good candidates running to challenge Executive Councilor John Shea, whose 2006 victory over then-Councilor Peter Spaulding gave the Democrats a majority on the five-member council. Of those candidates, former representative Richard Wasson of Rollinsford, former state trooper and business executive Bernie Sparks of Loudon and County Attorney Dan St. Hilaire of Concord, our vote in the Republican primary goes to St. Hilaire. (Concord Monitor, Staff)

Link: http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080905/OPINION/809050317/1311/48HOURS

More join call for Rep. Jim Ryan to resign

CONCORD – Sen. Peter Burling, D-Cornish, and Rep. Leigh Webb, D-Franklin, yesterday echoed Gov. John Lynch's call for Rep. Jim Ryan to step down from his House seat. (Union Leader, Staff)

Link: http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?articleId=5ac99fbc-da8c-4cd2-b5c6-c7a1d175c3fd&headline=More+join+call+for+Rep.+Jim+Ryan+to+resign

Three women seek seat

The three Democratic candidates contending for two House seats to represent Henniker and Bradford in Merrimack County's District 5 primary have a few things in common: They're all women, and each has past experience serving in the Legislature. Two candidates, Eleanor Kjellman and Barbara French, are incumbents. The winners will move on to face one Republican, Jack Meany of Bradford, in the general election. (Concord Monitor, Amy Augustine)

Link: http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080905/NEWS01/809050313/1311/48HOURS

District planning kicked off

NASHUA – School district leaders talked about the need to look forward at a "kickoff" event for the district's strategic planning process that was held Thursday at Nashua High School South. (Nashua Telegraph, Michael Brindley)

Link: http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080905/NEWS01/309059924/-1/XML07

Wausau mill buyers want to put people to work

NORTHUMBERLAND – About 50 people came out last night to a meeting called by selectmen shortly after last week's sale of the Wausau paper mill in Groveton. But many -- including state officials -- missed the discussion on the mill's future when the meeting was changed to an hour earlier. (Union Leader, Lorna Colquhoun)

Link: http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?articleId=404f9172-830c-4023-9527-d7e79db6d42c&headline=Wausau+mill+buyers+want+to+put+people+to+work

Who is boss? You or your alderman?

Today at 4 p.m., Manchester's Board of Mayor and Aldermen meets to decide a matter of immense importance to the taxpayers of the city. If you can get to City Hall for the meeting, go. (Union Leader, Staff)

Link: http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?articleId=9dba160b-de64-44e9-8f69-48426ff471ce&headline=Who+is+boss%3f+You+or+your+alderman%3f

Local Republicans abuzz over Palin speech, McCain's choice

PORTSMOUTH - Asked their impression of the 2008 Republican Convention, local party members both at the event and here on the Seacoast, simply could not stop talking about the impression Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin made in her acceptance speech Wednesday night. (Seacoast Online, Shir Haberman)

Link: http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080904/NEWS/80904042/-1/rss01

Ads In Senate Race May Be Misleading

MANCHESTER-- New ads attacking the New Hampshire candidates for U.S. Senate aren't telling the full story on either candidate, a review of the record shows. (WMUR)

Link: http://www.wmur.com/politics/17393454/detail.html?rss=man&psp=politics#-

Budget talk sparks debate between Hampton Falls selectmen

HAMPTON FALLS — September marks an end to summer, a return to school, and for town officials and department heads, the start of budget season, and two selectmen wasted little time debating spending. (Seacoast Online, Nancy Rineman)

Link: http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080904/NEWS/8...

Sign man seeks high office

RINDGE -- The congressional candidate whose campaign signs have created a stir is hoping there's no such thing as bad publicity.

The patches of 10 to 30 consecutive signs on roads throughout the district are perhaps designed to give motorists a little extra time to read his name, but some have called Al L'Eplattenier's signs an affront to the community. (Ledger Transcript, Josh Bond)

Link: http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080904/LEDGER...

NH: Obama campaign announces former McCain supporters for Obama co-chairs

MANCHESTER— Today, as Republicans gathered in the Twin Cities for the Republican National Convention, Senator Obama’s campaign in New Hampshire announced Former McCain Supporters for Obama and its co-chairs. (Seacoast Online, Staff)

Link: http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080904/NEWS/8...