Almost 500 people attended the 12th Annual CNHT Picnic on Saturday July 10th at the Hillsborough American Legion. About 30 candidates and groups set up displays and there was plenty of food on hand. Among the prominent groups in attendance were the NH Liberty Alliance, ProGun-NH, the NH Tea Party Coalition, the NH Families for Education, the Libertarian Party of NH, and the NH House Republican Alliance. Brett and Grant Bosse did emcee duties, and in addition to the candidates, speeches were given by Brian “Bulldog” Tilton, former NH Senator George Lovejoy, former Representive ‘Stretch’ Kennedy, Former Representative Steve Stepanek of Granite State Taxpayers, and former Executive Councilor Dave Wheeler.
The New England Organ Bank was present to create an awareness of the need for an organ donor for a fellow activist who is awaiting a transplant.
A straw poll was taken of ALL candidates, R, D, L, and I, and the official results can be seen HERE. Great care was taken to insure that there was only one vote allowed per ticket holder. There were two people presiding over the distribution of the ballots, making sure that only one set of ballots was handed to each person as they checked in the door. Not all attendees voted.
Much anticipated guest speaker was political humorist and Weekly Standard writer, PJ O’Rourke. He did not disappoint the raucous but friendly crowd. Please check back for video…
Meanwhile you can see more pictures of the fun thanks to the fellows at GraniteGrok.
Here is a nice slideshow thanks to Richard Bloom of Concord 912
Introduction by Chairman Ed Naile… Pledge of Allegiance with Bob Kingsbury, one of our board members who liberated the concentration camp survivors under General Patton!
If the above video does not appear on your device, use this direct link:
http://www.youtube.com/v/LcHLBlu2ev4
Video Credit: GraniteGrok.com
Note: There is an article at the UL under which some have commented that candidates could have ‘bought’ the straw poll. Nothing could be further from the truth. The reporter was standing in front of the check-in table and saw that we were careful to issue ONE vote per ticket holder. Thus, the Ashooh campaign for example, had two votes that came from anyone with the campaign. If a ticket was not purchased, they did not get to eat or vote.
Also, many of the commenters are wrongly referring to it as a ‘push’ poll. It is NOT a ‘push poll’ which is when a surveyor calls and asked issue-specific questions that lead the voter to his or her choice.
This was a pure straw poll, where anyone could vote for whom they wished, simply by checking a box next to the name on the ballot.