"Go Independent voters ... We can make this decision!"

For the better part of last year, you've been reading their letters to the editor to the Concord Monitor, seeing their quotes in the Christian Science Monitor here and here, and on ABC News here. You've seen them on The Hankster video after they accepted the 2007 Anti-Corruption Award in New York City on behalf of the New Hampshire Committee for an Independent Voice, and then on NBC's Nightly News with Tom Brokaw (a shorter version is at the top of The Hankster) or talking with Barack Obama on CNN.

And today, Betty Ward and Russ Ouellette shared their thoughts with me by email about their state's first-in-the-nation primary.

Betty, an elementary school teacher, said, "It was a great day for America, a great day for Independents. A record number of people coming out to vote, the majority being independents and young people, and that there is an active participation in the democratic process. Independents are changing the conversation, changing the political landscape, and independents and the American people will decide the next president."

Russ, a management consultant said, "My thoughts are that Obama lost to McCain, not Hillary. Hillary got her expected base of Democrats and women and Obama shared some of his Independent votes with McCain. This is why it is so important for candidates, the media, and everyone in politics to listen to and engage independents.

"We witnessed a flurry of interest in independent politics all through this primary season, with a fever pitch reached the day of the Primary. This dialog must continue so all citizens understand the value of their independent opinion and vote.

"Also, the polls were wrong. The media can not continue to count on old-school pundits and pollsters who have lost the ability to tap into the real America. Their methods need to consider independent voters as a movement and not some leaning undecided fringe. Go Independent voters ... we can make this decision!"

According to Ari Pinkus' article this afternoon in the Christian Science Monitor, "Obama drew more of the independent vote here – about 24 percent – than any other candidate, Democrat or Republican. Clinton garnered about 18.6 percent of independents, and Senator McCain 15.1 percent. The remainder cast ballots for one of the nine other candidates, the exit poll data showed."

Congratulations to Betty, Russ, Andre Gibeau, Donna Richards, and all the independents who worked so hard to make their voices heard in New Hampshire in this election. We know it's only the beginning!
--NH

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

Check in with the independent leadership team in New Hampshire Betty Ward, Russ Ouellette, Andre Gibeau, Donna Richards (New Hampshire Committee for an Independent Voice): Of independents who voted in the Democratic primary, 41 percent voted for Obama, while 31 percent went for Clinton, 18 percent for Mr. Edwards, 6 percent for New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, and 2 percent for Kucinich. Those who voted on the GOP side helped boost McCain to victory. (By Ari Pinkus - The Christian Science Monitor)

John Gizzi Reports from New Hampshire-met with Donna Richards day before election day (by John Gizzi, Human Events)

Fox Exit Poll Excerpt - How independents voted in the Fox Dem exit poll last night:
No matter how you voted today, do you usually think of yourself as a Democrat, Repubican, Independent?
Independents voted: Biden 0%; Richardson 6%; Kucinich 2%; Dodd 0%; Clinton 31%; Edwards 18%; Obama 43%; Gravel 0%
NOTE: Even though there's not a whole percent, obviously Mike Gravel's several hundred votes in the Live Free or Die state came from independents!

More later today.... Stay tuned!

"It’s Not Just About Ending the War. It’s About Ending Partisanship"

Independent voters from around the country are sending this message of support to New Hampshire voters, 44% of whom are independent and are allowed to vote in the primaries.

Ads will appear in print and on radio across the state in a campaign co-sponsored by the New Hampshire Committee for an Independent Voice (“NH-CIV”), part of the IndependentVoting.org network created by The Committee for a Unified Independent Party (“CUIP”)—a national association of independent voters.

Today’s Nashua Telegraph contains a full page edition of the ad (p. 22). The ad will run tomorrow in the Portsmouth Herald and in upstate papers on Friday. The ad is also on running the radio stations of: WCCM, WKXL, WGIR and WKBK featuring Betty Ward, Concord school teacher and Russ Ouellette, a Bedford business consultant.

The ad describes which presidential candidates have reached out to independents and encourages voters this into account when voting next Tuesday.

The ad also reminds NH independents that they can re-declare their status as independents upon exiting the polling site. Attempts by both Democratic and Republican controlled NH legislatures to limit independent’s long standing right to do so, were turned back by the lobbying efforts of NH-CIV in 2005 and 2007.

Betty Ward and Russ Ouellette from New Hampshire Committee for an Independent Voice

Obama Targets Independents -- But Is He Listening???

A Hankster Editorial

Sen. Obama needs another lesson in talking with independent voters!

Here's a link to the CNN piece on Obama talking with New Hampshire Committee for an Independent Voice activist Russ Ouellette

This was Sen. Obama in "dialogue" with independent voters in New Hampshire. Sen. Obama seems to confuse talking with independent voters with using the word "independent" in a sentence, hence his urgency in creating an "independent energy" plan....

When Russ Ouellette of the influential New Hampshire Committee for an Independent Voice tried to point out to the Senator on a CNN piece last night that "crossing the aisle" does not constitute reaching out to independent voters, Obama cut him off at the pass. I'd say the Senator, who I regard as an important voice in this election, needs to work on his listening skills -- particularly when it comes to independent voters.

PS -- Russ Ouelette and Betty Ward accepted a well-deserved Anti-Corruption Award on Tuesday night from the New York County Independence Party on behalf of the New Hampshire Committee for an Independent Voice. They don't get star-struck, they keep their eyes on the grassroots, they're part of the independent movement's secret weapon!

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

Over 200 supporters packed the Woolworth Tower Kitchen Restaurant Tuesday night for the 8th Annual New York County Independence Party Anti-Corruption Awards. The Anti-Corruption Awards is the signature event of the New York City Independence Party, that to celebrates independents' success and honors political and civic leader figures who are activitely building bridges to independent voters and the independent movement. The event, one of two major fundraisers for the IP each year, raised over $56,000. Tuesday night's awardees included Michael Hardy, Al Sharpton's long-time attorney; Bob Sullentrup and Larry Reinsch accepted on behalf of Rock the Debates, Betty Ward and Russ Ouellette accepted on behalf of the New Hampshire Committee for an Independent Voice, and other community activists. [Look for more awardees over the next several days here on The Hankster....] Past awardees have included Michael Bloomberg, Mike Gravel, and local elected officials such as Senator Charles Schumer, State Senator Joseph Bruno, State Assemblyman Adam Clayton Powell IV, and Councilman Leroy Comrie, in addition to grassroots builders of the Independence Party of New York City. [Check The Hankster for photos from the event, and see the video at the top for Larry Reinsch's remarks on RockTheDebates.org]

• What does the MSM call an anti-war libertarian Republican candidate for president who is raising millions from the grassroots? How about Spoiler? (CBS News)


• Ron Paul's "revolution"--“Maybe I’m more in the mainstream,” he said. “Maybe the extreme is what we’ve been living with.” (Portsmouth Herald News Seacoast Online)


• Mayor's 2008 Move Depends on Primaries: "The conventional wisdom says Mr. Bloomberg wouldn't run against Senator McCain because he's a centrist, Governor Romney because he's a fellow businessman, or Senator Clinton because they share so many of the same natural base of supporters. But conventional wisdom can't tell us how voters will feel about any of the nominees once their opponents have finished slicing and dicing them during the next 10 weeks of campaigning. Name any pair of candidates, and there is a scenario that allows Mr. Bloomberg to conclude he has a decent shot at winning. But decent does not mean likely, and odds are Mr. Bloomberg will sit out the race.... "(New York Sun)


• Three Nader Ballot Access Cases from 2004 Are Still Alive (Ballot Access News)

New Hampshire Independent voters count

The Christian Science Monitor today invites us to: Meet some of New Hampshire's freethinking and increasingly dissatisfied independents [Donna Richards, Andre Gibeau, Betty Ward, Russ Ouellette], who quite possibly hold the key to the first-in-the-nation presidential primary. They dwarf the ranks of registered Democrats or Republicans in this state. What they're thinking may well signal which themes will strike a chord with the roughly 20 percent of voters nationwide who consider themselves independents....

August Independent Political Round-Up

Independents Meet with Kucinich
A team of New Hampshire independents met with presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich Saturday night in Bedford, NH at the office of Russ Ouellette , a leader of The Committee for an Independent Voice (NH-CIV). Ouellette and CIV-NH builders Betty Ward and Andre Gibeau sat down with the candidate and his wife Elizabeth to lay out their concerns about partisan control of the political process and to discuss the aims of the independent movement. Kucinich presented his record as one of having fought the political machine of his own party, notably on the Iraq war policy.

The candidate accepted an invitation to participate in an upcoming forum organized by CIV-NH at Alpine Grove in Hollis in mid-October. The meeting with the three New Hampshire independents was arranged by California’s IndependentVoice.org co-chair Jim Mangia, a longtime figure in the independent political movement, who has helped Kucinich shape the pro-democracy, pro-independent thrust of his candidacy. Mangia is guiding Kucinich through a series of sit-downs with independent leaders to better acquaint him with the concerns and political reform agenda of independent voters. Mangia has been influential in persuading Kucinich to reach out to independent voters in open primary states. Last week, the Kucinich campaign issued a press release stating he intends to seek the support of independent voters. The former national secretary of the Reform Party and current President and CEO of St. John’s Well Child Center, Mangia hosted a forum on healthcare in mid-August attended by 250 social service professionals and Kucinich at the acclaimed health clinic in Los Angeles. See excerpts from the gathering on YouTube.

New York City Independent Lenora Fulani Announces Intention to Seek Citywide Office in 2009
Lenora Fulani filed an exploratory committee – The Committee for an Independent New York – and declared her intention to run for citywide office at a press conference on the steps of New York City’s City Hall with over 100 supporters. “In 2001, the people of this city inaugurated a new era of nonpartisan government. With Michael Bloomberg as mayor and with a new sense of independence, the city began to move beyond years of petty politics and clubhouse control. As an early supporter of Bloomberg’s and as a member of the Independence Party which gave him his margin of victory in 2001, I am proud that I campaigned for him.” Fulani filed papers with the New York City Campaign Finance Board authorizing an exploratory committee for a run for citywide office. “I have already spoken with dozens of community leaders, elected officials, clergy, independents, Democrats and Republicans about my intentions and my concerns. I will continue to reach out and to expand the public conversation about a nonpartisan future for our city.” Click here to read her full statement or watch the press conference.

Georgia Radio Host and Former Independent Candidate Helen Blocker-Adams Open Airwaves to Discussion of Black Vote
Helen Blocker-Adams, the host of WNRR 1230 am “People and Issues” and a 2006 independent candidate for the GA state legislature addressed the topic of the 2009 elections and the black vote with special guest Lenora Fulani. “In talking with folks in the community here I find that more and more people are getting the sense that they've been voting for years and years, typically for the Democrats, and staring to realize 'I'm not getting what I should be getting for all those votes' and feeling like there's got to be another way. There's got to be more choices and options." Blocker-Adams received over 30% of the vote as an independent in 2006.


NH Independents extend invitation to Richardson
CIV-NH activist Betty Ward of Concord, NY spoke with candidate Bill Richardson Sunday morning at a gathering at the home of State Senator d’Allesandro. Richardson addressed the group of 60-70 people and included in his remarks recognition of independent voters. Afterwards, Ward introduced herself and her organization of independents to Richardson who beckoned Stan McKenna - the NH political director. Ward briefed McKenna about CIV-NH and they spoke of setting up an additional meeting. Ward also extended an invitation to the Richardson campaign to participate in NH-CIV’s mid-October forum for independents.

Granite State Rebels!

Be sure to click on the video at the top of The Hankster (it's 15 minutes well spent) to see New Hampshire independents Betty Ward, Russ Ouellette and Andre Gibeau hold forth on Political Chowder... You do know that independents vote in the primaries in New Hampshire, right? And, yes, I DID hear Barack Obama utter the word "independent" in the YouTube/CNN debate! Thanks, New Hampshire independents!!!!

Conversations on Independence

Marc Ambinder "Andy Smith Doesn't Poll New Hampshire Without Independents" has corrected his earlier blog saying that Andy Smith excluded independents from his poll that shows Clinton leading Obama... and Ben Smith "About that UNH Poll" at Politico takes careful note, even posting a pdf press release from the pollster to prove it. Taegan Goddard's Political Wire "Clinton Leaps Ahead in New Hampshire" adds his two cents (only 8% of Dems have made up their minds...).

What's the Big Deal? Plenty! New Hampshire independents comprise 44% of the electorate and they can vote in the primaries. And USA Today polls show Obama does well with independents. Plus, independents on the ground in New Hampshire are becoming well-organized and won't be taken for granted. Betty Ward and Russ Ouellette will testify to that.

Independents Rule New Hampshire

Partyless, Unpredictable Voters Could Sway Primary...Again
This article in ABC News Go, By Rick Klein, June 4, 2007 , is definitely worth a read. With the media blitz about the candidates (and that's ok - it's an American election, and that's what American elections are all about....), it's nice to see a little attention paid to the voters! See what New Hampshire independents Betty Ward and Russ Ouellette had to say....

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• New Hampshire: This year, some independents are joining forces to make sure their concerns are heard. (ABC News)
• Texas: Just about every organization is disappointed with its officials, Russell Pruitt said, and his group believes the independent movement could help. (Victoria Advocate)
• Obama now virtually tied with Clinton, poll shows (USA Today)