RTWH 2020 Planning Trip -- September 2019 --Biden State Headquarters and Biden Town Hall in Laconia

from the Town Hall in Laconia

Town Hall meetings are a quintessential element of the New Hampshire Presidential Primary -- with its emphasis on grassroots, retail politics, and answering (tough) questions from New Hampshire voters. 

After my morning meetings in Concord (at the NH Democratic Party and NH Republican Party HQs), I drove to Laconia (in the Lakes District) to see former Vice President Biden's Town Hall.


A Biden field organizer opened up the event, sharing a personal story of how he overcame stuttering (and how he was inspired by Vice President Biden).  Then former New Hampshire Governor John Lynch spoke, explaining why he had endorsed VP Biden for President:  he can trust Joe Biden (to provide opportunity for all Americans and to treat everyone with respect and dignity), that he likes Joe Biden (he is authentic, caring, compassionate), and that Joe Biden can beat Donald Trump in the general election.  Then a local activist spoke about VAWA and Joe Biden's role in crafting and championing the Violence Against Women Act.

Vice President Biden responded to the opening remarks (about the importance of VAWA and the It's On Us campaign) - and then dove into his stump speech - the heart of which is that the 2020 presidential election is the battle for the soul of America.  He referred to an article he recently published in the Atlantic magazine:

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/08/joe-biden-after-charlottesville/538128/

 He then took several questions  on a variety of issues. I stayed to hear him answer questions about cancer, domestic violence -- and then I was off to Londonderry to see Senator Kamala Harris.

Belknap Mill, site of the Town Hall

It was truly a scenic drive, and I am sorry that I did not pull over to take any pictures of the scenery for you.  I  was racing from one meeting/event to another.  Here's a link to the Lakes Region tourist association:
https://www.lakesregion.org/

Earlier in my planning trip I visited the Biden Campaign's State Headquarters in Manchester where I met with the state director and the internship coordinator.  Currently there are field offices across the state -- in Manchester, Nashua, Portsmouth, Concord, Keene, Dover, and Berlin.

Our students will be working in the Southern Tier -- and their specific office placements are determined by my best attempt to balance the needs of the campaigns with a drop off/pick up route that makes sense for the whole class.

from the NHDP Convention Program