friday evening, a friend and i hopped onto one of two buses full of dean volunteers headed to nh, to return last night. it was super convenient for me, as the nyc dean hq is a block away from my work. we had an exceptionally great time, and i collected some gossipy insight, if you care for that sort of thing.
we got to see the guv at two different events, one scheduled and one where we just lucked out. the first was the rally for volunteers in the strafford county area, in the area known i'm told as "the seacoast," close to UNH. plenty of media presence, but i assume, since nothing really remarkable occurred, the embeds are just there to file urgent reports on any new "gaffes" that might drop. none found me interesting looking enough to interview.
the second event we attended, after our day of canvassing (alone, not in pairs) in the freezing cold (windchills in the negatives), was the 100 club dinner, where all the candidates (except sharpton) came to give ~10 min renditions of their stumps.
we saw it later on c-span (i don't see the video online, and, since my friend managed to sneak in the main hall (i was identified (thanks to the non-whiteness of my skin, i suppose) as having insufficient credentials and was forced back to the overflow room), he can be seen crouching behind the cameras, craning his neck to watch the candidates speak (apparently invisible to security (thanks, i'd assume, to his skin pigment)).
my assumption is that they (the dem party of nh) try to dole out seats in the main room somewhat equitably amongst viable candidates, but that kerry is also overrepresented due to his being more of an inside, establishment democrat, and his supporters can afford the bill for a banquet. (this is further suspiciously evidenced by the scheduling - kerry got to close the night. ("bring it on," my ass.)) and in the overflow room? all dean. okay, probably 90%-95% dean.