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Why New Hampshire Matters

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  • Description

    'On the Record'- On the Trail: Why New Hampshire is a key stop on the road to the White House

  • Duration 5:16
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Hey not a big -- the population is only about one point three million but it is -- big deal.

The granite state holds the first primary in the nation and voters say they take that very seriously.

So -- it's so important to them to get the first crack at the -- and why is it's so important to the rest of us.

Griff Jenkins hit the ground to find out why New Hampshire matters.

-- McDonnell was just beginning his political career heading up the young Republicans.

A New Hampshire during a memorable fight between George H.

W.

Bush in Ronald Reagan today.

He's the chairman of the party here in New Hampshire in one of the most historical primaries may be about to play out.

Right here in his backyard so he said don't McDonald they always -- to some of the voters to find out what New Hampshire matters.

Mr.

chairman the first in the nation primary is upon us tell us -- New Hampshire matters.

New Hampshire has long been very effective vetting.

Venue if you -- -- for the presidency of the United States.

For for decades and decades we have looked to the candidates square in the we've shaken and we've.

Met them and living rooms and backyard barbecues.

And Lincoln day dinners and we -- who we've asked them the tough questions and -- Thoughtfully made recommendations to the rest of the country and to of that and no one has gone on to be president if they didn't finish at least second in the New Hampshire primary.

You have to love.

Being the host of this primary and more importantly it does give the candidates a chance to.

-- the voters one on one and places like this on the street.

Diners restaurants that you name it and his small retail politics and you know it would it's important in this country.

-- New Hampshire where -- granite state and we're number one.

It's quite a lot of prayed here you go -- first now.

Do you feel that you really do you have -- Tradition and you feel like what you guys to -- sort of sets the course for whatever nominee becomes you know whichever party.

You feel like you really make a difference here of course -- make it.

We make a difference because we being first -- had asked the candidates the questions that matter most -- people in America.

And get them thinking about the things that they need to be thinking about and talking about it as -- go through the candidacy.

Well New Hampshire has a history of picking presidents you know some month.

People it's near that island it's that it just takes one but there's some truth in this if you with a New Hampshire primary got a very good chance.

None of winning your party's presidential nomination.

And in the White House Iowa has no predictive value at all.

The folks here seem to wanna really candidates they took another post season I mean there's stuff -- -- Well that they like to -- the candidates -- they also like to reverse whatever the verdict was in Iowa.

And it turns out pretty well for them.

The New Hampshire primary and matters because of the people of New Hampshire for over a hundred years.

The citizens of our state had taken very seriously their responsibility to that the candidates.

To get in their faces to ask -- the important questions the tough questions to make an answer to be honest and upfront about it.

So of course it matters we grew up in a culture where the folks in New Hampshire.

Are very accustomed to spending a significant amount of time going to event after event after event.

A couple of town halls a couple of house parties they look at every candidate very closely.

They they are likely to switch over the course of the few months from one candidate to another until they settle down for -- and when -- they believe and but it's it's a cultural thing here.

We take it seriously -- engaged in the issues we know what -- -- important issues of the day our and we don't let the candidates off the hook and that's important parts.

What's more important.

-- Iowa Caucuses and the New Hampshire primary.

That is a tough question -- all last week it was the Iowa Caucuses this week it's a New Hampshire primary.

-- what's really important is -- the early states get to know these presidential candidates so their recommendation of the rest of the country is a well informed recommend.

I can tell you myself -- probably seen each candidate through four times that by this point in time.

So.

It's sort of how and it's it's sort of like Iowa but it's not treated like I -- -- Where it's not so much who wins.

Interethnic.

But I think what -- -- -- we -- -- the candidates who does -- have a chance to go -- for us.

-- why does the New Hampshire primary matters so much or does it matter you know we get a lot of national attention on a bit.

Rescue folks from -- state does it doesn't matter that much.

New Hampshire as the center of the earth.

If it's not in New Hampshire it's not do.

When I moved there -- who -- to resort moved through the course of the intensity of New Hampshire politics.

Everybody who -- -- that is politically motivated.

At least people that's been beautiful.

And I find that.

That when I got here -- to support.

Pressing him -- it's all about retail politics we don't make a decision on who we're gonna vote for president until we've met them at least three or four times.

So that we -- -- shake the hand me wanna get to know them personally not just see them up on TV.

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