Rotary Log June 23, 2011 (James Pindell)

Posted by Beth Wheland

Portsmouth Rotary Club Log- June 23, 2011

Writer: Beth Wheland

This was the final meeting for our outgoing slate of officers, so…

q Thanks to ALL for a job very well done!

q Congratulations (and thanks in advance for all you are about to accomplish) to all incoming officers.

Welcome to Andrew Chace (sponsored by Ryan Bishop) and Erin Misek (sponsored by Bill Hurley,) our newest members.

Upcoming dates/ events:

August 4^th - Weekly meetings move to the Portsmouth Country Club (PCC)

(And, yes, although that is also Thunder Chicken Road Race day, incoming president Tony Delyani says the Aug. 4 meeting is on (unless we are otherwise informed between now and then...)

August 4^th- Thunder Chicken 5K Road Race begins 6 pm at Strawbery Banke Museum. Volunteers needed. Bob Davis circulated a sign-up sheet, but Rotarians should be on the lookout for (and respond in the affirmative to) emails from Rick Page if additional help is needed.

September 1^st- PCC not available; alternative meeting location being sought

September 8 – Barbecue at PCC

Incoming president Tony Delyani announced that, starting with the move to PCC, there will be a sign up sheet for those wishing to make announcements, both for time efficiency and to “minimize editorializing.” Who, us?

Financial News: We’re in the Black! (There’s a $1.91 surplus (SMILE))

Rotary dues staying the same (SMILE again)

Lunch price staying the same ($1 from each lunch will be going back to

the club- SMILE for the budget)

Speaker: James Pindell, WMUR.com Political Director. James joined the WMUR News 9 team in August 2010. Previously, he was the publisher of New Hampshire Political Report, a subscription newsletter for political insiders. He has also worked for The Boston Globe, The Des Moines Register, Campaigns and Elections Magazine, and the Indianapolis Star. His work covering the West Virginia State House for a newspaper there was the basis of a cover story for American Journalism Review. A native of Indiana (“The Hoosier State”) James got his start in journalism in the world of sports. “Politics never fazed me,” said James, “ because I had to deal with the pressures of high school sports.”

On New Hampshire politics: James thinks NH is a good state to hold the first primary for several reasons. For one thing, because we’re a swing state as opposed to a state driven by a particular constituency. Plus, residents of NH expect -and have - access to their representatives in a way unheard of in most other states. Case in point: James referenced a woman at a town hall meeting in Milford who was highly upset by the fact that she’d called her local rep 3xs and he hadn’t responded to her query. In other states, James intimated, no one expects to actually talk to their rep.

On WMUR: James described WMUR as a non-partisan institution. He said their “Conversations with the Candidates” series is done in a way “not to punch ‘em (candidates) in the face, but to introduce them.”

On the Republican Primary Candidates: James described 3 candidate buckets:

1- Mitt Romney, with 32% of the vote

2- Alternatives to Mitt Romney

3- Tea Party candidates (not as big in NH as in some other states)

Warm & fuzzy of the day: “Let There Be Peace on Earth” was a nice song choice, despite the challenge of reaching those high notes. Thanks to Dave Underhill.

Warm & fuzzy of the day for Tom Decker: Won $425 PLUS match!