Posted on 12/07/2008 6:20:38 PM PST by Past Your Eyes
Ending several weeks of speculation, former Gov. John H. Sununu has made it official: He will try to become the next leader of the state's Republicans.
Charging that "Democrats are ruining New Hampshire," Sununu told the New Hampshire Sunday News he has decided to become a candidate for chairman of the Republican State Committee.
Current Chairman Fergus Cullen won't seek another term when the state committee meets in January to elect officers.
"I am going to step aside and support him," Cullen said. "He's clearly extraordinarily qualified to do the job."
There are currently no other candidates for the post.
(Excerpt) Read more at unionleader.com ...
Bill, do you have a NH ping list?
I spent part of the afternoon in Plymouth with Big John at the Grafton County Republican meeting.
Heads of state GOP parties need to have the know-how and expertise in building the party up from the grassroots, and (dare I say) community organizing. They need to be able to organize and energize grassroots conservatives and Republicans in the state. They need to be able to identify and recruit good candidates for every race, right on down to county commissioner. They need to be able to organize turnout operations to identify and drive all Republican voters to the polls. Can Sununu do that?
I believe he can. The times that I have spent with him show a man very unlike the persona that seems to be the prevailing wisdom. I like the guy. I like his son. When I see Big John in the hardware store, he’s just like any other customer in there.
I believe he has the resources, the talent and the gumption to get the job done.
No, Old Man Sununu is an insufferably arrogant old fart whose political imcompetence is matched only by his hyper inflated opinion of himself. A disaster for the state party, IMO.
I believe he can. The times that I have spent with him show a man very unlike the persona that seems to be the prevailing wisdom. I like the guy. I like his son. When I see Big John in the hardware store, he’s just like any other customer in there.
I believe he has the resources, the talent and the gumption to get the job done. The stated reason he wants the job is that he has a big family and most of them live in NH. He wants the state to have a chance in the future to be something other than all of our neighbors with their liberal induced problems.
You and Past Your Eyes differ on this.
I didn’t realize this was the old man Sununu. Old Sununu is perhaps best known for engineering David Souter’s appointment to the Supreme Court.
Have you ever met him? Talked to him? I don’t see that at all. He didn’t get three terms as governor by being any of those things.
Pingy
I doubt if that is what he is “best known” for.
As far as him being old, I’m telling you he doesn’t look any different today than when you used to see him on Crossfire years ago. He looks healthy, energetic and anything but old.
Other than getting elected governor a couple of times long ago, I just don't see his successes in politics. As Chief of Staff under Poppy Bush he managed to quickly PO most of the other staffers, including Mary Matalin, who said that Sununu "had the political acumen of a doorknob."
He’s probably one of the most intelligent people in the country. Whether this means he’s a good political strategist, though, I don’t know.
Thanks, Bill. However it turns out, I see energy today that I haven’t seen for years. I say give him a chance. This party is on life support and I’d hate to think the time had come for a DNR order.
oh pluleeze no no no no no....no more RINOs.....I want Newt...Michael Steele....anyone but a RINO....
To know Fergus Cullen is to dislike him. I was at the Sratford County Committee Elections yesterday and he came across as an arrogant, rude, Jerk. Confirmed my impression of him when I met him at the State Convention.
This is for the New Hampshire state GOP, not the RNC.
And Mary Matalin is married to, ummm....
Can you refresh my memory on that, please?
If that’s true, it doesn’t bode too well for the NH GOP.
Again, IF, that’s true, and IF Sununu ends up running the state party. Then again, national politics and NH politics are a lot different. I imagine Sununu has a lot more “acumen” for NH politics.
You should have seen the icicles between him and Fran Wendelboe this afternoon. Fergus should have resigned long ago.
I saw him again in March 2002 at a meeting for his son John (a good guy, imo)who was running in the primary against Bob Smith. Near the end of the event I stood near him and twiddled with my new digital camera as he fixed me with a sour little look. He didn't lower himself to come over and introduce himself, of course.
Over the years I've heard from several NH conservatives who hate the Old Man, and it's usually rooted in personal distaste.
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