The new NHDP Dover office on Chestnut Street is officially open. (Update: Foster's article 2 days later.)
I had to work late last night, and pulled up to the building just as former Governor (and future Senator) Jeanne Shaheen was finishing up her remarks. There was a nice size crowd gathered on the sidewalk, full of familiar faces from the campaign trail.
I wound my way inside for a peak around. It's bigger inside than it looks, but the space is broken into various smallish rooms. Lucky for the supporters and vols, there's a full kitchen (good luck keeping that clean!)! Plus a bonus: basement storage or poster-making space. All the ghosts of the former occupant (HRC's campaign HQ) have been exorcised, and a few new signs are up including the requisite "wish list." But basically it's empty, ready and waiting. I plan to take a picture now, and another one in November for contrast. One room was already hosting a rather serious looking meeting, but the rest of the space was filled with supporters poking around, collecting new stickers, buttons, or cookies, and people vying to chat with or get a photo with Gov. Shaheen. It was really laid back, casual. Nice.
Let me interject here how much I love that Shaheen's signature color is green. Really, do they ALL have to be red, white & blue? And, of course it works for me that her names rhyme with the color choice. The environmental inference is icing on the cake.
One thing I've noticed about Shaheen (besides that she is very prompt) is that she's not surrounded by staff who are uptight or full of themselves. No one was rushing around or frantically checking their Blackberries. No ties, either!! I could hardly tell staff from supporters! (That's a compliment, to me.) Everyone looked genuinely relaxed, happy to be there, and having a good time. Introductions were being made, neighbors were catching up.
If there was any animosity left over from the long primary, I didn't see it. There was one code phrase I caught a few times "I've never been in here before," which I took to mean "I supported someone other than Hillary, just so you know." Luckily, we in NH have had a LONG time to get over whatever losses we may have suffered, and we seem ready to play nice. I saw JJ (sporting Obama gear) and some others from the JRE team, another lesbian mom family from the neighborhood, my neighbor Leigh, Hillary and Obama supporters, several UNH students, one former UNH colleague, and the usual collection of State Reps & officers from Strafford County Dems. And John Barriere did a great job of welcoming all graciously, answering questions, collecting names, taking a few minutes to give me a quick little private tour.
So, friends and readers, if you are in the area I invite you to Chestnut Street in Dover. Stop by and pick up a lawn sign or bumper sticker today. Tell John I said "HI!".
